Yogurt Question - Yoplait Light Fat Free
 

Ok, another nutrition question here. I like the Yoplait Light yogurt, and I see on the containter it shows the diet exchange being 1 skim milk, can you count the fruit in yogurt as even a partial serving of your fruit for the day? Probably not because there isn't much in there, but I need more fruits and veggies in my day and I am looking for options.

Thanks -
Angie

I wouldn't think it counts *much* as a fruit serving. I would think it counts as a dairy serving.

But there's PLENTY of stuff that does.

-apples, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, blueberries, pears, mangos, melon, grapes, bananas and on and on and on.

-butternut squash, carrots, grape tomatoes, cabbage, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, salads of ALL different kinds. The list is endless. ENDLESS.

I like melon, and I have learned to be successful I need this to be something I can plan ahead and have ready. I could cut up Melon a couple of times a week adn have it easy to take to work.

What are some calorie wise fruit choices and serving sizes you can recomend?

How do you manage your starches, or should I just try to avoid them?

Thanks for the input.

Angie

Leslie, I see, according to your ticker that you've lost 26 lbs!!! Woohoo!!! That's FABULOUS.

You've already had some success, so how did you go about doing that? In order to be able to help you better, perhaps you can share with us what a typical day looks like for you.

I asked the same question here not long ago, and the general concensus (sp?) was that no, it didn't count as fruit, only as diary.

Someone did give me a tip, about buying plain yogurt & adding fresh fruit, which in that case, you can add a full serving of fruit & count it. :D

I'm not a huge fruit and veggie eater, so I try to add them in stuff a lot. Apples in my oatmeal, blueberries in my Fiber One, etc. Also if you don't mind the extra calories, fruit is really good when paired with just a little cheese or a few nuts. It doesn't take much.

As for veggies, I LOVE this recipe, although I have to warn you it's pretty ugly to look at, lol.

1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 7oz can spinach (or you can use fresh if you prefer)
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic
1t flour
1t butter or olive oil
red pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Melt butter in pot, add onions and saute until onions are soft. Add flour and mix well. Dump in the rest and heat through. Makes two large bowls of soup.

Thanks Robin - I have managed to lose 26 pounds in the last year and a half. I just really need to be serious this time and make sure it's a life style change. I have not yo-yo'd much, but I want to hit my goal and just feel healthier every day. My life is a bit hecktic (isn't everyones) so sometimes food has to be easy. I just need to spend more time planning and preparing things. I work 8 - 5 in an office with access to a microwave and fridge, so the weeks are pretty easy, weekends can tend to be a struggle.

I can't seem to find a steady idea of the calorie goal I should have daily at my current weight to steadily lose.

Angie

Hey Leslie. Every one needs to determine for themselves what their "right" calorie range is. A lot of this is trial and error, which you find through experimenting. A good place to start can be anywhere from 1600-1800. Are you tracking your calories? It's really essential to do that. Track them really, really carefully. It's so easy to go overboard. Those calories reallly add up quickly. Fitday.com, calorieking.com & thedailyplate.com are a few sites that can help you with that.

As far as planning and preparing things AHEAD of time, IMO, that is the only way that this can "work". One really needs the right tools (foods) on hand. You MUST set yourself up for success. This just can't happen by accident. It needs to be thought out in advance and followed through. You need to elminate the junk and ADD in lots and lots of healthy, low calorie delicious, SATISFYING foods - Low fat proteins - such as - fish, chicken and turkey breast, soy products, egg whites, low and no fat dairy products and beans for starters. Then there's the fiber - tons and tons of veggies and some fruits.

What kind of foods do you like? What are you currently eating? Give us an idea and maybe we can help you tweak it.