​Eat healthy carbs. This advice is often given to athletes and couch potatoes alike, but sometimes it is hard to know which carbohydrates to choose. Fall is a great time to enjoy your healthy carbs in the form of roasted vegetables, which are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Popular and nutritious vegetables for roasting include:

• Beets – good source of folate
• Brussels sprouts – good source of vitamins C and K
• Carrots – good source of vitamins A and C
• Onions – contain bioflavonoid anti-oxidants and allicin (anti-tumor compound)
• Parsnips – good source of Vitamins C and K and fiber
• Potatoes (skin on) – good source of vitamins B, C, folate, and niacin and potassium
• Rutabagas – good source of vitamin C
• Sweet potatoes – good source of vitamins A,B6 and C and potassium
• Turnips – contain vitamin C
• Winter squash – good source of vitamin A

Injuries can interrupt training and competition for even the most experienced athletes. When injuries occur, attention to sports nutrition can help get you back in action sooner. It can be tempting to slack off on your usual attention to eating well, but this is definitely not the time to indulge in junk food!
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Three key nutrients for healing are calories, protein, and water. It can be challenging to adjust your calorie intake when injured. You want to promote healing, but avoid unwanted weight gain. You will need to consider how much your training volume has decreased and how aggressive your rehab regimen is. Calories should not be restricted too much, because you need to protect your existing muscle mass as much as possible. When you don’t eat enough calories, muscle may be broken down. There is also a calorie cost to the body’s healing process, and too few calories may slow things down. Focus on eating nutrient dense foods and avoiding highly processed and high sugar foods. Check your weight frequently and adjust your intake up or down based on trends that you notice.

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