You must put an emphasis on vegetables

f you do not eat at least ¼ the volume of your lunch and dinner as vegetables you are either over-eating or you are hungry, or both. It is not possible to optimize health and recovery without the full spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants contained in vegetables. Whole grains (bread, etc) and fruit have twice as many calories and half the nutrient density per gram compared to vegetables. In order to achieve the nutrient intake you need without vegetables you therefore must eat many more calories of whole grains and fruits than you would need to eat in vegetables, increasing your total caloric load and the number of calories going to fat cells. In addition, the fiber content of vegetables dramatically increases satiety so without them in your meal you eat more calories, and spike your blood sugar and insulin levels (which drives down blood sugar) so that you eat even more in the hours after your meal or at your next meal. Regardless of whether your goals are body-fat loss, recovering from injury, preventing disease, running a marathon or lifting 500 lb, you will not succeed in a sustainable way unless vegetables are included in at least two meals per day in a relatively large amount (1/4 the total volume of your meals). Do whatever it takes. There is no excuse for not eating salad when the cost of a salad is less than buying better gas for your car (do you value your health and performance less than the that of your car?) and when the time you take to make and eat the salad may increase your life span by several years (do you REALLY not have the time to eat salad when excluding it may significantly shortening your life?).

How to achieve your required vegetable intake

• If ordering a sandwich always ask for extra vegetables
• If eating in a restaurant always order a salad
• If you don’t have time for salad then blend vegetables in your blender drink it
  Making simple salads that will make you a powerhouse of health and performance
  • Buy 1 bag pre-washed spinach and 1 bag pre-washed mixed greens
  • Put 1 hand full of each into a bowl and 1 hand full of each into a Tupperware
  • Pull your “salad box” (see next line) and put several types of vegetables into each salad
  • Contents of the salad box: Your choice of tomato or red pepper, red cabbage or beets, broccoli or kale, zucchini or cucumber, carrot, and any other dark colorful vegetables. Having several different things in the salad (not just greens) is important.
  • The Tupperware salad is for your next meal; cover it and put into the fridge
  • The salad in the bowl is for eating right away with the current meal
  • Add a healthy fat source to the salad being eaten right away; 1/3 to ½ medium avocado, 1.5-2 Tablespoon vegetable-based dressing or about 8 olives. Adding tofu or fish to salad adds both healthy fat and protein, making the salad a complete meal if you have a slice of bread on the side.
  • Do not add fats to the salad for the next meal (which might not be until the next day) because avocado gets brown and dressing makes lettuce wilt i.e. put on the fat in the few hours before eating it. This might mean putting the fat source on the salad in the morning before taking it to work to be eaten before going out to lunch.