Pretty much every healthy eating system emphasizes eating a salad before the main meal. There are many reasons for this. Veggies are good for you, it helps to fill you up, and the fiber helps your digestive system. Here are tips to make that salad as tasty as possible.

First, experiment with different salad dressings. Vinegar helps to get your digestive system working, so that you fully get all the nutrients out of the food you're eating and break it down fully. Pretty much any salad dressing you use has vinegar in it, so this is a great beginning to lunch and dinner. If you use a different salad dressing each time, it will help to stave off boredom.

Next, have a collection of ingredients available. Sprinkle on cheese for calcium, bacon bits for protein, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions, you name it. If each salad is a little different from the previous one, it'll keep your taste buds entertained.

If you set aside some time once a week to pre-chop everything, it makes it super easy too. Sprinkle on a little pre-sliced cheese, toss in a few pre-cubed cucumbers, and it's super fast and easy.

What you drink with a meal can really make a huge difference in how well you enjoy it. Having a glass of wine can really change a meal from boring to interesting, because wines all have quite different flavors and can bring out matching flavors in the meal you are eating. If you can't have wine, there are many flavored waters out there that can serve the same purpose.

A salad doesn't need to be huge. You can have a small side salad to start your meal, and it would only take 30 seconds to throw together but make a big difference in how you enjoy the meal and how you lose weight.

If your salads tend to get soggy quickly, grab those salad-in-a-bags from the supermarket. Put it right in front of your fridge so you see it and are likely to grab it each time you to go eat something. If you lay a paper towel down inside a tupperware style container, this helps to absorb the moisture and keep the lettuce lasting longer. If it rots - don't despair and give up. It takes a few times before you get into any routine. Buy some more and give it another shot.

Above all, keep trying! Salad is really important for your daily health. Keep at it, and after a few weeks you'll find you are into the swing of salads. They really are delicious, and good for you too!


Lisa Shea's Library of Low Carb Books