Prompted by the question of the day on Runner’s World, I thought I’d share a few nuggets of wisdom that have come my way lately.

1) No matter how crappy I feel at the start, I have NEVER regretted going out for a long run. I know that this a rework of the old adage, “You’ll never regret working out.”  But, frankly, there were times that I was huffing and puffing away in front of the TV, or killing myself at spin class, where I was left thinking, “Wow, I’d really like that hour back.”  But, running 10+ miles?  Never.  I always, without exception, feel a million times better afterwards and never have regretted it.  Perhaps this is related to…

2) It’s much easier to get in a spiritual mindset running outdoors than, say, in Turbo Kick Jam. And the music is a billionjity times better.  For me, running is like yoga on steroids for mind/body practice.  I used to think I needed to pick between the mindfulness of yoga and the fatburning benefit of aerobic exercise- Running, of course, being the worst-of-the-worst, for-fitness-only,  torture-of-choice for the legwarmer brigade.  I imagined there wasn’t enough time in the day to care for both my mind and my body.  Turns out, running scratches both itches.  Granted I need to work myself back up to getting both feet behind my head, but we’ll take things one step at a time.

3) Ezekiel bread is made with vinegar and you will notice this about 5 miles in. Especially if you put any kind of nut butter on it.  Just sayin’.
4) You can crank up your mileage till you work yourself into an overtrained, injured mess, but if you don’t SIGNIFICANTLY change your eating, you won’t drop a pound. (Or, the abridged version- “Unlimited running does not atone for unlimited caloric indiscretions.“)  This one was probably the toughest for me to get my head around, what with I live with Mr. Muscles who just throws around weights for a little while, changes nothing else, and drops body fat like the large ‘uns on Biggest Loser.  (Oh, and also has a little bit of a slimline worldview that everyone’s body should respond the same way.)  Given that I much prefer running many miles, or even lifting weights, to giving up my bread, cheese and wine, I cranked my workouts up to the point that I ended up injured, but my weight didn’t move.  It wasn’t until I really looked closely at my eating that pounds started coming off.

Increased activity is great for maintenance– once I get to my goal weight (5 more pounds!) no doubt my mileage will keep me there.  But getting there?  It’s simply not going to happen without a change in eating.  No es possible.  Nada.