Fat Tuesday
I proposed to a few clients that we give up wine for lent. I’m not Catholic, but it’s a good excuse to get people serious about making healthy changes, if only for a short period. There are 3 people in this with me.
The people I work with tend to work hard and play hard. They are living the “Good Life”. So, this will be a challenge. There is one guy who comes into the gym complaining that he has a belly. He doesn’t eat that bad, it’s just the wine and cocktails.
While moderate drinking has health benefits, drinking alcohol promotes overeating. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram vs. 4 calories for carbohydrates. People who drink regularly usually lose weight if they stop drinking or limit their consumption of alcohol.
Taking stock of your habits and making changes is a good thing. It’s all about balance. We all want to enjoy life and be healthy. Sometimes taking on a challenge like this is good. It helps put things into perspective.
Although I got a late start, I’ve been a serious runner since 1994. I ran my first marathon in 1995 on my 30th Birthday. It’s been my goal to run the Boston Marathon since then. I missed qualifying by 12 minutes that year. I needed to run 3:40 and ran 3:52. Running in the most prestigious marathon, is the ultimate for most runners. The fact that you have to qualify, only fueled my competitive juices.
Over the next 9 years I ran 6 more marathons. I love running so much that I became a