Fruits and Veggies (And Eggs and Chicken)

How many fruits and vegetables are you eating every day? Have you ever really paid attention to this? Are you eating fruits and veggies every day? Or do you just grab what is convenient and keep going?

Now if you remember, last month I stated that I would start following the Paleo way of eating. This has been good and hard at the same time. So I'm going to take it one step further and now restrict my intake to fruits and veggies for a while and see how I feel. Yes, I know as runners we need protein intake. But you can get protein from certain veggies.
Let's compare the nutrient density of meat to the nutrient density of green vegetables to illustrate this important point. (Nutrients present in 100-calorie portions)

This table is from the forthcoming revised version of Dr. Fuhrman's book Cholesterol Protection for Life.
Now, I'm not saying to give up meat totally, I'm just saying to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet. Do not make your diet only of meats. Because I highly doubt I could ever give up my grilled chicken! Good grief I love me some chicken!

"When it comes to protein intake, athletes seem to fall into two categories. First are those who eat too much - the bodybuilders, weightlifters, and football players who can't seem to get enough of the stuff. Those in the second group eat too little - the runners, dancers, swimmers, gymnasts, skaters, and other weight-conscious athletes who never touch meat and trade most protein calories for more salads and vegetables. Individuals in either group can perform poorly because of dietary imbalances." This was taken from a great article I found at www.momstream.com You can read the rest of the article here: www.momstream.com It talks about the right amount of protein athletes should have. Specifically youth and endurance athletes. As an endurance athlete and a mother to athletes this is important for all of us to read.

We all need protein, you need to figure out for yourself and your lifestyle where you want to get a majority of your protein from.

How many fruits and veggies are you eating every day? Where do you get your protein sources from? How much protein are you eating?