Not a "veggie person"?

At some point, you will probably wonder why most of these recipes will be made from spaghetti squash or cauliflower. This is because I have never really liked veggies. If I would look at the approved non-starchy vegetable list, the only ones I would have found that I eat on a regular basis is lettuce and cucumbers. That's it. I'd had spaghetti squash before, but only with a good sauce. I consider myself a meat and potatoes girl. And apparently potatoes don't really count when you say you eat vegetables. Dang!

When I started Take Shape for Life, I knew that I needed to take another look at that list. My health coach had told me that there were some great cauliflower recipes that didn't taste like cauliflower. I figured it was worth a try, even though I considered the smell and taste of cauliflower absolutely disgusting.

However, if I didn't try some other things, I would be having salad on a daily basis. I've tried diets before that consisted of eating salad every single day (because I didn't like anything else on the approved list). Can you imagine eating the same food every single day? Needless to say, I got bored easily and wasn't very successful with those diets. I knew that I had to get some variety with my veggies, but still enjoy what I was eating.

I have found some fantastic recipes with cauliflower and spaghetti squash and absolutely love the food. I still get the salad in there every once in a while. I figure it's a perfect side dish for my grilled meat or chicken. But at least I can still get my pizza, Mexican and Italian food with the other two veggies and still enjoy what I'm eating every day.

At my 2 week weigh in (14 lbs lost!), my health coach was shocked that the "veggie hater" had done so well on the program. I not only had success with the weight loss, but have enjoyed discovering new foods and new recipes. To say that my meals are pretty awesome on a daily basis would be an understatement. My coworkers and friends keep asking me what I'm eating because it looks delicious.

Do you still think that you can't do this program if you hate veggies? I promise that you will find some recipes that minimize or eliminate the taste of at least some of the approved vegetables. If you still aren't sure, try some recipes out before committing. If one of the pickiest eaters on the planet can do find veggies to eat and like them (ME!), you can too!