Calories….Schmalories!

I’ve never counted calories.  Ever.  Weight Watcher points?  All set with that.  For the most part, I’ve fortunately always been active and on the fit side, enabling me to eat what I want.  And honestly, when it comes to food, I’m lazy.  Yet lately, I’ve found myself more interested in my food choices and the effects on me. 

Just for kicks and giggles, I started tracking my food intake for today, which is easy since it’s only lunchtime as I write this –

Breakfast:    1 slice of peanut butter toast (generous on the PB of course)

                     1 can Coke (though I usually end up drinking ~3/4 of it)

Snack:          1 pkg of pineapple fruit bites (not too bad, right?)

Lunch:          Here’s where it gets a little ugly….

This silly microwaveable container of Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs is 200 calories, with 70 fat calories.  WHOA!  Just because I was too lazy to assemble a healthier lunch this morning to bring to work, they forced me (until “they” identify themselves, I’m blaming “them”!) to consume this fat laden lunch with little to no nutritional value.  To add salt to the wound (literally), the sodium content in this puppy is 820 mg!!!  I think I already feel my fingers swelling as I type. 

Why is this suddenly of interest to me?  Not really sure actually.  Like running, I hope to continue this “living” thing for a long time and do it really well.  I’m not that vain, but I also wouldn’t mind looking good while I do it! I think I’ve been a bit cavalier with my eating habits over the last few decades and I don’t want to play Russian roulette with my body.  I’ve noticed that almost everything I choose to eat seems to come from a package.  That can’t be good.

Running has been the best thing for me, both physically and emotionally.  And I depend on food for fuel to run.  However, I’ve fallen into that trap where I’ve used running as a license to eat as much as I want….whatever and whenever I want.  I do eat some good things, though mostly when Scott’s home.  I love salads and actually prefer just a little olive oil on it as opposed to the combination of heavy dressings and croutons.  And because I hate water, I found a good replacement in Propel.  I love fish and chicken, and enjoy most vegetables with my meals.  Yet, left to my own devices, I’m a culinary and nutritional disaster, and I get lazy all over again.

I’m not sure I’ll ever pass “Calorie Counting 101” in my lifetime.  And that Chef Boyardee lunch is not likely to be my last (just keeping it real!).  I love my lemon cookies and my sweet “tropical” drinks, but I’m becoming much more aware of how my food choices can work for me or against me.  As I get over this lingering cold I’ve been fighting, I’m excited to lace up my running shoes and get back out on the roads.  It’s late June and I have a Fall marathon to think about.  I’ve done pretty well in my marathons with my “lazy” diet described in this post; imagine how I might do if I treated my body a little better with what I feed it.  

I’ll go contemplate that while sipping a Propel.  Maybe this old dog can learn some new tricks!