Monday, June 05, 2006

My kooky new adventure

So I didn't actually get to read this article until after I made this vow, but I saw the headline in the paper. Something like:

We're told to eat 5 fruit and vegetables a day for a healthy diet. So how come it's 7 in France, 10 in Norway and 17 in Japan?

Okay, so I'm just like you: "Whoa! 17? Day-um!" There's a statistic that get bandied about quite often: the Scottish get less than 1 portion a day of fruit and vegetables. I know seventeen is massive to you but over here, it's madness.

So I start thinking to myself: could I do this? Could I eat 17 fruit and veg a day, every day? And so, my friends, I have been at it since the first day of June and will continue until the 1st of December. Yes, 6 months of eating as much fruit and veg as I possibly can. Honestly, I haven't made it to 17 yet -- 13 being the most I've done -- but I'm desperately trying.

Anyway, I'm starting a blog (another one) for this (mis)adventure. Just really a list of all my fruit and veg and some observations. You can check it out if you want: www.17aday.blogspot.com.

And no, my poo is not all liquidy.

7 Comments:

Blogger Zandra Towns said...

Good for you! That is a really good goal but i wonder how you do it. Is it all different fruits and veggies or like 10 of broccoli and 7 of banana?

Monday 5 June 2006 at 22:57:00 BST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is a 10 foot exclusion zone around Autumn due to this diet, if you know what I mean

Monday 5 June 2006 at 23:57:00 BST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Admirable--You go girl!! We should all follow your lead cause it's healthier for us--I can't promise 17, but will shoot for 10 (cause 1 large banana counts as 2). Serving sizes vary with the fruit or vegetable. 1/2 cup cooked veg or 1 cup fresh veg counts as 1. I can see a vegan doing 17 daily.

Wednesday 7 June 2006 at 14:53:00 BST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Admirable!! We should all follow your lead cause it's healthier for us--I can't go 17, but will shoot for 10 (cause 1 banana counts as 2). Serving sizes vary with the fruit or vegetable. 1/2 cup cooked veg or 1 cup fresh veg counts as 1. I can see a vegan doing 17 daily.

Wednesday 7 June 2006 at 14:57:00 BST  
Blogger Autumn said...

What? A banana counts as two! I'm upping all my portion numbers then! I eat about 2 bananas a day! I'm terribly excited about this news! Can't you tell?!?!!!!

Wednesday 7 June 2006 at 17:25:00 BST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, portion control is key. I think you probably get more veggies/fruits than you think you do, because you've been totally deluded by serving size. When I have a salad, it's usually the equivalent of 5 servings of veggies, for instance.

To give you an idea, a serving of most fruits or veggies is only 1/2 cup -- 6 asparagus spears; 8 baby carrots; 1 ear of corn on the cob; 15 grapes; 1 medium sized apple. If I had to guess, I'd say you probably thought a serving was about twice that big.

Good for you, getting your veggies, though! I usually do okay in that department (though I've been a little slack, lately) but I really have to focus on my dairy. Getting 1 serving a day is easy, but 2 a day gets kind of tough!

Friday 9 June 2006 at 19:51:00 BST  
Blogger Autumn said...

It's funny about portion control. It is actually a lot smaller than I thought. Like 3 heaping tablespoons of peas (fresh or frozen) is a serving. That is bugger all. It makes me question why people, even reasonable people, can eat 17 portions daily.

But I have been underestimating my grapes portions according to your standards. I was told 10 grapes were a portion, not 15. But that makes sense, especially if 14 cherries are a portion.

Anyway, read the blog: www.17aday.blogspot.com.

Saturday 10 June 2006 at 10:41:00 BST  

Post a Comment

<< Home