Hello and welcome to the Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen Podcast.

I'm your host Jen, a middle-aged Michigan mama, wife, and teacher who

in 2021 stumbled upon this crazy cool thing called intermittent fasting.

And before I knew it.

I've lost 46 pounds in four months and gained an incredible lifestyle

filled with complete food freedom.

If you're hungry for unique, no nonsense fasting tips that actually

work, you're in the right place.

So whether you're walking the dog, folding that last load of laundry or cruising to

your nine to five, let's start fasting.

Our way to freedom together.

hey there, fasting friends.

Welcome to another episode of the Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen.

I am so glad that you're here with me today, and if you are using intermittent

fasting to lose weight, but you feel stuck on what to actually eat when your window

opens, then this episode is for you.

Today we're talking about 10 of the.

Best vegetables for weight loss and how to turn them into delicious, satisfying

meals that help you burn fat and feel full and actually enjoy your healthy lifestyle.

So grab your coffee, your green tea or plain sparkling

mineral water and let's dive in.

All right.

Let's start with a quick mindset shift.

Vegetables are not just food you should eat when you want to lose weight.

They really are one of your most powerful tools for healthy, sustainable

weight loss, especially when you're doing intermittent fasting.

Here's why they matter so, so much.

Most veggies are low in calories, but high in volume, which means your plate

looks full, your stomach feels full, but.

Your calories stay low.

They're packed with fiber, which digests slowly keeps you satisfied for

longer, and it helps prevent those.

I'll eat anything that's not nailed down Cravings.

They're loaded with vitamins and minerals and antioxidants that keep your metabolism

and your hormones and your immune system working their best while you are losing.

Wait, so when you open your eating window, one of the easiest ways to

supercharge your results is to start building your meals around veggies.

Not as an afterthought, but.

As the superstar.

Now let's walk through 10 of the best vegetables for weight loss and how

to actually use them in the kitchen.

First up is spinach.

Spinach is like the quiet kid in class who secretly has straight.

A, it's very low in calories.

High in fiber, packed with nutrients like iron and magnesium

for energy and metabolism.

You can pile a huge amount of spinach on your plate for very, very few calories.

Toss it into omelets, smoothies, salads, or saute it with.

Garlic as a quick side, it adds volume, texture, and nutrients without

blowing up your calorie budget.

And no, it's not going to give you Popeye level biceps in five minutes,

but it will help your body feel strong, satisfied, and of course.

Nourished.

Next up is broccoli, one of the superstar cruciferous veggies.

Cruciferous.

Such a fancy, fun word to say.

Anyways.

Broccoli is low in calories, high in fiber, packed with vitamin

C, K, and a plus has minerals like potassium and calcium.

Um, broccoli has fiber that helps you stay full and it keeps digestion

moving, which is very, very helpful when you're changing your eating patterns.

With intermittent fasting, roasted broccoli with a little olive oil,

salt and pepper can become your new best friend, your new favorite snack.

You can also toss broccoli into stir fries in casseroles or even air fry it.

Until it's crispy.

Number three on the list is cauliflower.

And I think if there were an award for the most clever veggie, cauliflower would win.

Because if you go to Pinterest, um, and search cauliflower

recipes, oh my gosh, you can turn cauliflower into just about anything.

Cauliflower is also low in carbs in calories.

It's high in fiber, and it is.

Like I said, super duper versatile.

You can turn it into a gajillion, different healthy things like cauliflower

rice instead of white rice, cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes,

cauliflower pizza crust instead of regular dough, which if I'm being

honest, I don't love, um, most of the cauliflower pizza crust out there.

Um, but I found a few that are okay.

Now, cauliflower mash and cauliflower rice, on the other hand, love, love, love.

So all of those swaps allow you to enjoy your favorite types of

meals, bowls, pizzas, comfort, food at a sliver, or just a fraction.

Of the calories and carbs.

And that makes a huge difference, and it's a big, big help if you're doing

low carb or you're just trying to reduce processed foods during your eating window.

Next, we have bell peppers that bring color and crunch and

sweetness without a sugar crash.

They're low in calories, high in water, and fiber.

Very rich in vitamins A and C. You can slice them up for snacks, use them

as dippers for hummus or Greek yogurt ranch, or toss them into fajitas and

omelets or sheet pan meals because they're naturally sweet and crunchy.

They help satisfy that snack feeling in a much healthier way than.

Say chips or crackers.

Next up is cabbage.

Cabbage might not sound exciting, but it's quite honestly a

quiet all star for weight loss.

It really, really is.

It's extremely low in calories, high in fiber, full of

vitamin C and other nutrients.

You can use it, uh, shredded and.

Salads and in coleslaw you can saute it with a little butter or olive oil

and it tastes really, really good.

You can put it in, cabbage, stir fries or egg roll.

Um, do like an egg roll in a bowl style meal, and you

get big, bulky portions that.

Really do keep you full without loading up on the calories.

Number six, we have mushrooms, my absolute fave.

Um, mushrooms are amazing when you want flavor and texture without a ton

of calories, because they're very low in calories, they're high in water,

they're packed with minerals and antioxidants, and because they have

a meaty texture, you can use them to stretch ground meat in recipes.

You can swap 'em for meat altogether in plant-based vegetarian meals.

Mushrooms add depth to omelets and stir fries and casseroles, and they

just really help you feel like you're eating something hearty and meaty

and satisfying, but you're still keeping your calories in check.

Zucchini is number seven, and it is a fantastic low carb, low cal veggie that

feels more substantial than lettuce.

Um, it's low in calories and carbs, it's high in water.

It's a great source of vitamins A and C, and you can do a ton of things with

it, like you can with cauliflower.

