There are 7 days left in my Dietbet game (40lbs Down - 50lbs To Go With Louise) and I have 2 pounds to lose. I am in another game and thanks to weighing in a day or two late in that game, I have to lose another pound just a day later! REALLY?? Yes, really.

I remember reading something called the 5 apples a day diet. The theory is that the pectin in the apple, eaten before a meal or throughout the day, keeps you from feeling hungry. OK but…. I can do maybe a day of apples and then I am over them.

What I do know is that I have been eating more fresh fruits and vegetables in the past couple of months than I did before. I also know that cutting salt and eating fresh and raw, I think I like the tastes of fresh foods more. I even have a new favorite salad at Panera (though I think they should lower the price for me b/c I don’t eat meat!).

My Panera Bread favorite salad (that don’t come cheap but should) is the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad – no chicken – add avocado and extra feta cheese – no salad dressing. I believe on the kiosk this changes the calories from 560 to closer to 350 calories but I could be wrong. Now you might say “Salad without dressing is just yuck!” but I am telling you with the dried apples and pecans and cheese – YUM!!! GREAT FLAVORS! But they don’t knock the price down so….. ??? ((also, there are plenty of copy cat recipes on a google search so you can try it at home!)) AND we know they are saving on the chicken – so pooh on them!! Anyway… back to my diet challenge….

Here is what I am thinking…..

Pick one fruit a day to eat 5 servings of throughout the day. If you eat it with a meal, then it should be first, not last. You can eat one fruit five times or one of five fruits once a day for a total of five fruit services.  And I am not suggesting ONLY these 5 fruits - I am suggesting that you include them in your diet - counting calories of course.  So something will have to be traded out I am sure. And it's really up to you if you want to try this with me.

Any fruit you ask….? …. Well, yes and know. Some fruits have more calories than others. You should be counting calories and staying within your calorie budget. The idea is that with these added fruits you will have extra energy to move more and also less appetite so you eat less naturally.

Each day for 5 days I will write about a specific fruit. I will tell the usual calories nutrician as well as why it’s a good for you fruit. And, I will share a recipe using that fruit – though the challenge will be to eat the fruit alone and not mixed into a recipe --- but just for 5 days --- and of course you could do the recipe as a 6th bonus serving of fruit as long as your calories allow for it.

What do you think?

Are you in?

If so, you have today to make sure you have at least 5 servings of fresh fruit in your fridge or kitchen counter and look for my post tomorrow. BTW – You know we are starting with CANTELOUPE!!!!