Recently one of my friends & I got in a silly argument.
Said friend is a bodybuilder, so her workouts and diet are basically the complete opposite of mine. And that’s ok – she is happy and that’s what matters.
But she couldn’t understand why I ate the way I did. Why did I eat so many carbs? And cookies?! Why on God’s green earth would someone eat something with zero benefit for their body?
I was able to explain that runners rely on carbs for their energy supply – our goal isn’t to eat straight protein because a bulked up runner isn’t an efficient (and often not a fast) runner. The cookie was harder. I have a sweet tooth. That’s all I had to say.
She responded with “it’s called discipline Amber. I enjoy sweets too, but I don’t eat them because I don’t allow myself to.”
Too be fair, everyone with an athletic hobby has discipline. For runners, it’s pushing our legs and lungs past comfort during those tempo runs and speedwork. It’s going to sleep early and waking up early on weekends to get our long runs in. It’s making the time to run, not waiting for free time to come to us.
While other runners may avoid sweets unlike me, I choose to still enjoy them. (Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I validate a hard run with a sleeve of Chips Ahoy.)
There was a time when I was younger when eating a cookie, even a bite, would cause me anxiety and guilt. So yes, the discipline was there, but I wasn’t happy.
Some may argue that “sacrifice is giving up something good (junk food) for something better (great body).
But I’ve learned the happy balance. Eating something sweet won’t ruin my run. I’d rather be worrying about split times than calories and grams of fat in everything I eat.
Feeling happy and healthy go hand in hand for me.
I have running to thank for that mindset. I have better self-esteem, confidence, and love for my body thanks to running. After a great run, and especially a great race, I feel on top of the world, and enjoying a muffin or cookie isn’t going to ruin my day.
I don’t fall victim to comparing thigh and butt size with other girls. Because my legs can carry me XX miles at a pace the average person can’t hold for one mile.
Running changed my life when I let the confidence it gave me overflow to other areas of my life.
The same bodybuilding friend has the cutest clothes and a great sense of style. I used to make it a chore to dress up just to hang out with her and I was pretty much hating it. But I thought I should, otherwise I’d feel worse if I left my house in jeans & a pullover.
One day I was telling her that I was racking my brain for what to wear to hang out with her when she asked me why.
“Well you always look so great and put together all the time, I don’t want to hang out with you in my usual clothes.”
Her response?
“Amber, you have a style – it’s athletic and you pull it off. I wish I could wear workout clothes all the time like you and make it look good, but it just looks weird on me. ”
I don’t know why it took me so long, but I realized she was right. I’m so much more comfortable in running clothes – i just didn’t think it was ok to admit it.
If you’re a runner, own it. If you’re not, just love what makes you, you. Don’t let the judgment of others change who you are.
PB & PRs 