need help with fiber, veggies, & fruit

Hi Everyone, I utilized the Smoking Cessation Forum to help me quit smoking (been almost 8 mos since last smoked after 32+ year addiction-Yeah!) and am hoping this forum will help me with losing the extra 40# I gained during that process + 25# I had slowly gained over the years.  I am basically doing the Weight Watcher Point system and doing very well.  I am approaching this not like a diet but another life-style change in the process of making a better me for the next part of my life.  I am not looking to deprive myself, I just want to make better choices.  I lost 8.5# this first week - I am very proud of that but very realistic in the knowledge that this wouldn't have happened if I didn't have so very much to lose and I will be very happy with 1.5 - 2# loss/week for the first 2 months or so and then reset even more realistic goals.  Ok, so there is a little background for you.  My question is:  I desparately need to add some fiber, veggies and fruits.  I am thinking of making some WW veggie soup and that will help immensely with getting in my veg's but I am not always where I can heat up soup.   I need low to zero prep time; some ideas of 'on the go' foods.  With my job and lifestyle, it is not feasible for me to do the smoothie thing , Frozen fruits work nicely when I am in my office, but that is not often enough to make that always doable.  And the Fiber - geez.   I would so appreciate any and all ideas. 

Thank you very much for your suggestions, Jeannie.  Great idea about adding bran to the oatmeal.  Could even slice up some pear in it.  Yes, morning is about the only time I could do something like that - thank you so much for your help!

Janie

You're certainly on the right track.  I eat the Kashi cereals and often add some flax seed or flax seed meal to up my fiber intake.  When  eating oatmeal, I stir in some benefiber.  I also eat fiber-rich snacks like Kashi granola bars and try to  get whole grains in each of my meals.  For instance, if your lunch consists of sandwich or a wrap- LOAD it with tons of veggies and make sure the bread or wrap is whole grain.  Little things help that fiber add up.

Oh! Great idea KT - Flax seed is a great idea - that is what I am trying to come up, something I can do to 'enhance' what I already eat to get what I need.  Thank you very much!

jn

You may also want to check out:

1. Alternative Bagels, English Muffins, and Pitas from Western Bagel (westernbagel.com) - something like 7g fiber and 5-7g protein I think and 100-110 calories

2. Lightfull Smoothies (lightfullfoods.com) - 5g each fiber and protein and 90 calories

3. Vitamuffins (vitamuffin.com) - around 6g fiber and 4g protein, 100 calories and loads of vitamins

4. Fiber Gourmet Pasta (fibergourmet.com) - 18g fiber, 7g protein and 130 calories

I also really like the Kashi Bars and Cereal, as they have fiber and protein too. Also, I like to take a little salad to work (I like the Kraft dressings that now come in little pouches), or sometimes some hummus and veggies (celery, bell peppers, and sugar snap peas lately). Wild Garden (wildgarden.biz) has great little pouches of hummus that contain two servings - the whole pouch is 4g of protein and 70 calories and it's super portable. Whole fruits are also good and easy to take with you.

Please be sure to drink a lot of water as you put your fiber intake.

Good luck!

edited to add: Congrats on quitting smoking! It was horrible for me when I quit (pack a day at least for 14 years), but I've never felt better!

I just wanted to say congrats on quitting smoking!

And just a quick suggestion: what about raw veggies and dip?

try sunflower seeds.  there's almost 4g of fiber in .25 cups on sunflower seeds.  I just throw it in my cereal in the morning, throw it in salads, and use it when I cook pastas and what not cuz I don't notice them at all.

I cut all my fresh fruit and have it all prepped already so that I have grab bags or little containers of carrots, pears, grapes, etc for each day.  I do all the prepping one day of the week, and the rest of the week is fast and easy.  eat them in the car or whereever you want.  always have them out in your view so you remem to eat then and always have something to snack on.

also something that may not be super feasible but I love eating is frozen grapes!!  but they are very unappealing when they thaw and get mushy though hehe.  but I eat them like popcorn when I watch tv or a movie.  :)

oh and this site has lots good info about food nutrition and content: whfoods . com

good luck!

- julie

Thank you so much, Angel!  Each and every idea is completely usable for me.  I have never tried hummus - ds really likes it, definitely worth a try.  Thank you for the reminder about increasing h2o due to increased fiber - water is verrrrry hard for me and I truly just forget.  Congrats on quitting smoking! It was horrible for me when I quit (pack a day at least for 14 years), but I've never felt better!  Thank you so much - I smoked for so long I don't remember ever feeling like this, lol.

jn

Thank you for the congreats on quitting smoking, Lilad.  Last week I prepared two baggies each of celery and baby carrots and lf Ranch.  I also prepared (washed and chopped) head of lettuce.  I ate the veggies in my salad and also on the side but, ugh.... I managed probably 1 stalk of celery and 3-4 baby carrots/day.  Just absolutely bores me to tears.  I am still hangin' with them though, just can't eat enough to be the 'difference' I need.  Thanks!

jn

Great idea, Julie!  I never would have thought of sunflower seeds - and love the idea to add them to my salad.  Will check out whfoods.  Thank you so much!

Jn