Friday, June 09, 2006

Garbage In...Garbage Out

I've been run down and miserable all week. I couldn't finish my interval run on Tuesday and haven't felt well enough to run or work out at all since. I hope it's not psychosomatic, but I know that a great deal of my suffering I owe to my own foolish decisions.

It's time to take my diet seriously.

On Tuesday morning I stopped in at the grocery store for a loaf of bread and got a great deal more than I needed. I walked out with a bunch of junk food and over the next two days devoured it all. My gluttony has been my undoing this week. I have not had energy to run, I haven't slept well at night, my stomach has been upset all week, and all I can think about is when and where can I get my next Snickers Bar. (Okay, that's a little dramatic.) I haven't eaten well by my standards and I have noticed a tremendous change in my mood and energy level. I feel like Morgan Spurlock of "Super-Size Me." (At least I can say I haven't eaten any fast food this week.)

The first step is to recognize the problem, the second step is to remedy it...

I consider myself quite fortunate to be able to know what causes my low energy and fatigue. (9 of 10 times it is diet related.) I'm pretty sure most any person with a moderate level of fitness can do this, but I still have to work on having the strength and will-power to avoid the many pitfalls that come my way in the assorted shapes of junk food. Years ago, I remember my grandmother refusing a piece of pie at a party because she knew that if she ate even the smallest piece of pie that night, she'd "pay dearly for it" the next day. This was long before I began running, but now that I am a runner, I know EXACTLY what she meant.

So now I have to detoxify. I have a long day of work today and also tomorrow, so there's little chance I will be able to get in a lengthy workout on either day, but if I can use this weekend to cleanse my system of the toxins and get away from my dependency on sugar, I will be quite able to train effectively come Monday.

Remember: Garbage In...Garbage Out

2 comments:

Michele said...

Until my kids move out of this house I don't think I stand a chance of reducing my dependency on sugar! Only 12 years until I can start a real diet!
Hope you are able to recover this weekend.

Afternoon Tea With Oranges said...

I totally understand the "diet pitfalls". I struggled badly with this while training for my marathon, and I am still trying to find the right balance. It's like I either don't eat enough, and have no energy, or I eat too much am sluggish and tired.

I keep asking myself "How can I have the discipline to get outta bed at 5 a.m. and do a long run or bike ride, but I don't have the discipline to keep the sweets outta my mouth!" I wish I had your Grandmother's discipline!! You are right on with "Garbage In = Garbage Out".