Your Body: Temple or Trash Can?

I’ll be the first to admit it.  When I first started running, I thought that gave me the license to eat whatever I wanted and in any amount.  I was burning a lot of calories, right?  I had to replace them somehow.  I looked forward to running so I could spend the rest of the day eating to make up the calories I’d lost.  It wasn’t until May of last year when I discovered a free iPhone app called MyFitnessPal that I learned I was very wrong.

I’d heard great things about MyFitnessPal and decided to do an experiment.  I was pretty happy with my body and wasn’t really looking to lose any weight.  However, I was interested in tracking what I was putting into my body each day.  Yes, I was running regularly, but I just didn’t feel quite as healthy as I thought I should.  It would require some time and effort on my part, but I decided I was up to the challenge. 

After I downloaded the app (you can also join the free online site found here), I was asked to input some information like weight, height, activity level, etc.  Once I completed that, the app provided me with a target calorie goal for each day, and I was ready to start tracking my intake.  Thanks to a vast catalog, you can find virtually every food and drink imaginable.  You have the ability to add in your own items, and there is a bar code scanner to input pre-packaged items.  You can also add in your exercise for each day, and it will adjust your calories accordingly. 

Even after the first week, I was absolutely amazed at how much I had been eating.  I’d always been pretty careful with the amount of food I was giving my kids, but never myself.  I was used to just putting food on my plate, not paying any attention to the serving size.  I didn’t have to, right?  I was a runner.  I’d just burn it off.  Wrong.  I found that when I started keeping track of my intake, I was clearly eating way more than I needed each day.  I also found that you’re less likely to reach for that extra cookie or beverage when you know you have to write it down.  It’s funny how that works.

Before I started using MyFitnessPal, I was treating my body more like a trash can than a temple.  Since then, I’ve made many improvements in the way my family and I eat.  I’ve changed the way I grocery shop, now looking for more foods with natural ingredients.  I really try to read labels and cut out foods with too much sugar.  I’ve stopped buying food with artificial colors and flavors, at first to the chagrin of my children, though now they’re used to it.  Because organic can get expensive, I usually try to stick to milk and the “dirty dozen” list of fruits and vegetables.  I will tell you that we’re not great vegetable eaters, but we love fresh fruit and eat a lot of it.

One thing that has always given me a problem is soda.  I didn’t drink gallons of it, but I usually had some each day.  For some reason, I’d always had a ridiculously hard time giving it up.  The funny thing is that once I gave in to the craving and started drinking it, it actually didn’t taste that great.  I drank it anyway, even after some nursing friends told me they use it to clean out feeding tubes.  This year, though, I decided to give up soda for Lent.  I’ve had a couple of times where I’ve really wanted a soda, but I get a glass of water instead and the craving passes quickly.  I feel so much better now that I’m not drinking it, and I don’t plan on going back, even after Lent is over.

I’m not perfect.  I do indulge every now and then, and that’s okay.  I love Indian food, BBQ, and Starbucks Chai Tea.  I love dark chocolate, and I keep a stash in the pantry.  The difference now is that instead of several pieces, one is enough for me.  Changing my eating habits has had a very positive effect on my daily runs.  As a result of eating better, I have lost some weight (the healthy way) and I’m leaner with more muscle.  I’ve gotten faster, and I think the change in my diet has played a small part in that.  

I think the key is moderation, both in what you eat and how much.  I challenge you to really look at what you’re putting into your body.  Make a commitment to change your lifestyle, and keep me posted!