Our 4th & final week of the Good v. Bad Series is all about VEGGIES!

I'm sure you were wondering when vegetables would make their debut in this healthy good v. bad food conversation.

Guess what? When it comes to vegetables, there isn't really a good side and bad side. Veggies are always good! Veggies are whole foods, packed with nutrition and they make you feel full longer. Veggies make you feel amazing.

The only "bad" of veggies is when you aren't eating them or you refuse to include ANY of them in your diet. If you aren't including any vegetables in your diet, it is detrimental to your health. Our bodies thrive off of the vitamins and minerals received from whole foods -- especially fruits and vegetables that are in season. Including veggies in your diet is a great way to feel good now AND later.

The Healthy Eating Challenge dives deeper into serving sizes for vegetables, what foods you can replace with vegetables for healthier options and it also includes daily accountability for tracking your veggie intake.

I promise, even for picky eaters, there are ways to improve your veggie game.

Here are a few pro tips:

• Work on IMPROVING your vegetable intake. Remember that any step forward is a step in the right direction. Try not to be too hard on yourself. It is unrealistic to go from eating no veggies to eating 5 servings of vegetables every day or let's be real; buying a ton and expecting to eat them only for them to rot in the fridge. Been there, done that quite a few times. Be realistic with yourself and make small changes based on what you can actually do. As you start accomplishing your goals, you can set higher goals to push yourself a little further and venture out.
• Eat multiple vegetables throughout the day. Try to include them in several meals and snacks instead of trying to eat your full day's worth at dinner. This will help you get variety, eat more veggies, and it'll empower you because you're taking control of what happens in your kitchen and in your body. (e.g. add veggies to scrambled eggs in the morning for breakfast. Spinach, peppers, onions and tomatoes go great with eggs!) I love cutting up a veggie tray and snacking throughout the day.
• When you're grocery shopping, start in the produce section! Most everything in the produce section is in the "good" category. Plus, you know exactly what you're getting. No additives, no preservatives. Just whole, healthy foods.
• Find easy to pack veggies for when you're on the go (like carrots and celery sticks with some hummus).

Eating healthy can be difficult, especially if you're just getting started. Remember that as long as you're doing better today than you were last week, you're in good shape. You don't need to do everything at once just replace some bad with some good and you'll be on the right path.

You've been with us now for 4 weeks, reading about the good and bad of sugar, carbs, fats and veggies. Now, it's time for you to do something about it. Reading is great, but action is better. Sign up for the free 7 day challenge: Healthy Jump Start. It will come straight to your inbox, 7 days in a row and is packed with easy to understand information and realistic challenges that will help you start your fun and sustainable changes without being overwhelming. Enter your information below for instant access!