I originally started running in the summer of 2005 when I first became aware of my body image after I gained some weight during my freshmen year of college. I decided to get back in shape by running a few times a week. Shortly after I began running I realized I also needed to improve my diet. I realized it’s easy to eat healthy if you lead an active lifestyle. I wouldn’t crave fried/greasy foods after a run and I learned that’s those foods don’t work well before a workout. The best thing I’ve been told about nutrition was at Cornell Basketball summer camp. I remember getting a lecture from one of the coaches on the first day before we went to eat at the buffet dining hall. She said something to the extent of make sure you eat healthy because you don’t want to come back after lunch and be running like a cheeseburger. It’s silly but I still often use that logic when making food choices. Would I rather run like a piece of pizza or pita pocket with hummus and spinach? Easy choice.
That summer I didn’t change my diet profoundly, I just tweaked it a bit. Here are some of the things that I did change. The next time I went to the grocery store I sought out all the foods that I normally eat but the healthier option. I swapped out all regular salad dressing for low fat or fat free ones. I did the same with most dairy. I switched to fat free yogurt and part-skim cheeses and was already drinking skim milk. I eat a fair amount of grains but started seeking out the healthier options switching out white rice for brown, regular pasta for whole wheat pasta and white bread for whole grain bread. I didn’t restrict anything from my diet but I did begin to pay attention to the nutrition facts and how many calories/fat are in a serving (and what was considered a serving). I also made a point to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies and made sure I was eating those before eating anything else to make sure I was filling up on the healthiest foods first. I had read somewhere that most of the time when we think we are hungry we are actually just thirsty so I made sure to always have my water bottle nearby. I can honestly say that the simple changes above were hardly enough for me to even notice; I never felt like I was on a diet. I still ate cookies, candy, pizza, etc. I was just more aware of what I was eating. With all the nutritious food I was putting in to my body I was feeling much more energetic, well-balanced, and happier than before.
The combination of increased activity and healthier food choices helped me to drop 15 pounds by the beginning of my sophomore year. At that point I was on the verge of being underweight. I didn’t want to give up running and I also didn’t want to go back to eating the way I used to because my improved diet had me feeling much better than my old one. I began to do a lot of research on nutrition and how I could keep my weight where it was while still getting enough calories and trying to eat healthy. I realized that I had a lot more to learn about nutrition especially if I wanted to continue to grow as an athlete.