Shit in - Shit out
This universal principle applies to everyone and everything
Despite being a vegetarian and later on vegan for most of my life, I’ve always had a tendency towards unhealthy eating (and general lifestyle for the matter). Up to my 30s this was never a huge issue. In fact I never 'felt bad' or had any health restrictions. I thought I was sort of indestructible. Like the T-800 Terminator… which eventually melted in liquid metal. But that’s a different story.
When I turned 30 a lot of things changed. After finishing my studies and working as a self-employed label owner and artist manager for a while, I ended up with a decent day job and a 40h week, sitting in front of a computer or in meetings nonstop. At the same time my whole metabolism changed. If I stayed up late I felt awkward the next day. If I ate junk food my stomach revolted. If I ate too much I fell into a massive food coma. If I ate too late I couldn’t sleep. I also very quickly gained 15+ kg body weight. Everything not a big issue. At least that’s what I thought at that time. It took another 5-6 years until I finally realized that I was stumbling up a dead end street.
It was when I started running that I realized how much the 'Shit in - Shit out' principle I have taught my bands in the studio, applied to food just the same. It only took me a couple of runs until I realized that my body can only work with the fuel (aka food) I take in. If it’s crap, I feel sluggish and week during my workouts. It surely didn’t happen overnight, but I slowly but steadily switched to a healthier diet, bit by bit (…or 'bite by bite'). My downward spiral turned into an upward one. The better I ate, the harder I could train. The harder I trained, the hungrier I got for quality foods. Over time I fine-tuned my meals by playing around with timing and different foodstuffs. In fact I still do this until today. I even dare to say, that food (next to stress) is the main determining factor in any training. Apart from running itself, of course.
So, who am I to give advices. But if you love running, but constantly feel terrible when you’re out there doing it, you should risk a look at what & how you eat. As always there is no right or wrong since every metabolism is different, but one thing is set in stone: The ’Shit in - Shit out’ principle is real.