We Eat Together

Meal time to me can be as important as training time.  Maybe not for the reasons most athletes will give- the whole fuel your body with good stuff to get good out of your body. 

No instead I eat for the love of food- I train because I like to eat.  (As Patrick says I am a chunky girl in a skinny girl's body.)  When we are going strong we try to cook at home for most meals, but this can be difficult with a training schedule or an unexpected late night at work, so we are not against eating out.  Due to training schedules and work schedules and this thing called life I try to cook big meals a few times a week and then for the rest of the week we have morphed leftovers- roasted chicken on Sunday is Tuesday's jambalaya and then Wednesday's home made tacos.  
Cooking has 2 methods of helping me to be a better athlete: 1) Nutrition, I can't deny that without food and some proper food what we do would not be possible (at least for me); 2) The kitchen helps me to think fast and problem solve with little time.
The nutrition part of food is simple- put in balanced proteins and calories, get out a workout or two.  You can make it difficult with exact calorie counts, meal plans, and extreme changes to your diet.  We choose to just try to eat better at least 80% of the time and to not freak out the other 20% of the time when a Wendy's chicken nugget order is calling our name!!!  for us diet has been a struggle at times, we know it is a significant area where we are still making improvements.  But we also know that we are not going to deprive ourselves.  We eat in moderation and make healthier choices- even if it is just to share our fries. 
The other way the kitchen makes me a better athlete, with problem solving, takes a little more explanation.  Let me explain the therapy behind my kitchen.  I enjoy cooking (most days).  It helps me destress and unlike running, swimming, or biking, I don't normally have a bad day in the kitchen.  More than that it also trains me to have to think outside the box and work on the fly.  When ingredients are missing or time is crunched you have to figure it out; the same can be said for a flat tire on race day, you just have to work it out.  I find the kitchen helps me to work through these "rethinks" faster and more efficiently.  Additionally, it helps me to be able to switch tasks and multitask, including thinking about the next step while focusing on the current need at hand.  Each food has a time and place, each also has a need in level of attention and care; if these details are not met you may end up with uncooked chicken and asparagus that would be better blended into a protein shake than eaten aside your steak.  There is a balance in the kitchen, give and take, all related to timing.  Training and racing are the same in their need for balance and timing.  In both there also has to be confidence, willingness to try new things, and at times the need to trust in the plan. 
After an hour in the kitchen (or a day) I feel accomplished, reaching the finish line and taking my victory lap by plating my creation and digging in for a meal much needed.