“Food is for the body, not the mouth.” – Unknown
From the very beginning of Ironman training, I knew something was missing. I was working out more than ever and arguably in the best shape of my life, but most of the time . . . I felt “off.” Basically worn out, craving naps, or whatever. This has been at the crux of my delayed decision about IM Louisville. Sure, I know I can pull it together and do it, but why would I want to feel like ass for the next 7 months?
I have been a staunch supporter of a solid diet for as long as I can remember. I always “tried” to eat healthy, but could never stick with a regimen, and frankly, I’m not sure if I really understood what healthy eating really meant.
Because most of us are suckers.
It is really almost comical that at least half the people I know who are overweight will defend their idea of a good diet to the grave. They swear by low-fat, low-cholesterol, or Diet Coke. But the marketing tricks usually have us backwards.
The more I learn about food, the more I am just blown away by our grocery stores. It’s pretty safe to say that 90% of what’s on the shelves is absolute crap. It’s unbelievable, really.
The first 5 days of this diet were not pretty, but the last three have had me in that “I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt this good,” mode. I’m taking it cautiously, but can also add, “I can’t remember the last time I felt this good after two workouts in a day” to that list of things I’m thinking.
I have been struggling getting back into swim shape, but this afternoon over lunch I went in and belted out a strong 30 minutes. I didn’t count laps, but can almost guarantee it was at least 30. I felt great getting out of the water and all afternoon at work. That is so rare I cannot even begin to explain.
Tonight I ran a relatively hilly loop in my neighborhood 5 times (four miles) at a pretty good clip and felt energized when I was done. Not wiped, but energized. It is a huge difference and something I rarely felt last year.
And even though I used the “food is for the body” quote, my new diet has definitely been for the mouth as well. I am looking forward to eating good food. I’m taking the time to chop and add extra vegetables to my salads and it has kinda been enjoyable.
So, we’ll see how this goes. I’m keeping a diary and will eventually release it when I’m feeling like this diet is legit, but until then, don’t worry about “cutting things out,” start by piling on the good and let the bad fade away.