You Are What You Eat

By all means, I am no expert when it comes to food and diet, but I do love to eat. My friends are constantly making fun of me because I am always hungry. Whenever we go somewhere I have to make sure we plan when, where, and what we are eating next. Sometimes I even get ‘hangry’ (hungry and angry) and then they know they need to feed me soon.

Diet plays a huge factor in how you perform as an athlete. It’s what fuels you and gives your body the energy to work as hard as you are pushing it. Lately I have been really focused on how food makes my body feel. Just recently I came to the conclusion that I was eating too much yogurt, or good bacteria. At night I just didn’t feel good, so I researched it, and it looks like the symptoms I had pointed to just that. Having too much bacteria in my system didn’t allow my body to absorb the nutrients it needed. After just two days of not eating yogurt I felt so much better. From now on I will be eating it in moderation. I have always been one to eat healthy. I stopped eating fast food and drinking pop years ago. I knew that there was very little nutritional value in those things that came fast and cheap. I’ve worked hard to eat right and train my body. Now it’s just more of a habit or routine then a chore. There are times where I feel like I need to treat myself though. My biggest weakness is the sweets. If there is a cookie, you can bet I will eat it.

When you read articles about your diet ‘they’ (the actual experts) always say things like:

1. Eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks.

2. Eat a big breakfast and then your meals get smaller throughout the day.

3. Eat protein after a workout.

4. Don’t eat before bed.

5. Etc, etc.

These guidelines or tips can seem overwhelming and sometimes hard to follow. At the end of the day, I know I just need to listen to what my body wants and how I feel. My performance will always reflect the hard work I’ve put into training but also the fuel I give my body.

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