Royal Fatfighting Tournament Tools: #2 Produce--Are you eating 11 fruits and veggies per day?

I'm thinking maybe not. Am I right?

I did, however, stop and go "hmmm" when I saw this chart over at Diets In Review which showed "11" as the number of fruits and veggies alloted for Weight Watchers:



I don't recall WW telling me to eat that many f/v's. But I do remember this number as key for me.

Why?

When I was losing the most weight in the past (on Weight Watchers or on my own), it was when I was eating 11 minimum (but sometimes more) fruits/veggies per day while keeping my calorie intake at or under 1900 calories (that's about 38 points). I noticed this fact from my food journaling. More produce=more loss. (And this is one excellent reason to keep a journal. It shows you WHAT works best for you and what makes you regain and what intake makes you maintain.)

The fullness factor had to help. That's bulk! And hydration: fruit and veggies have high water content. Maybe even the increase in nutrients and fiber moving things along.

But I always remember that as my crucial number: 11.

And that's with me not counting starchy veggies, like potatoes or sweet potatoes. (I don't count corn as a veggie, either. I consider it a starch. Heck, they get fricken OIL and sweetening syrup from it!) I also don't count beans, as I consider that a protein. So, when I say 11, I mean 11 non-starchy veggies and fruits.

I do wonder, though, if folks doing WW are really getting that many F/V's? I've known folks who have done WW and only had, maybe, 3 to 5 f/v per day--a fruit at breakfast, a salad at lunch, some broccoli or other veggie at supper.

I'm glad posted that chart. I have been eating about 8 to 10 f/v's per day, and I've been having too many "treats." I've been eating immaturely, especially during my trouble time: evening. Hence the more maintaining than losing.

I need to plan out my 11 per day eating plan--which means allowing for 3 for breakfast, 4 for lunch, 4 for supper, minimum. It worked in the past, it can work again. It does require a lot of planning for me (that's a LOT of f/v's!!!)

Are you getting enough colorful produce? Think about it...