Runner’s Fuel.

I’m thinking we should make this an entire health and fitness week? I’m feeling motivated so I’m gonna keep it going. Yesterday after work I ran 2 miles straight without walking. You’re probably thinking “so what?” The last time I ran was March 27, 2012. That’s the last time I did any type of physical activity other than walking and moving into my apartment. Apparently our bodies remember what it felt like to be in shape after being mistreated for months. Who knew?

Anyway, I found this list of the top foods for runner’s yesterday and I felt like I needed to share it. I already had a bunch of the things on the list, but I have a grocery store stop planned for this afternoon to pick up the rest. Instead of focusing on all of the things I can eat this time, I’m choosing to focus on the foods I need to eat more of. The idea is that if I fill up on those, I won’t have room (or the desire) to eat the other junk. And when I feel like I have to have a piece of chocolate or else I’ll completely fall apart, I’ll have it. And then I’ll run an extra mile during my next training run.

One thing I do want to eat more of is salad. I eat a lot of healthy food and I actually love leafy greens, but I realized I don’t eat nearly enough of them. I don’t know if it’s just me, but sometimes it feels like a salad isn’t going to be enough. I’m so used to the idea that a salad is a starter, not a meal. It seems like a meal has to include a huge portion of meat and bread in order to fill you up, but I’m letting go of that mentality and challenging myself to have a salad for either lunch or dinner for the rest of the week. I found a few great salad recipes to get me started too…