How should I get my vitamins and minerals while dieting?

As we all know, dieting can make it a bit more challenging to get all the iron, calcium, and vitamins we need in a day.  Protein and fiber are pretty easy to keep up with, as well as Vitamin C, because eating the veg and lean meats that I do packs in those nutrients.  But I'm not getting enough of the other stuff.  I don't know about you, but low-fat dairy, brown carbs, grainy foods, fruits and veg fill me up so much that it's hard to even reach my caloric goal every day.  But the natural occurance of nutrients is also hard to reach.  I don't want to take vitamins- they're expensive and studies have finally proven kind of a waste.  I just started getting those Fresh Express salad packs for easy lunches, and the Romaine has lots of Vitamin A, at least.  My favorite one- the dark green packs, wasn't available last time.  Any tasty low-cal foods out there that are packed with iron and vitamins?  I like spinach but only eat it once a week, same with asparagus, green beans, peas, corn, broccoli, etc.  I try to switch it up!  Any other suggestions?

This is going to be long
I'm also anti-vitamins in general, because that's why I eat, right? : )

For me, instead of focusing on calories, I try and focus on nutrients (which keeps me low cal, but it makes me feel like I'm feeding my body instead of depriving it, just a fun little head game, I guess), and I've ended up cutting out a lot of grains from my diet in favor of a larger variety of fruits and vegetables. I find they contain pretty much everything I need in a day. I also drink chocolate milk using nesquik, so I get double calcium in one serving.

As for specific nutrients, be prepared, it's a long list.

Iron: red meat (also good if you're having trouble getting daily calories, a few times a week for me), dark leafy greens, fish. Many beans, nuts, and eggs, also contain some iron.

Calcium: we all know the basic dairy and orange juice fixes. Also: soy beans, almonds, and cabbage are good sources.

Vitamin A: Red meat, poultry, carrots, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes,  butternut squash, cantaloupe

Vitamin C: strawberries, rasberries, peaches, mangoes, peppers, broccoli, Kale, cauliflower, tomato

Vitamin D: fish, shrimp, milk, eggs

Vitamin E: sunflower seeds, almonds, olives, spinach, papaya, blueberries

Thiamin: Sunflower seeds, lentils, corn, black beans, tuna, peas

Riboflavin: Meat, yogurt, soybeans, spinach

Niacin: Most foods high in protein: meat, fish, peanut butter, etc.

Vitamin B6: Red meat, poultry, fish, bananas

Vitamin B12 + Folic acid: Most meats and dairy

Zinc: red meat, poultry, crab, oysters

Ok, so this is in no way comprehensive, its only made of foods I like : )
I basically compiled this list and made it the beginnings of my grocery list.

Hope this helps!!

Vitamins I find pretty easy to keep up with - 1/2 serving of carrots gives you enough Vit A for the day, 1 kiwifruit gives you enough Vit C, going outside for 15 minutes gives you enough Vit D, etc.

For calcium, three servings of dairy every day will do it.  I often only have two and still get enough from my other food to make up the difference.

Iron's the only one I struggle with.  If you eat cereal at all, it tends to be iron fortified.  Unfortunately, the kind I love is relatively unprocessed so doesn't have all the added iron that others do.  But meat, beans, and some veg have iron in them and if you have them with Vit C at the same meal, your body absorbs it better.

Like minda, I think it's much better to get your vitamins/minerals from a varied diet - unless medical reasons make that impossible. 

Diets don't work. Changing your "diet" does. If you cannot stick to your current eating plan forever why bother? Most diets fail and people end up gaining all of the weight back plus some.

I don't like vitamins. They are not a replacement for food. I get my vitamins and minerals from the foods I eat. I plan my day and make sure I get adequate nutrition. http://ezinearticles.com/?Health-Myths-and-Le gends---Issue-1---Are-Your-Vitamins-Doing-You -Any-Good?&id=1459503

Eat clean/balanced and you will not need vitamins and you will loose weight. Count calories and eat the right foods. Don't drink your calories. Workout 6 days a week. Add 2-3 days of HIIT and 3 days of heavy lifting and you will see excellent results.

I'm not on a wierd diet or anything.  I'm just cutting out about 500 calories for a couple months to lose some weight, and joining CC makes it a breeze to count.  And of course I'm exercising quite a bit, actually.  Which is why I bother to be concerned about my vitamin and mineral intake, because I know my body needs it to keep up.  I am aware of the possibility of gaining it back, as I have before.  However, the other times when I gained it back is because I resumed EATING CRAP and STOPPED WORKING OUT.  I am on a much healthier eating plan that I fully intend to stick to.  It is truly a lifestyle change for me.  I will always be sure to eat more fruit and veg and really don't miss the white carbs at dinner.  That is really all I'm doing now!  In 10 more pounds, when it's time to start working my way back up to 2000 calories for maintenance, I will do that correctly, too.  I don't like vitamins either as I have done my own research, which is why I made this post.  And the only time I drink calories is with my glasses of milk and one glass of wine at night.  But thank you littleshellys.

Original Post by hlthygrl25:

I'm not on a wierd diet or anything.  I'm just cutting out about 500 calories for a couple months to lose some weight, and joining CC makes it a breeze to count.  And of course I'm exercising quite a bit, actually.  Which is why I bother to be concerned about my vitamin and mineral intake, because I know my body needs it to keep up.  I am aware of the possibility of gaining it back, as I have before.  However, the other times when I gained it back is because I resumed EATING CRAP and STOPPED WORKING OUT.  I am on a much healthier eating plan that I fully intend to stick to.  It is truly a lifestyle change for me.  I will always be sure to eat more fruit and veg and really don't miss the white carbs at dinner.  That is really all I'm doing now!  In 10 more pounds, when it's time to start working my way back up to 2000 calories for maintenance, I will do that correctly, too.  I don't like vitamins either as I have done my own research, which is why I made this post.  And the only time I drink calories is with my glasses of milk and one glass of wine at night.  But thank you littleshellys.

 You're welcome. You are definitely on the right track. Until people take the mindset you have weight loss will not happen or it will go up and down forever. Lifestyle change is key. As long as you are eating balanced you should be fine. I recently had blood work done and my vitamin levels were checked and I was right on target. Staying away from most simple carbs is a healthy/wise choice. I have switched to almost all complex carbs. Whole grain pasta, bread, brown rice, buckwheat pancake mix, whole grain cereals. You can find substitutions for almost everything.

Other things I have added to my food choices that have helped a great deal are:

Sweet potatoes. I found out I love them baked with nothing on them or topped with salsa, cottage cheese, tomatoes and jalapeño peppers, spicy mustard or Greek yogurt.

Beans. All varieties. Very good for you and filling. Plenty of fiber and protein.

Eggs. Full of protein, vitamin K and choline. Studies have been done that show people who eat eggs actually loose more weight.

Buckwheat. Makes great muffins, pancakes and bread. Very good for you.

Tuna, salmon, shrimp, lobster, fish, chicken, lean beef, turkey.

Natural peanut butter and nuts.

Good luck to you. Keep up the good work.