How I Fuel

2008-07-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I really love food!

But, for a long time, I struggled with healthy, happy eating. Although I never had an eating disorder, I had a completely distorted view of food and my own body, like so many women today. I would under eat to "save" calories and then overeat as my body sought its necessary fuel. The cycle left me feeling unhappy and dissatisfied with myself.

Now, I understand my goal is to be healthy and fit--not just skinny! Plus, I HATE to feel hungry--it's just a horrible sensation. And why be hungry when you can eat delicious, healthy things like this?

How I Fuel - The Basics

Read this post to see my typical grocery haul! Over the past three years, I've done a lot of research and learning on my own about nutrition and dietary needs. I feel my eating program gives me the type of fuel I need to live a happy, healthy, and active lifestyle. I'm not saying my diet is the best for everyone (people will argue no meat is better or that dairy is rough on your digestive system), but it works for me.

In my entirely non-professional opinion, this means eating the following things:

Protein. (I aim to get 70 to 90 grams of protein a day, and I recently went vegetarian, so I eat a lot of beans! I eat a moderate amount of tofu and other soy products.).
Complex carbohydrates (like whole wheat bread and oatmeal).
Healthy fats. Cheese and nuts really keep me satisfied!
Fiber. I usually have 35-45 grams of day.
Loads of veggies and fruits. I eat organic when I can afford it, which is rarely. But I do go to farmers' markets on occasion and prefer to purchase in-season produce.
Chocolate. You need to eat a little bit of something naughty everyday or you will go crazy. :D

I try to avoid these foods:

Microwave dinners, fast food, etc. I like REAL FOOD and would rather make my meals (plus, its cheaper than eating out).
Too many simple carbohydrates. I'll have white flour every now and then, but I choose whole wheat if it's available.
Fried foods (Well, I do have the occasional French fry!).
Trans fat. I will not eat this crap. Seriously, if you don't know why you shouldn't ever eat anything with partially hydrogenated oil, read this.
HCFS and artificial sweeteners. The idea of HFCS just grosses me out, and I like natural sweeteners like honey or Stevia.

A Word on Calories

I try not to think about my meals in terms of calories, and I focus on achieving a balance of food groups. Sometimes, you will see me total up the calories, carbs, and protein in a meal, but that is because I'm interested in achieving a higher level of fitness (running!) through better eating habits. There is a lot of research on what constitutes a good pre- and post-work out snack (it should be a good balance of carbs to protein).

I lost my weight (a total of 10+ pounds) nearly two years ago through a food diary, which I believe is a great tool for those trying to lose weight. Keeping a food diary allows you to gain control over your portions and snacking habits, and it is helpful even if you just do it for a week or so. There is a great deal of research on how tracking your intake is key to losing the weight and keeping it off. But, I can't live like that forever and rarely count anymore!

I eat around 1,800 to 2,500 calories a day, depending on my workout. As I mentioned, I'm trying to integrate more "muscle building" snacks into my pre- and post-workout eats. I aim to burn 400-600 calories during a workout (about 5 times a week). During my longer runs (10+ miles), I can blast 1,000 calories, so I'm careful to tally up my intake for that day to make sure I'm eating enough.

In general, this is the calorie ballpark I try to stick to with my meals (on a non-intense workout day):

Breakfast: 450 calories
Snack: 200 calories
Lunch: 400 calories
2 Mid-Day Snacks: 200 calories each
Dinner: 400 calories

More Than Just Food

Have you ever considered that healthy eating should incorporate "activity" and "awareness," as shown in the Integrative Food Pyramid?

This is from a book entitled, "Healing With Whole Food," which discusses how modern nutrition and traditional Chinese medicine can create the optimal diet. I may not agree with everything I read in ANY nutrition book or hear from ANY single source, but I do believe this: an ideal lifestyle should incorporate healthy eating, consistent exercise, and some sort of spirituality (or even just an appreciation for this wonderful world!). :)

Healthy Tipping Point - how i fuel

How I Fuel