Questions & answers

 

 

What is Mix It Up?

It may be the simplest nutrition program ever — no calorie counting, no fat gram tabulating, no weighing or measuring. Just easy-to-remember daily selections of colorful produce — more than 120 to choose from! A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is exceptionally healthy. Putting produce first can help reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, and hypertension, while increasing energy.

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How does it work?

Your goal is to eat at least five servings of produce each day, with a minimum of three vegetables — in red, orange, yellow/white, green, and blue/violet. By spreading daily choices across the rainbow of colors, you’re guaranteed the best produce has to offer — vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals — for better health.

  • Vegetable serving = 2 points
  • Fruit serving = 1 point
  • Top Choice* selection = 1 bonus point

* While all produce is good for you, Top Choices are vegetables and fruits that may offer added nutritional value. Remember that vegetables tend to be low in calories, whereas fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables may contain more calories per serving. Keep this in mind when you are creating your meal plan if weight loss is one of your goals. NOTE: For 1/2 servings, each point value is halved: 1/2 vegetable serving is 1 point, 1/2 fruit serving .5, and Top Choice selections .5.

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Is there a limit to the number of servings and produce points you can record in a day?

Mix It Up allows you to record up to 9 servings per day. If you recorded 9 Top Choice vegetable servings — such as 9 servings of spinach — you could achieve up to 27 produce points in a day ([9x2] + [9x1] = 27).

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What’s a reasonable daily produce point goal?

Aim for 10–12 produce points a day. For example, 3 vegetable servings are 6 points and 2 fruit servings are 2 points for a total of 8. If at least 2 of those are Top Choice servings, that’s 2 more bonus points for a total of 10. If you’re very active, you may need more produce servings in a day.

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Who can participate?

Everyone. Mix It Up is all about healthy eating patterns anyone can adopt. It shows you how to improve your overall health through colorful selections of vivid vegetables and fabulous fruit. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to put produce first.

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What’s a Top Choice?

While all produce is good for you, a Top Choice may offer extra health benefits.

To enhance your score with the fewest calories, focus on the underlined items in this Top Choice list:

- Beans (edamame/soy, lentil, garbanzo, black, kidney,
pinto, black eyed pea, navy) 		- Blueberries
- Broccoli - Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower - Cranberries
- Kale - Kiwi
- Oranges - Pomegranate
- Pumpkin - Raspberries
- Spinach - Strawberries
- Sweet potato - Tomato.

NOTE: Remember that vegetables tend to be low in calories, whereas fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables may contain more calories per serving. Keep this in mind when you are creating your meal plan if weight loss is one of your goals.

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How does the blender work?

Recording your produce servings is as easy as dropping your daily choices in the blender, then clicking SAVE. The blender mixes your produce and gives you a visual representation of your color choices for the day and the entire program. Aim for an equal number of servings across the rainbow of colors.

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How can I record multiple days without dropping each serving in the blender?

Click on “Record multiple days” on the Log produce page. Choose All Day or the individual meal you wish to record. Choose full or half serving, then click on each produce item to record for that day. When you’re done recording your choices for that day, click on the date again to collapse the window, then choose your next date.

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Should I eat more than 5 servings per day?

Mix It Up allows you to record up to 9 servings per day, but over 5 servings could be more calories than you need. Remember that vegetables tend to be low in calories, whereas fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables may contain more calories per serving. Keep this in mind when you are creating your meal plan if weight loss is one of your goals.

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How does team participation work?

The goal of team participation is to reinforce healthy eating with a fun, friendly competition that emphasizes the overall goals of Mix It Up. Scoring is based on a point system: vegetable servings = 2 points, fruits servings = 1 point, and Top Choice selections = 1 bonus point. For 1/2 servings, each point value is halved.

To learn more about team participation, read How it works under the Team tab.

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Do I have to join a team or can I go it alone?

Although you can participate on your own, Mix It Up is even more fun when you’re on a team. You’re more likely to stick with healthy habits when supported by others.

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Can anyone start a team?

Yes. After you register, click the Team link to get started and invite others to join. The person who starts the team is the Team Leader. Remember, teams consist of 4–10 members (you and at least three others). As soon as three people accept your invitation, your team is complete (check your team status to be sure your team is official before the start of the team challenge)

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Do team leaders have any special responsibilities?

Make sure that three to nine other people register and accept your invitation by (insert day and date), to form an official team. Otherwise, all team members are responsible for recording their own produce choices. The deadline for recording activity to count towards the team participation is (insert day and time), so be sure each team member has entered their activity before the deadline.

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Do all team members have to be in the same location?

No. While there are advantages to teammates all being in the same location, the more important factor is making sure all teammates are supportive of each other.

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What is a serving size*?

Here are some typical serving size examples:

Vegetables

  • 1/2 cup of most fresh or cooked vegetables
  • 6 ounces vegetable juice
  • 1 cup raw leafy green vegetables
  • 1/2 cup cooked beans

Fruits

  • 1 cup fresh berries or melon
  • 1/2 cup diced fruit (fresh, or canned without syrup or added sugar, is best)
  • 1/4 cup dried fruit
  • 1 small orange
  • 1 small apple
  • 1 small banana
  • 1 small pear

Remember that vegetables tend to be low in calories, whereas fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables may contain more calories per serving. Keep this in mind when you are creating your meal plan if weight loss is one of your goals.

*Serving sizes based on the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

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How do I record a fruit or veggie salad?

To log multiple produce items in one entrée, simply choose Mixed produce on the Log produce page; then select the color/category (F for fruits and V for vegetables) and serving size. Another option is to record the serving amount for each item that’s included; for example, a salad may contain one serving of lettuce, ½ serving of tomato, and ½ serving of yellow pepper.

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Does Mix It Up involve a special diet or supplements?

No. The goal of the program is to enhance your daily eating habits to include more vegetables and fruits, using a color theme. And while daily supplements may be a good idea, a balanced diet packed with produce is the best way to be sure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs for optimum health and energy.

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Will I lose weight participating in Mix It Up?

Many people do, but that’s not the main goal. People who get a higher percentage of their overall calories from vegetables and fruit are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Remember that vegetables tend to be low in calories, whereas fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables may contain more calories per serving. Keep this in mind when you are creating your meal plan if weight loss is one of your goals.

Lower calorie choices include:

Top Choices under 50 calories/cup:

- Broccoli - Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower - Kale
- Pumpkin - Spinach
- Tomato

More low-calorie produce choices (less than 50 calories/cup):

- Watermelon - Star fruit
- Asparagus - Bell peppers
- Broccoli rabe - Celery
- Cucumber - Green beans
- Cabbage - Green onions
- Mushrooms - Radish
- Summer squash/zucchini - Endive
- Bok choy - Eggplant
- Fennel - Jalapeno peppers
- Kohlrabi - Okra
- Turnips - Leafy greens (2 cups raw) (like arugula, collard greens, iceberg lettuce,
red or green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard)

Remember to limit dressings, spreads, and sauces with added fat and/or salt.

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Do I have to record my choices online every day?

It’s not required, but if you record your choices daily, you’ll enjoy the full experience of Mix It Up as you watch your individual and team progress.

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Is there a mobile app for Mix It Up?

Yes. After you register on the website, download the Go Mix It Up app for the iPhone® or Android™ from the App Store or Google Play — and log your produce servings as you go!

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How can I be sure my Mix It Up daily email tips aren’t caught in my SPAM filter?

Add no-reply@gomixitup.com to your email client’s safe sender list or gomixitup.com to your safe domain list.

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What if I have questions about the program?

Use the Contact link at the bottom of each page on the website. A Mix It Up representative will respond within one business day.

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