Food Is Fuel

Last night on The Biggest Loser, I learned some valuable lessons from the Olympic athletes who helped train the contestants for the week. So many of these competitors have been through a lot to get to where they are. They bounce back from injuries, and overcome what others would perceive as disabilities to accomplish great things. We can overcome all of our obstacles as well, as long as we adopt the attitude of champions, who know they can do whatever they set their minds to.

The other very important lesson I learned was actually something I already knew...but really finally clicked last night. The contestants were shown what the different types of athletes eat at the Olympic Training Center. The daily caloric intake varies, depending on what sport they are in. Some need more carbs or calories, some need less. It all hinges on what foods fuel their bodies best for maximum health and performance.

This demonstration reminded me how I need to think of food as fuel. It is not something to be used to relieve stress, make myself feel better, or just fill my empty stomach. A lot of the comfort foods I was used to are junk and definitely don't make my body perform at its best. I have to choose the proper nutrients to energize myself so I can get all of my tasks completed, including exercise, to the best of my ability. I need to ignite the fat-burning furnace within my body. I know I've been pretty good about it, but when I had a stressful week I still reached for the junk food more than I should have. I really needed to make that click in my brain, and now it has.

I need to fuel my body for maximum performance...I may not win a gold medal at the Olympics, but I will still be the winner of my own life!