Imagine you're building your dream house.

A gourmet kitchen, spacious bathrooms, everything you ever wanted in your living space.

You purchase the highest quality materials, everything you need to make your vision come to life.

Now, who's going to build it?

Would you trust the job to just anyone, or do you seek out the best craftsmen?

Athletes who want to be as lean, strong, and fit as they can need to eat well.

In a lot of ways, quality sports nutrition is like building that dream house.

Protein foods are the raw materials your body uses to build, to repair, to grow.

And vegetables are the highly skilled workers, the ones best equipped to deliver impressive results.

It's why vegetable eaters rarely lack energy, struggle with body composition, or take longer to recover from intense physical activity.

Veggies pack tons of nutrients into a minimal amount of calories, keeping your growth and repair moving along efficiently.

Yeah you can get by with lower level energy sources, like sugars, but you'll pay a price.

You'll struggle to gain lean body mass, or to keep off unwanted weight.

Because the 'workers' you hire to build the best version of you simply aren't up for the job.

Some of your best vegetable choices are:

• Broccoli

• Carrots

• Peas

• Dark Leafy Greens (Kale, Spinach, Arugula, Swiss Chard, Broccoli Rabe, etc)

• Asparagus

• Peppers

• Eggplant

• Brussels sprouts

• Cauliflower

• Sweet potatoes

• Edamame

The amount you need varies based on your size. Aim for 2 fist-sized portions per day, a measuring stick which grows as you do.

An easy way to hit the 2 fist-full target is to eat smaller portions of many different veggies.

Shredded carrots on a salad or mixed with pasta.

Sliced peppers used with a dip in place of chips.

Dark, leafy greens added to a sandwich.

Chopped broccoli in an omelet.

Many people push back on eating veggies because of their plain, bitter taste, but that problem is solved when they blend into tastier foods.

No matter how you do it, consistently hitting the 2 serving per day milestone will improve your energy, body composition, immune system, recovery from training, and more.

If your New Years Resolution already fizzled, and you need a fresh start, consider this for your 2026 health goal.

Make eating vegetables a top priority, and watch how much changes for you by the end of the year.