FOOD IS FUEL
How My Relationship with Food Has Changed Over the Years
Food fuels performance. And I am so grateful that this is a lesson I’ve learned over time.
I used to be scared of eating too much because I didn’t want to lose the aesthetic I thought I wanted. Little did I know, I was actually well underweight. In 2023, at 176 cm tall, I weighed around 57–58 kg. While I thought I was fit and strong, I was constantly tired, my hair was thinning, and I later found out that my iron levels were low and I was deficient in vitamin B. I wasn’t eating correctly. Dinner would sometimes be just a few lettuce leaves, some pasta noodles, and an egg—not exactly fuel for an athlete.
I got tired of being tired, and I could tell I wasn’t feeling like myself.
So, I took myself to a sports nutritionist (this was before I studied it myself) and told her everything. She put me on a solid meal plan. Initially, I thought I was eating too much and snacking too often—I was worried I would ruin my "aesthetic" with all the food she had me eating.
I will never forget the day I went for a run about a week into following this meal plan. I felt amazing. It was like I could go for ages. I had finally been fueling efficiently. This was the breakthrough I needed.
Since then, I’ve put on 10 kg—healthy weight—and I still have more to go.
I fuel for performance, and often, aesthetics are simply a byproduct of performance. You can literally fuel yourself to a PR.
Don’t get me wrong—you need to train properly too. But without petrol in the tank, you’re not going anywhere.
Food is such an essential tool for performance, and I love that the narrative around food has changed. Carbs are king these days. Gone are the days when bread was the enemy. Chicken is now seasoned with delicious spices. And vegetables come in all different forms. You don’t need a bland broccoli stalk to be healthy. Please, please season your food.
As a lifelong student of nutrition and a qualified sports nutritionist, I’m happy to help. If you or someone you know needs a consultation, feel free to contact me.
Let’s change the narrative. FOOD IS FUEL.
Until next time,
I want to see you win.
