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A Day in My Diet: Olympic Swimmer Janet Evans

By Alanna Nuñez, Shape, 04/18/19, 12:00PM PDT

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"For lunch I love to fill a bowl with bright mixed greens, add a small black bean burger, and then pack it with veggies."

Swimmer Janet Evans knows about the power of proper nutrition. Without the right fuel, the five-time Olympic gold medalist, whorecently came out of retirement and qualified for the 2012 Olympic trials, can't perform at her best—as an athlete, mother, or businesswoman.

"As someone with a family history of heart disease, I know that it's the small things in life, like taking Metamucil to increase your fiber intake and lower your cholesterol, that really make a difference in your health," she says. Ashley Koff, a registered dietitian who's worked with Evans, agrees. "Janet knows she needs fuel for her best athletic performance but can't afford to crash and burn when she needs to perform on the home front, so she practices some key principles of nutrition like making sure to get enough vegetables and fiber for better energy," Koff says.