Weekly Challenge #2 – Try a New Fruit or Vegetable

Fresh beets

So you’ve survived week one.

How are you feeling?  If you are new to boot camp, is it getting any easier to wake up at 5am?  If you’ve been a boot camper for more than a month, are you still improving, or have you plateaued?  Do you still have goals to reach?

If you are a vet and boot camp is now a habit, congratulations!  But if what you put into your body has gotten the best of you, give this week’s challenge a try.

It's simple.  Try one new food this week.  Just one. 

If the one you try doesn’t agree with you, try another.  And consider making this a new habit – once a week, once a month or if you really aren’t the adventurous type – once a year. 

Not sure where to start?

Aim for the produce section at your favorite grocery store.  Not only are there hundreds of fruits and vegetables to choose from, but they are low in calories (great for weight loss) and packed full of nutrition.

If you are short on time and the type of person who grabs food on the go, be adventurous with fruit.  Check out fruits you’ve never tasted before, choose one, wash it and if you aren’t sure how to eat it – google it.

For the less adventurous, check out kiwi, papaya, mango or a fresh pear.  (Pears.  Seriously. I'm ashamed to say I only tasted fresh pears in the past year.  Thought I hated them because I tasted canned pears in my elementary school cafeteria.  Who knew?)  

If you have tried most fruits, aim for a different variety (i.e. if you always buy Bartlett pears, try an Asian pear, or if you love oranges, try a blood orange).  If you are more adventurous, check out a star fruit, dragon fruit, pomegranate, or passion fruit.  

I know what you're thinking.  Our local neighborhood grocery doesn't carry too many adventurous foods.  And you may be right.  So guess what?  Venture out of your comfort zone and take a trip to the DeKalb Farmer's Market, or Harry's in Marietta.  Your adventure will suddenly involve more than a new food! 

If you have more time on your hands and want to try cooking a new recipe, try a vegetable you haven’t had before.  If you feel you have tried many vegetables, try another variety of something like purple sweet potatoes, or orange cauliflower. 

And if you love most vegetables, try cooking one in a new way.  I hated Brussels sprouts for 30+ years until I had them roasted.  Now they're on my weekly grocery list.  Whatever vegetable you choose, be adventurous, google a recipe and give it a try.   

Share your new food experiment with your fellow boot campers by taking a pic and posting it to the Step It Up Facebook page.