Food, Fitness, and Flavor 

I'm Miriam, and this is my blog about two of my greatest passions: food and fitness. Now you may be thinking, “what on earth does a senior in high school know about fitness or food science?”. Well, let me tell you a little bit about my own story.

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I have not always been as fit as I am now. From the kindergarten until the 9th grade, I was heavier than the general person in my class. I never paid much attention to my weight (until middle school, that is). In middle school, I noticed how different I was – how I could not run as quickly as other kids or how tired I would get walking up the stairs. These things that I noticed began to make me self-conscious, but I tried to brush off those feelings and ignore them. When I began to play sports in the 7th grade, I got the biggest reality check of my life.

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In volleyball, I did not have to move very much because, well, it was middle school volleyball. The ball was not coming very fast, and I could keep up with the others alright. However, it was the Track team that changed my life. On Track, I soon verified that I was not as fit as I should have been. I would always fall behind on group runs and warm-ups. Although being out of shape made me angry with myself, my determination to get healthier increased exponentially. I can now run seven miles straight, and I have lost over fifty pounds.

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While a large part of increasing my fitness has been increasing my exercise, eating more healthily has also had an immeasurable effect on my health. Running and doing more exercise has made me more mindful of what I put into my body—I do not want to waste all the things I have accomplished. It was very difficult to change my eating habits, mostly for one reason: healthy food often does not taste as good as unhealthy food does. This fact is the reason I am writing this blog. I am going to take typical, classic, unhealthy foods and turn them into healthy foods. How will I do this, you may ask? I will research about different ingredients that are healthy and provide the body with good nutrients, and then I will exchange the unhealthy ingredients for the healthy ones.

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Now, I know, this sounds like an insurmountable task. Turning unhealthy foods into healthy foods—that taste just as good—must be impossible, right? I argue that, albeit difficult, this is a possible task. It is also a very worthwhile. I hope to show people that delicious food and healthy living are not mutually exclusive. If I can transform these unwholesome foods into appetizing and nutritious alternatives, then I will be able to help others work to achieve their goals.