Cross the chasm or fall off the cliff?

Lifestyle update! Last night our family got to go out for a big pasta dinner to celebrate an anniversary. The only issue is that I've spent the last 5 or so months doing a low-no carb diet called Keto. Diets are lame so I've called it a lifestyle which is exactly what this post is about. Lifestyle choices allow your progress to be more like jumping over a chasm rather than "failing" on a diet and falling off the cliff.

People have lots of reasons for choosing a nutrition plan and there are 10 times as many diets and plans out there as reasons to be on one. I found the Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting in my search for a healthy way to operate in endurance sports. I have been hypoglycemic for as long as I can remember which to me meant I couldn't walk a disc golf course without needing a snack. Sugar ruled my life. For more than a decade I would intake more calories from Mountain Dew alone than I now consume in an entire day. No longer. I am thrilled that not only is my body "fat adapted" but it's capable of doing things I thought impossible even just a year ago.

Through my entire journey of running 30 Half Marathons I always woke up and had a massive breakfast. Prior to almost every one of those races I would easily consume 800 calories before the start of a race. Some Eggs, Bacon, Homefries, an Avocado, a Banana. Never mind the GU Gels I would eat during the race, and the massive amount of food I would eat afterwards. (Always chipotle duh, and beers when I got home).  All of these calories and the mental and physical need to eat them associated with running kept me limited. I didn't realize for the longest time that the fuel was actually what was holding me back from performing well, I thought it was what was allowing me to run the Halfs to begin with, but it turns out all that food was holding back an ability I didn't even know was there. I can actually run well and for a long ass time on really difficult terrain.

We all have this ability!! Humans are meant to run and endure. All humans of all cultures, heritage, blood, descents, race, whatever. We are genetically meant to endure and hunt. Humans used to walk or run behind packs of animals until the animals died of exhaustion. That's some serious badassery!! Like, OK cool Mr. Lion you have big paws and mean teeth but we are just gonna chase these antelope until their hearts explode! It's what we are meant to do. So in my search for this innate human ability I found Ben Greenfield Podcasts, and Thomas DeLaure's Youtube videos that taught Intermittent Fasting and the Keto Diet. Now I can stop eating at 7 pm, wake up in the morning and drive 1 hour, run for 3 hours of intense trails, drive an hour home, stretch and shower, and then finally get around to breaking my fast with about a 500 calorie meal rather than an 800 calorie one. Most importantly, I feel amazing!! No fuel required, no soda, no Carb-loading the night before. None of that.

But wait, no carbs forever? Forget that, I got to BASH on some 4 Cheese Stuffed Manicotti, some fresh bread with Garlic Butter, and whatever was on the appetizer platter last night. I looked forward to that meal all week!!! It was so delicious!! I even had 2 fat glasses of Chianti to go with it all. But here is where you jump over the chasm instead off falling off the cliff. After getting home I had water for the rest of the evening, and I woke up and continued my fast until about 10 minutes from now. (around 12:30) This allows my body to give the necessary energy to digesting all the food. Today I'm right back to eating on my Keto plan. High Fat, moderate Protein, and Low-No carbs. No sweat. Jump over the chasm and keep on running.

This post is to let you know it's worth it to take nutrition serious. We humans are ANIMALS!! Monsters!! We are capable of amazing feats like running down our prey until their hearts explode. However, we are not capable of eating processed diets with loads of sugars. End of story. Enjoy the treat meals and keep on trucking.