Food, Fuel, and Frustrations
Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash
Becoming My Own Superhero – Part 4
When we think about training, the spotlight usually lands on the physical grind — the sweat, the reps, the early alarms, and the personal bests.
But behind every lift and every “good session” lies an unsung hero — food.
Nutrition is more than numbers on a tracking app. It’s fuel, it’s a mood stabiliser, and sometimes, it’s the biggest source of frustration. Because getting food “right” isn’t easy. It’s messy, experimental, and deeply personal.
“The world has changed, and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best.
And sometimes the best we can do is to start over.”
— Peggy Carter, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
That’s nutrition in a nutshell. You test, you learn, you mess up, and you start again — not with guilt, but with growth.
Calories: The Balancing Act
Calories used to feel like a maths problem I could never quite solve.
Eat too little, and energy tanks. Eat too much, and I’d feel bloated and sluggish. I’ve lived on both sides of that spectrum — low-energy days where I could barely focus and high-calorie days that left me questioning every bite.
Eventually, I realised calories aren’t about punishment or perfection. They’re about sustainability.
They’re about fuelling workouts — but also fuelling the joy, recovery, and life outside the gym. Because finding that balance isn’t about hitting a number; it’s about listening to my body when it says, “I need more,” or “That’s enough.”
Protein: The Non-Negotiable
If there’s one thing that’s stayed consistent when I think about nutrition, it’s protein.
Whether it’s a shake blended with milk or a plate of lean chicken, hitting my protein target became one of my few non-negotiables.
Science says it supports muscle repair and growth, but for me, it’s more than that — it’s a mindset anchor.
On the days I felt frustrated or bloated or stuck, knowing I’d at least hit that goal gave me a quiet sense of achievement. It’s proof that progress isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s built from the small, consistent wins that no one else can see.
Fibre: The Overlooked Hero
If protein builds, fibre clears.
I used to underestimate it until my body gave me a very clear reminder of what happens when you don’t get enough — bloated, sluggish, foggy-headed.
Adding things like kimchi, greens, and prune juice wasn’t glamorous, but it worked. My body felt lighter, my mood lifted, and my focus returned.
It reminded me that feeling strong on the outside starts with feeling good on the inside.
Fibre doesn’t just support digestion; it supports mindset and gut health.
Experimenting with Foods: Pasta, Kimchi, and Shakes
For a long time, I saw food in black and white — good vs bad, clean vs processed. Then I started experimenting.
Bringing pasta back into my diet after years of avoiding complex carbs felt like a rebellious act. The results were unpredictable: one week, my muscles dipped, the next they grew. But I learned to stay patient.
Pasta wasn’t the villain; portion and timing were.
Kimchi improved my digestion, protein shakes gave me flexibility when life got busy, and slowly, food became less about control and more about curiosity.
The truth? Not every experiment worked.
Some weeks I felt great; others I felt puffy, tired, or frustrated by the lack of visible change. But each trial gave me data — not just physical, but emotional.
And that’s what this journey is: an ongoing experiment in what makes me feel my best.
Food, Mood, and Mindset
Nutrition doesn’t just sculpt the body; it shapes the mind.
A week of balanced eating leaves me sharper, calmer, and more confident. A few days of chaos, and suddenly the inner critic gets louder.
Body dysmorphia complicates it even more. When the mirror doesn’t reflect the effort, it’s easy to turn food into the enemy.
But food isn’t the villain in this story — it’s the sidekick.
It fuels recovery, focus, and the strength to keep showing up when results take their time.
The Takeaway
Food is fuel, yes. But it’s also feedback. Education. Patience.
Calories, protein, and fibre are the foundations — but the real power lies in the mindset behind them: the ability to start again without shame.
Every new meal, every adjustment, every experiment is a chance to begin again — just like Peggy Carter said.
“The world has changed, and none of us can go back.
All we can do is our best.
And sometimes the best we can do is to start over.”
That’s the heart of it. Nutrition, like growth, isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress.
Some days you nail it. Others, you reset.
Either way, you learn.
And that, to me, is what being your own superhero looks like — falling, recalibrating, and coming back stronger, one meal at a time.
