I was out one evening socializing when someone began asking me about my running. I gave them an overview of my running life since high school. Then they asked me something I found very odd. They asked,”Is it true that you can eat anything you want after going running and not gain weight?”
At first I was a little stunned by this. As I got over the odd shock of the question, it occurred to me how little people understand about themselves. And how much people seem to be ingrained with the idea of immediate gratification.
My ultimate answer was “Kinda, sorta, but not really”. Ultimately I replied anecdotally. At one point when younger and pounding out 20 to 30 miles a week, I could consume anything in almost any volume. My favorite was two or three full pizzas during any given week. However, that was at a specific point in time. I’m older with a much more complex and stressful life pumping out half the mileage a week, eating a whole pizza (and yes, it is very tempting) would load me up like lead.
Now, if you’re in the weight loss mode, I would recommend enjoying what you can within the calorie volume you can handle as a treat to yourself. Don’t break your loss routine to engorge yourself.
I know of one person that said they were in a weight loss mode. They fixed all the right things and worked out like a banshee, but when I saw the volume they consumed it was probably 3000 calories for a single meal. They increased their intake before they lost the weight and were too impatient to keep the faith.
There isn’t a silver bullet that provides immediate gratification. Follow simple principles and perseverance.
21 Buzzards 