ONE Simple Change to Improve Your Diet

Yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine at the gym who is essentially a Clydesdale who wants to become a greyhound, but he doesn't really want to be the greyhound and lose all of his muscle mass. He wants to do a triathlon, but obviously, that would be easier on a 200lb frame than a 240lb frame. We were discussing the possibilities of his diet and training that would allow him to retain as much muscle as possible.

Like most people I talk to, he isn't ready to do a complete diet overhaul. Understood. But he wants to start dropping body fat. Okay, so here's a tip that I can almost 100% guarantee applies to everybody...

Eat more veggies. I can hear it now: "I don't like veggies," "I don't have time for veggies"...yeah, yeah, I know, it's much faster to open a Pop Tart. Trust me, if I have time for veggies, you have time for veggies. So here's the deal...the goal is to eat veggies at each meal. If you eat your lean protein (chicken, fish, egg whites, etc) and veggies first you're going to feel pretty full, therefore, you're not going to have much room left over for your starchy carbs (rice, potatoes, yams, bread, oats, etc). But there is a catch before you go gung-ho for the veggies: add them slowly otherwise you will be bloated as all get out and very uncomfortable. Give your body a chance to adapt, you don't need to start out eating them at every meal just add a little at a time.

For all those who are "too busy" to eat more vegetables, here is my "busy single mom" easy tip for you:
On the weekend shop for all your food. When you get home with your veggies, slice 'em, chop 'em and ziploc 'em or Tupperware 'em then they are ready for cooking whenever you are! My new favorite EASY and FAST way to prepare them is by roasting them. My mom, a retired Culinary Arts teacher, made them this way on Father's Day and they were so tasty I had to do it myself.

Toss whatever veggies you want into a roasting pan (my faves are broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots)
Drizzle with CapTri  or you can use EVOO
Load up with your favorite Mrs. Dash
Roast in oven at 400 for 20 minutes

*I typically make enough for several meals. They reheat well.


I guarantee if you implement this one change in your diet you will be so full of amazingly healthy-good-for-you veggies that you won't be hungry and overeating starchy carbs or junk food that you will lose body fat. And I can also guarantee that your body will thank you for filling it with all the vitamins and nutrients found in veggies!