Exercise

How I Stopped Fighting Food and Started Fighting For Performance

How I Stopped Fighting Food and Started Fighting For Performance

Look, I gotta be real with y'all - I used to be that girl counting cherry tomatoes in her sad little dorm room salad. Yeah, that girl. The one who'd punish herself with hours on the elliptical after eating pizza. Pretty messed up, right?

The Crazy Food Rules That Owned Me

God, the rules I had were INSANE. Don't eat after 7. Only eat "clean" foods (whatever tf that means). Earn your carbs. My entire college life was this wild pendulum between restriction and rebellion. One day I'm measuring tablespoons of dressing, the next I'm face-first in a pizza at 2am.

And get this - I was studying to be a dietitian! 🤦‍♀️ Talk about irony.

When It All Fell Apart (In the Best Way)

Then came that first marathon. Lemme tell you - trying to run 26.2 miles on lettuce and self-hatred? Not gonna work, fam. I hit the wall SO HARD at mile 18, it was like running into a brick wall made of jelly legs and regret.

But here's where it gets interesting...

The Performance Lightbulb Moment

After dragging myself across that finish line (4+ hours, oof), something clicked. I wanted to get FASTER. Not skinnier. Not smaller. FASTER.

And you can't get faster when you're running on empty.

For the first time, I started asking different questions:

  • Not "how few calories can I eat?" but "how do I fuel for tomorrow's tempo run?"
  • Not "how can I burn this off?" but "how do I recover for peak performance?"
  • Not "will this make me fat?" but "will this make me stronger?"

The Plot Twist Nobody Tells You About

Ready for the kicker? I gained 15 pounds. FIFTEEN. And you know what happened?

I got faster. Like, way faster.

I ran sub-3 hour marathons. MULTIPLE TIMES. At my "bigger" weight. Mind = blown. 🤯

Here's What Actually Changed

  1. I started eating like an athlete, not a calculator
  • Pre-workout fuel? Yes please
  • Post-run recovery shake? Load it up
  • Rest day nutrition? Just as important
  1. I learned to trust my body
  • Hungry after training? That's not weakness, that's wisdom
  • Craving carbs? Your muscles are talking to you
  • Need a rest day? Listen to that
  1. I found freedom in structure
  • Nutrient timing became my friend
  • Hydration strategy became crucial
  • Recovery became non-negotiable

The Truth Nobody's Talking About

Here's the thing - you don't have to hate your body into performing better. Actually, you CAN'T hate your body into performing better. Trust me, I tried.

The secret? Find something bigger than your pants size to fight for.

Maybe it's:

  • A PR in your next race
  • Keeping up with your kids
  • Crushing it in your recreational league
  • Simply feeling strong AF

Your Turn: Breaking Free

Look, I know if you're deep in the food-fear trenches, this might sound impossible. I get it. I was there. Like, SO there.

But ask yourself:

  1. What could your body do if you actually fueled it?
  2. What goals have you been putting off because of food rules?
  3. What would change if you ate for performance instead of punishment?

The Next Step

You don't need to figure this out alone (lord knows I wish I hadn't tried to). Work with a sports dietitian. Find a community that celebrates strength over skinny. Follow athletes who talk about fueling, not restricting.

And remember - your body isn't the enemy. It's your teammate. Start treating it like one.

P.S. Yeah, I still eat pizza. And run sub-3 marathons. Wild how that works, right? 😉

Got questions? Drop them below. This is a conversation we need to keep having.

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