You can, take zucchini and spiralize it into zoodles as a

pasta swap, which I do all the time.

You can slice zucchini and roast it and have it as a side dish, add it

to casseroles or to skillet meals.

It gives you that I am eating a full plate of food, feeling while

still helping you create a calorie deficit for weight loss Number eight.

Great.

And that is kale.

We can't skip kale 'cause it really is a powerhouse veggie.

Kale is low in calories, very high in fiber, loaded with vitamins

KA and c plus antioxidants.

You can eat.

Kale in salads.

Massage it with a little olive oil and lemon to soften it.

Toss it into soups, blend it into smoothies.

I do that a lot.

Um, and that fiber really does help you to stay full and the nutrients support

your overall health, heart immune system, and metabolism while you are losing.

Wait.

Next up, number nine, green beans.

Yum.

Green beans are a very simple, family friendly veggie that

works with almost any meal.

Again, they're low in calories, high in water and fiber.

Great source of vitamins and minerals like potassium and folate.

You can roast them with some olive oil and garlic and salt,

or saute them in a skillet.

They give you that satisfying crunch and volume on your plate,

which really helps with portion control and mindless snacking.

I have a simple and so-so delicious.

Seasoned green bean recipe that I've been making for years.

I love to, have it as a side with many different healthy dinners.

Probably my favorite to have it with is my grilled salmon, um, with DLL dip recipe.

That seasoned green bean recipe can be found in my intermittent

fasting recipe library on my website.

So what if with jen.com.

Under the recipes tab, and I'll also leave it in the show notes for you below.

And finally, number 10.

Last but not least, Brussels sprouts.

These little guys are low in calories, high in fiber, rich in vitamin C and

K, um, and gut friendly compounds.

When you roast them with olive oil and a little bit of salt until

they're crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, they become.

Completely addictive.

You can also level them up with toppings like feta cheese and pesto

or some sliced almonds to turn them into a seriously craveable side dish.

I have an incredible roasted feta pesto Brussels sprouts recipe.

Um, also found in my IF recipe library on my website, and I'll also leave

that in the show notes as well for you.

All right.

There you have it.

10 incredible weight loss vegetables.

Let's bring it all together now.

So how do you make all of this actually work with intermittent fasting?

Here are a few.

Tips for you.

Number one, you can open your window with protein plus veggies.

Think grilled chicken with roasted broccoli, a big spinach salad or

scrambled eggs with mushrooms and peppers, starting with protein and vegetables.

It really does help to stabilize blood sugar and control cravings.

Number two, build your plate around veggies First.

Fill at least half your plate with one or two of these weight loss super veggies.

Then add your protein, then any healthy fats or starches your including.

Number three.

Use veggie swaps for high calorie foods, uh, like cauliflower

instead of rice or potatoes.

Zucchini noodles instead of regular white pasta, cabbage, or

lettuce wraps instead of tortillas.

These little swaps add up quickly over weeks and months.

Let me give you a few simple meal ideas that you can steal too.

Um, how about a big fasting friendly salad, spinach plus some kale as

the base topped with grilled chicken or salmon bell peppers, mushrooms,

zucchini, and a clean dressing.

I have been making this clean cilantro, lime dressing that to die for.

It's just olive oil, fresh cilantro, lime juice, Greek yogurt, a drip

of honey, and some kosher salt.

So.

So good super filling and nutrient dense salad that, um, it, it just

makes you feel so satisfied and, uh, just really, really healthy and good.

Uh, you could do like a veggie loaded bowl with cauliflower rice and some

roasted broccoli, cabbage and green beans, topped with your favorite protein

and maybe a sauce like pesto or salsa.

You could do a roasted veggie tray with Brussels sprouts and mushrooms and bell

peppers, zucchini tossed in olive oil and seasonings roasted until crispy perfect

as a side or even as the base of a meal.

These are the kinds of meals that have really helped me to lose weight,

maintain, and to stay full in my eating window and still feel like

I'm really eating and not dieting.

So just remember.

You do not have to be perfect, and you don't have to love every

single vegetable on this list.

Start by picking two or three that sound good to you and find one easy way to add

them into your eating window this week.

Intermittent fasting gives you a powerful structure and it gives you a plan.

These veggies help you fill that structure with foods that work

for your body and not against it.

You really do deserve meals that are delicious and satisfying and weight

loss friendly, and these 10 vegetables can absolutely help you get there.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend who's fasting

with you and let them know which veggie you are going to try first.

And be sure to tune into my next episode where I'll be highlighting

the best weight loss friendly fruits.

Until then, keep fasting clean.

Eating with intention and giving yourself grace and understanding along the journey.

Have a blessed and beautiful day, my fabulous fasting friends.

Hey, thank you so much for choosing to spend part of your day listening

to this episode of the Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen podcast.

If you think these tips could help a friend or a family member, please

consider sharing this episode with them.

And if you really enjoyed the show, taking a minute or two

to leave a positive review.

Would be so appreciated.

Tune in for new 15 to 25 minute episodes released on the 10th,

20th, and 30th of each month.

Episodes will feature solo shows filled with if F hacks that

have worked for me, as well as episodes where I get to chat with.

Fun folks of all ages who've experienced incredible success

with intermittent fasting.

If you have questions or want more unique intermittent fasting health and

weight loss tips, tricks and recipes, please visit my website and blog at.

So what if with jen.com?

Finally, we'd love to welcome you into our free intermittent.

Fasting Facebook support group.

So what if with Jen?

Find all of these links in the show notes below.

And as always, I hope you spend your day loving without fear and

laughing until your cheeks hurt.