After significant weight loss, I adapted my eating habits to follow an athlete's diet plan - detailing the adjustments made to my nutritional intake.
In a remarkable transformation, an individual embarked on a journey to redefine their approach to fitness and nutrition, moving away from calorie counting and towards intuitive eating. This shift in mindset was instrumental in their weight loss journey, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and ultimately enhancing their athletic performance.
Initially, the individual worked closely with a running coach who noticed unhealthy food habits. Recognising the need for change, the individual began to focus on fueling workouts rather than weight loss. This marked the beginning of a significant shift in their approach to nutrition.
Two years into weight loss maintenance, the individual was still meticulously tracking calories. However, this changed when they were advised to start eating like an athlete to maximise their training potential. This meant learning to listen to their body's hunger cues instead of counting calories.
The individual lost an impressive 100lbs in a year, but this was not achieved through deprivation. Instead, they started incorporating previously off-limits foods like nuts, olive oil, egg yolks, and full-fat dairy into their diet. They also increased their carb intake to double portions for quick recovery from hard workouts and fuel for future ones.
This shift in diet was not easy. The individual had to train their brain to be okay with eating more food to fuel their workouts. They also had to throw out the idea of off-limits foods and stop weighing every ounce of food and meal prepping low-calorie meals and snacks ahead of time.
The individual's meal planning looked different but was still necessary. They started planning higher-calorie and protein snacks after workouts and rehydrating with electrolytes. They also began to use running gels (sugar packets) to fuel their workouts.
The individual was guided and encouraged by a well-educated running coach and later a sports dietitian. This support was instrumental in helping them understand the importance of intuitive eating and how it could significantly improve their athletic performance.
Changing from a calorie-counting mindset to listening to one's body—often referred to as intuitive eating—can significantly improve athletic performance in several ways. By being connected to their body's hunger and energy needs, the individual could ensure they fuel regularly and adequately, helping preserve muscle mass and maintain energy levels necessary for peak physical performance.
This change also improved the individual's enjoyment and comfort in their sport, supporting consistency and motivation. Listening to internal cues rather than obsessing over numbers reduced psychological stress related to eating and training, contributing to better mental health and potentially enhancing performance.
Providing "unconditional permission" to eat and honoring cravings built a predictable eating pattern, helping the body trust that energy needs will be consistently met. This reduced overeating driven by willpower depletion and improved overall energy availability for training and recovery.
Finally, this non-diet approach fostered sustainable food and movement habits, which are crucial for long-term athletic success and well-being. The individual, now a competitor in the obstacle course race sport, is a testament to the power of intuitive eating in transforming not just physical performance but also the relationship with food and body image.
- The individual began to focus on fueling workouts rather than weight loss, recognizing the importance of nutrition in optimizing athletic performance.
- To maximize their training potential, the individual was advised to start eating like an athlete, learning to listen to their body's hunger cues instead of counting calories.
- The individual's weight loss journey took a turn when they started incorporating previously off-limits foods like nuts, olive oil, egg yolks, and full-fat dairy into their diet.
- The individual had to train their brain to be okay with eating more food to fuel their workouts and throwing away the idea of off-limits foods.
- After workouts, the individual started planning higher-calorie and protein snacks, rehydrated with electrolytes, and used running gels (sugar packets) to sustain their energy levels.
- The support of a well-educated running coach and later a sports dietitian was instrumental in helping the individual understand the benefits of intuitive eating for fitness and well-being.
- By adopting a non-diet approach that emphasizes intuitive eating, the individual fostered sustainable food and movement habits essential for long-term athletic success and overall wellness.
