I’ve said it for a long time, and I still maintain, that if eating healthy was cheap(er) and a LOT more appetising then more people would do it. But why would the masses spend £5 or £6 on organic fruit, veg, with fresh meal ingredients and £2 or £3 on a smoothie type drink when you can get a burger and chips with a can of coke for barely £3 … if that?!
Eating healthy is effort … a commitment, just like maintaining fitness is. Based on what I’ve just written you’d probably think I’m a bit of a lazy slob! Alas no, as I’m currently in the midst of a health and fitness overhaul as I count down the weeks till the Race Across Italy on April 11th 2015.
I’m making sure I do everything I can health and fitness wise, and want to have no doubts or regrets if this event doesn’t go according to plan. Hence why I’m undertaking some pretty tough training and a fairly radical diet overhaul. As I write this, I’m having a couple of weeks of no pasta and bread in my diet and I’m about to drop potatoes for a week as well, as I safely bring my body fat % and weight down, whilst fuelling myself with all the proteins and things I need for the event.
Sadly, I’ve had to drop the doughnuts and a few other treats, and cut down on the sugar intake – but that said – you can’t (and shouldn’t) drop everything. I mean you could drop everything instantly, but if you demonise everything you eat and drink straight away you will soon get resentful and old eating habits return as you get more fed up and miserable.
Yes I now eat oat cakes, mixed leaf salads, a lot more fruit, chicken and rice, protein shakes and plenty of other good things, but I will still allow myself cake and ice cream, and soft drinks at occasional times during the week. I guess the long term plan is to have a good lifestyle plan in place beyond mid April. When this race is done I don’t want to turn in to a slob!
Oh yes the race – 500 miles in a maximum of 42 hours with many Italian mountains to climb.
Can I do it?
Yes I can.
Will I?
I hope so, I really do.
I’m giving myself the best chance with altitude training, spin classes and a pretty structured schedule to get me in the best shape. The change in me is already great, I just hope it transfers onto the bike and during a race. I still haven’t ridden a bike on the road since August 2013 as everything so far has been done in a controlled indoor environment, which suits me fine at the moment, but I will soon have to put it to the test outdoors.
Of course there is the charity element to the race. Taking my own ambitions out of the equation I’m still raising money for Cancer Research. With no real effort, we have already raised nearly £400 as I head towards a £1000 target.
Thank you for helping me get there and may this health and fitness regime continue positively for a long time to come …
Wyatt