Focus on Fuel

I’ve talked previously about the role that food plays in health and wellness.  It’s meant to serve as fuel for daily activities, including exercise.  I also mentioned in one of my recaps regarding my 2013 goal that I started to let it become a reward for my efforts.  While there many reasons to enjoy a scoop of ice cream at times, I don’t have room for it in my daily routine.  I’ve refocused my efforts for fuel in meal and snack planning.

Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by all the nutritional information I read in sports magazines and online sources.  Every time I turn around a certain food is good, then it’s bad, then it’s good again, then it’s bad except when it’s good.  Sometimes one time a day is best, sometimes multiple times a day is best, sometimes once a week is best.  Are you as confused as me?

There are many things I believe to be true – a balance of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean protein is important. Balance is the key word there, even for sweets and treats.  Those are the core principles I’m trying to follow right now.  It’s helping influence all the food I’m consuming daily.  While I’ve always been pretty good about trying (and even liking!) vegetables, fruits and so on, I’ve also spent time trying to enjoy those foods in new ways.  We bought a juicer over the holidays and have been experimenting with new vegetable based juices.  It’s a great way to get all the benefits of a variety of vegetables (and fruits) and try to get the necessary servings.

This green concoction is spinach,
kale, celery and lime! 

We’ve experimented with kale, spinach, celery, beets, tomatoes, parsley, carrots, apples, blackberries and limes.  They’ve all been tasty, although they kind of look weird :).  The juicer is a pretty cool machine, drawing all the of liquid out of the ingredients and leaving completely dried clumps of pulp to dispose of (or apparently, you can use as fertilizer in a garden).

Even with just a few weeks of effort under my belt, I’m already feeling a positive difference.  My energy is up, my workout stamina is up and my post-workout soreness is down.  As I narrow in on 2014 goals, I know that if I choose to continue focusing on fuel as an eating strategy, I will reap the benefits of nutrient dense, energy building, satisfying food.

How do you think your diet affects your ability to perform? How do you decide what to include and exclude at meal and snack time?

Miss FitGab