.png){kind=spacer}
Fuel Your Body, Fuel Your Mind
Are you watching the Olympics and feeling inspired to pick up an old sport or try something new? Us too! Talent and training are important for athletes, but so is the fuel they eat at the Olympic village dining halls. Even if you aren’t quite at the level of Katie Ledecky or Simone Biles, the food you eat is just as important as the time you spend in the gym. That’s not to say these athletes don’t enjoy a sweet treat along with their dietary goals - the Olympic village chocolate muffins have gone viral because of how delicious they are! Unfortunately we don’t all have a team of chefs working to prepare our meals, so we wanted to go back to basics to talk about the macronutrients that fuel your body: fiber, protein, and fat.
Fueling your body is similar to fueling a campfire: you need paper, kindling, and logs. If you only have paper, your small fire will blaze bright but burn out quickly. To keep it burning, you need some kindling and 1-2 quality logs at regular intervals. Too many logs will smother your flames and go cold. Similarly, your metabolism uses carbs, protein, and fats to keep your body fueled for the day.
Fiber
Fiber and carbohydrates are the paper in our campfire. There are many types of carbohydrates (or paper), and some burn much faster than others - paper is easy to light but will not keep a fire burning for more than a minute whereas cardboard will burn for longer and give your logs a chance to burn. If a piece of white bread is a thin piece of paper, a bowl of brown rice would be cardboard.
Simple carbs are the quick burning fuel that provides a quick unsustainable burst of energy, think of a two year old running around that just ate a cupcake. To get the most sustainable energy, think of carb loading with foods that have higher amounts of fiber such as: whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes. Easy swaps can be made throughout your day starting with swapping your frozen mocha for a smoothie made with whole fruit, some nuts, coconut milk, and no added sugar.
Protein
Protein is the kindling in our campfire analogy; we need protein at regular intervals throughout the day to keep our fire burning. Protein is going to keep you satiated and takes longer to break down than carbs which will keep you going strong.
In general, women are not eating enough protein to fuel their body. To maintain your current goals, women should aim for a minimum of 1 gram of protein for every 1 kilogram of bodyweight. We did the math in the chart below so you can see your protein goals. Keep in mind that this is for maintenance; if you are working to gain muscle, heal an injury, if you are pregnant, or lactating, your protein needs will be much higher.
Fat
Fat is the log in our metabolism campfire; fat takes the longest to digest and is the most energy dense. Think of burning fat like an oil lamp that will burn for hours. Choosing a high quality fat is important to help digest your protein and keep your metabolic fire burning all day long. If you suffer from low energy, you may be undereating high quality fats. Aim for 1-3 tablespoons of high quality fat with every meal to improve your energy.
Water
Like any good scout knows, you need to keep water next to your fire! Water is extremely important for your digestion and absorption of nutrients as well as keeping your bowels moving. Many of the fresh whole food options we discussed above are filled with water already! If you find yourself reaching for the occasional side of fries or sweet treat, the extra salt and sugar will make you a little more dehydrated and increase your hydration needs. Have a glass of water with every meal to make sure your body is able to digest your food with ease.
Finding Balance
Having meals prepared in advance can save you time and work towards your health goals whether that’s to make it through the day with minimal brain fog or to fuel your athletic goals. Food Foundation recipes are made with the goal of incorporating each of these macronutrients to keep you sustained throughout the day. Follow @jessicafoodfoundation on Instagram and Pinterest for meal ideas to save you time and also ensure you have the proper fuel for your fire. The Food Foundation YouTube channel is also a great resource for balanced meals and snacks, like this Apple Pie Smoothie!