As the year comes to an end, I’m starting to reflect on the past year and plan for 2014. I feel like 2013 was a big year for me. I made a few changes that are going to impact the rest of my life. I took up running and as a result dropped about 25 lbs. I started eating vegetarian. I quit drinking and smoking. Directed my focus on whats important in my life: my family. Most imprortantly I have changed the way I think about life. I used to believe that life was something that I was a part of and I was just along for the ride. Over the last 6 months, I’ve realized that its way more than that. That I can be or do anything I want. That the people around me need to be embraced and are not just scenery. I’ve made a vow to myself for continuous improvement and to never let myself get stagnant again.
I decided to do a series of posts about my goals for next year. Here goes…
Improvement # 1 EAT LESS PROCESSED FOOD
As I said above, I started eating vegetarian on July 1, 2013. At first it was part of my training plan for the Scotiabank Half last fall, but I decided to stick with it. Its makes me feel soo much better, it was easier than I thought it would be and its made training and recovery better. I like the concept of not eating animals, but it isn’t the main reason I’m eating vegetarian. At first it was the novelty of it that made it interesting. After a few months that faded and now its a little more difficult to think of things to eat and cook for the family. I like to cook for our household, so it was a bit of a shocker when meat was taken off the menu. Being an athlete you need to consume a lot of calories to fuel your workouts. Its challenging to ensure you are always getting the right nutrients and have food available to eat when you need it. I’m starting to get better at it and making sure I plan out my eating in advance. Next year, I want to focus on eating cleaner and less processed food. Its easy to just grab something pre-made and eat it on the go. I’m gonna focus on eating more whole foods and less processed. Trying to plan out meals and make snacks at home instead of buying snacks on the go. There is a great web series at http://www.thriveforward.com by Brendan Brazier (An ultra-marathoner and Triathlete from the West Coast). It discusses the benefits of clean eating and incorporating plant-based nutrition into endurance training. Check it out!
Wish me luck…this will be a challenge in our busy lives.
Keep on moving,
JA
RunCanadaRun 