I am not a dietitian or a doctor. I am simply the unappointed food police of our running group and my diet can be pretty strict when March training begins. Over the course of time our group leader coined the term “The Dave Diet” and it has now evolved into a plan that works great for weight loss and spring training. Some of my friends have, albeit reluctantly, opted to take the plunge and are having great success. One member in particular says the she has never felt this good.
Changing your diet requires a change in your lifestyle and your way of thinking about food. Six years ago I quit smoking and was twenty-five pounds heavier, so I decided to use the same mindset to lose weight. If you really want to feel better mentally and physically “bad” foods must be equated to feeling bad or poison for your body. Whenever my urge for a cigarette was strong, I would think about how it would really make me feel. Food is the same way and many people walk around not even realizing how good they could feel if they just changed some bad habits.
Just like smoking, drugs or alcohol, if you want to be free from it you must remove the temptation. The next time you are in a grocery store, don’t even walk down the aisle with the cookies or comfort food. Don’t keep it in the house because it’s far too easy to get weak as the evening hours roll in. Sometimes dining with friends at a restaurant or a party can be difficult. These people will tell you “Come on, a little bit won’t hurt”. I have news for you, that is the same line drug dealers use. They secretly or subconsciously are jealous of your efforts. Don’t let them derail you! If they are 
offended you will not eat a piece of cake with them, they are really not your friends and have no respect for the goals you are trying to reach. This is a lifestyle change and you must separate yourself from the places that try to draw you over to the unhealthy way of living.
Not only is your mindset important, cleaning out your digestive system so that it operates efficiently is just as important. The longer food sits in your body the likelihood of it turning to fat increases. So, with that said, let’s get to the YES’s and NO’s of my diet.
NO
- No bread of ANY kind. I mean pick the croutons off your salad. This also includes pasta. One of the worst things you can eat if you are trying to lose weight is bread. After two weeks you can eat tortilla and flatbreads in moderation.
- Sometimes you feel like a nut………..but you better not! No nuts of any kind. People are going to tell you I am wrong, but any health benefits derived from these tasty terrors can be gained ten fold by eating a piece of salmon. Nuts are hard to digest and full of fat.
- Obviously, sweets are off the menu. No cookies, cakes or candy. Don’t even walk down the goody aisle and tempt yourself.
- No red meat.
- Nothing fried EVER!
- For the first two weeks no dairy unless it is skim milk. Again, most dairy is hard to digest and full of fat.
- No beer or mixed drinks.
- Raw vegetables are good in so many ways. They promote a healthy digestive system, are low in calories and full of vitamins.
- Fruit is great as a snack or dessert. (NO pineapple)
- Tortilla bread is great for making a wrap with raw vegetables and chicken or turkey.
- Meat such as chicken, fish and turkey are all very healthy when cooked with some common sense and can be prepared in many ways.
- If you want something to put on your salad or other food, there are many low fat options available. Compare labels when you are shopping and you will be amazed at the difference. ALWAYS look for the healthier choice. If there is not a low calorie option, don’t buy it.
- Red wine. If you want to go out for a drink with friends, red wine is the best alternative.
- 8 - 10 glasses of water daily
You have to start thinking about what you are putting into your body. I can not stress enough the importance of reading labels on packages before buying. That cheesecake will make you feel good for ten minutes but will make you feel bad for far longer. This may sound overwhelming but it can be accomplished when you decide that you want a better way of living and feeling. Before you know it you will find that your desire for unhealthy foods has all but disappeared.
Portion control is important. No matter how healthy you are eating it will not matter if you are eating it by the truck load. Take some of your meals and separate them in half on the plate. Then after finishing the fist half, wait five minutes before eating the rest. Many times you will find that you are already full and don’t even want the remainder.
Finally, as you make progress you will find yourself in a danger zone of sorts. Usually
after a week or two of eating healthy and losing weight, it is easy to fall into the “a little bit won’t hurt me” trap. This is the wrong path to choose because it can snowball and unravel everything you have already worked so hard to accomplish. Be alert and strong during this period and the road to a healthier, happier you will be much smoother. If you do falter, get back on that horse and don’t use that momentary weakness put you right back to square one. It’s only one mistake and there is no need to be depressed and give up. Good luck, good health and remember, run for fun but race to place!
I am sure you are all aware by now, that my life has changed drastically from the way it was six years ago. Heavy smoking, an unhealthy diet and an erratic mood were all things that could be expected from me on a daily basis. Life is different now and running has allowed me to surround myself with a new group of people. Some of my posts have touched on the philosophy and psychology of the sport but have neglected one very important aspect, building relationships with other runners. I have found that people who are passionate about running are more supportive, helpful and an all around better class of human being than most you would encounter participating in any other activity.
Over the past few days I have been asked by a few readers to write an article providing tips based on my experiences in half marathons. So get your pencils out and be ready to take notes because the half marathon is the best race out there and here’s why:
completing a ten mile training run very slowly is enough to accomplish your goal in this race. Diet is everything leading up to the big day. Eat sensibly the night before just as if you were not racing at all. But load up on carbs and they will be sitting in your stomach the next morning. Carbohydrate intake 
Hydration is VERY important. I can not stress this enough. Suppose you feel you don’t need any water at the first aid station. Drink it anyway. Once you start to get thirsty or dehydrated, it is most likely too late and you will suffer all the way to the finish, if you make it. Every station should be used to hydrate and walk for a short time. WALK? Yes, I said walk. As a wise man once said, “It’s better to get the water IN you than ON you.” If you must trot a little when you are drinking, fold the cup together at the top in order to create a sippy cup. This will allow a small opening to drink water without splashing it all over you. In an effort to recover lost time, I pick up my pace when I spot a water station. If I can maintain my 10k pace once my target is in view, it’s easier to offset the time I spend walking, drinking and recovering. It also doesn’t hurt to pour a cup of water over your head each time to keep yourself cool. Most races are well stocked
walk in the park but it is usually the longest 3 miles of my life. This is when your mental might can bring you to the finish by playing tricks in your head. Tell yourself that you deserve a walk break if you just make it to mile 11. There is usually an aid station there, but if there is no aid station, keep running and make the same deal when addressing mile 12. At that point I can assure you that you will not want to stop. ”It’s only one more mile to the end” you tell yourself and before you know it, you spot that magnificent finish line filled with balloons, reporters and a ticker tape parade just for you. Well, maybe not, but it sure will feel like it. Congratulations.
My friends, I would like to be serious for a moment and talk about something that I believe to be very important and goes virtually unnoticed by most runners. In my first post you read about my roots in running and where I came from to where I am now. Many of us have our stories and tend to allow our memories of an unhealthy past fade so much that we fail to see the next group of runners that are struggling with some of the same problems. For example, how many of us finish the race and stand on the sidelines of a 5k to cheer for the person you don’t know, that may be overweight but is giving it their best effort to reverse bad habits? You know they finish toward the back of the pack, but they finish nonetheless. I am here to tell you that THESE are the true runners. THESE are the people with real heart. And THESE are the people that deserve our respect, encouragement and help. 99% of all runners are good, supportive people but we neglect to show it sometimes when we high-tail it back to the tent or pavilion after finishing, to talk about how the race went for us. I have been guilty of this behavior myself. Then there are the arrogant 1% that I have heard quietly poking fun at people who are slower, heavier and just starting down a path to a better life.
by being there to show support on the sidelines. Get to know them. Encourage them. You can change their lives if you make them feel included. Don’t let them give up. Before you know it they will be running right along side of you on a path to a better life that YOU helped them build.
