The Trials and Tribulations of Dietary Control
Dietary Control? Who dreamt up such a phrase! Anyway, today I'm going to talk about one of my most favourite things in the world ever - FOOD. We need it, cyclists especially need it, loads of it. It's brilliant. So why do we always punish ourselves with "superfoods", crash diets and a really false love for mixed seeds (come on, pull yourself out of the tofu-yoga-land of pain and get yourself back on your sofa with some chocolate, no one really likes that shit, face it).
Up until the age of around 21, I was convinced I was invincible. I ate a lot of crap, drank a lot of crap, and didn't seem to retain any of the negative aspects of such an amount of crap anywhere on my tiny little body. I've met other young'uns who, unfortunately, feel just the same. Let's face it kids, hit 22 and you're gonna be sorry! But hey (yeah I started a sentence with 'but' - I'm feeling sassy), why not enjoy it while it lasts? I did, it was great fun, but then it got uncontrollable. I hit 22, there were long term relationships, there was money to buy more booze and food with, and then BOOM. Next moment I'm standing in a mirror struggling to fit all of my thighs into the reflection. What. The hell. Just happened?!
While this might not be the case for everyone, I think the early 20's for any young lady (and young man!) is an important time for make-or-break decisions when it comes to health. I happened to fall into the "break" category, and subsequently here I am now. Clambering back what little use I have left out of my body & trying to do something good with it. We're a greedy, squandering species, we're gluttonous and ignorant and I am testament to that fact. If I've whirled you into a flurry of panic and self loathing, sit down (or cycle.. or stand... anything that burns more calories) don't worry. We are salvageable! All we need is a bit of TLC, and surprisingly enough that doesn't come in the shape of plasticky lowcal micro meals.
No micro meals? No seeds? This be crazy talk!
Now, I used to go to the gym, I used to do a spot of kickboxing, I used to spend hours at a time on cross trainers watching cookery programs on the big screens. One thing I've discovered about my old gym habits and cycling is absolutely key to my weightloss and that is - at the gym I could do what I wanted - on my bike I HAVE to work to get anywhere. The roads, the winds and your condition don't allow you to just press a few buttons and have the easy way out. It's not only this, other forms of exersise suit other people it just happens to be that cycling is the one for me, it's that once you've found that joy in a sport - you do not crave what I call "depression foods". Here I am again sounding like one of those born-again-life-coachy types, oops! However, an example of this would be when I went swimming, I'm good at swimming, I can go at it for hours, but I'd always think "ah now I can't be bothered cooking, I'll grab a MacDonalds". Finding myself wondering why I wasn't losing weight quick enough... Now I realise that was fairly obvious.
Now, when I ride my bike, I feel invigorated, I feel full of glee every time I hop onto the saddle. When I'm done, I don't crave an easy fix like McD's, I crave what my body craves - whatever that might be on the day, be it pasta or soup or even a burger. I think this might just be the secret to successful weightloss, or even just control, when teaming it with a reasonably active daily regime. It's simply being happy. If you're not happy, your body won't respond appropriately, and if you feed your body with things it doesn't want, then it won't communicate back to you. I do believe there is a very intrinsic link between your mind and it's wellbeing, and your body and it's wants and requirements. You might be thinking "This girls gone mad" - and you'd be right, but please listen!
Cake is OK, pasta is OK, all foods are OK. What you need to realise is that you need to treat your body well to get the best out of the foods you want. Do you feel happy if you spend an hour stuffing your face with say... muffins... or do you feel guilty? A lot of people say just "don't feel guilty" - I say, do! Don't let it bring you down, it's just your body saying "Hey, dude, seriously I can't handle that shit."
So what do you do? You don't mope, you don't starve yourself, you damn well go and do something that makes you feel GOOD, alive, exhausted! Dance, run, cycle, do press ups, kanoodle with your significant other. What do you when you're done? Have a pizza! Have a cake! Listen to what your body says because if you reward it, it will reward you, if you stuff it with crap, it'll make you feel sad. Simples.
Up until the age of around 21, I was convinced I was invincible. I ate a lot of crap, drank a lot of crap, and didn't seem to retain any of the negative aspects of such an amount of crap anywhere on my tiny little body. I've met other young'uns who, unfortunately, feel just the same. Let's face it kids, hit 22 and you're gonna be sorry! But hey (yeah I started a sentence with 'but' - I'm feeling sassy), why not enjoy it while it lasts? I did, it was great fun, but then it got uncontrollable. I hit 22, there were long term relationships, there was money to buy more booze and food with, and then BOOM. Next moment I'm standing in a mirror struggling to fit all of my thighs into the reflection. What. The hell. Just happened?!
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| Squash makes a great winter filler! |
No micro meals? No seeds? This be crazy talk!
Now, I used to go to the gym, I used to do a spot of kickboxing, I used to spend hours at a time on cross trainers watching cookery programs on the big screens. One thing I've discovered about my old gym habits and cycling is absolutely key to my weightloss and that is - at the gym I could do what I wanted - on my bike I HAVE to work to get anywhere. The roads, the winds and your condition don't allow you to just press a few buttons and have the easy way out. It's not only this, other forms of exersise suit other people it just happens to be that cycling is the one for me, it's that once you've found that joy in a sport - you do not crave what I call "depression foods". Here I am again sounding like one of those born-again-life-coachy types, oops! However, an example of this would be when I went swimming, I'm good at swimming, I can go at it for hours, but I'd always think "ah now I can't be bothered cooking, I'll grab a MacDonalds". Finding myself wondering why I wasn't losing weight quick enough... Now I realise that was fairly obvious.
 |
| I make a mean Bakewell. |
Cake is OK, pasta is OK, all foods are OK. What you need to realise is that you need to treat your body well to get the best out of the foods you want. Do you feel happy if you spend an hour stuffing your face with say... muffins... or do you feel guilty? A lot of people say just "don't feel guilty" - I say, do! Don't let it bring you down, it's just your body saying "Hey, dude, seriously I can't handle that shit."
So what do you do? You don't mope, you don't starve yourself, you damn well go and do something that makes you feel GOOD, alive, exhausted! Dance, run, cycle, do press ups, kanoodle with your significant other. What do you when you're done? Have a pizza! Have a cake! Listen to what your body says because if you reward it, it will reward you, if you stuff it with crap, it'll make you feel sad. Simples.
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