Food is fuel. And put simply, good food is better fuel. For Carol Knotts, the winner of our “Be Beautiful, Be Healthy, Be Empowered” Contest, better fuel is what will help drive her to her destination at the end of the year: two dance showcases, one of which will be held at Pizza by Elizabeths in November.

A novice dancer at best, Knotts is undergoing a challenging dance and exercise regimen, one that demands lots of energy. Thus her guide to better health, Arianne Missimer, of CORE Fitness, has her eating more regularly, every three to four hours.

Missimer has Knotts starting off the day with a breakfast of whole grain cereal, skim milk, and a variety of fresh fruit.

Incorporating two snacks a day, consisting of a lean protein and a complex carbohydrate, such as natural granola bars, yogurt, and fruit—or natural granola, almonds, and trail mix—has helped Knotts “keep her energy levels high during the day and prevent overindulging in any one particular meal,” Missimer says.

For lunch, it’s a large salad with fish or chicken or a sandwich on whole grain bread. The day ends with a dinner filled with lean protein and lots of vegetables.

So far the change in diet has had an encouraging effect: Knotts, to date, has lost 10 lbs. and 2.2 percent body fat.