That's not just a picture off the internet...those are really my veggies in my oven. If I had one piece of advice to offer someone who was trying to clean up their diet, I would say add more veggies!! They will fill you up, keep you sated longer, and are a great source of vitamins and minerals. And if you can buy locally-grown and in-season, all the better! The way I eat now is pretty radically different from five years ago when I was a pretty typical American eater who gave little thought to what I was ingesting. It didn't take long to discover that nutrition and multisport go hand-in-hand. You can't feel your best or race your best if you are using sub-standard fuel. One of the biggest changes I have made is the incorporation of far more (an increase from "nearly none") fibrous carbs and veggies in my diet. I discovered that fresh produce when roasted can be incredibly delicious! My favorite things to roast are spaghetti squash, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli, but I also enjoy asparagus, parsnips/turnips/sweet potatoes, eggplant, and zucchini. Roasted kale, sprinkled with cajun seasoning, makes awesome "kale chips". How do I roast them? It's simple! (1) Prepare (slice, de-seed, etc); (2) Rinse; (3) Put on cookie sheet; (4) Optionally drizzle with oil or add salt; (5) Put in 350 oven for however long it takes! OK, reaching into a box of crackers might be easier, but they are not going to leave me satisfied. And it's wayyyy too easy to overeat those empty calories so I just avoid it and keep that sort of thing out of my pantry. I make sure to eat a hefty portion of veggies with lunch and dinner. I do not go out of my way to eat a lot of rice, pasta, or potatoes knowing I get plenty of carbs through fruits and veggies. I do indulge in two crunchy pieces of Ezekiel bread with almond butter and bananas nearly every morning.

So in honor of National Nutrition Month I challenging you to roast and eat those veggies!