Food for thought, or thought for food?

My dear friend and training partner, Iceman, shared this story with me via Facebook, and it's prompted lots of discussion and lots of thought, at least on my part.

I consider myself very lucky to have very minimal to firsthand exposure to eating disorders throughout my entire running life. The glimpse that I have had was very sad to watch, and frankly, as a college kid, I just didn't understand it. If I was hungry, I ate. The thought that being lighter meant being faster never really occurred to me, and I can't tell you how extremely glad I am for this since I am naturally a very competitive person, especially with myself. Competitive drive and determination are essential to be extraordinary, but I think there is a point at which too much ambition can be a dangerous thing.

See, the thing is this: if it seems too good to be true, it is. Not "it probably is." It is too good to be true. There are no real shortcuts. Sure. Lose 5 pounds. You'll run faster. It's physics. Work = Force x Distance, and Force = Mass x Acceleration. It takes less work to move 105 pounds 26.2 miles than it does to move 110 pounds 26.2 miles. But the real question is what did it take to drop that 5 pounds? Cutting breakfast short before you were really full? Or even worse, going without breakfast altogether?  No dessert? No fat? Lots of restrictions, very few choices. Do these limitations create a lifestyle you can sustain forever? After you burn the candle from both ends long enough and the shit finally hits the fan, sure, you may have taken a big step forward, but how many steps back are you going to take now?

A group of neuroscientists and psychologists at Duke recently conducted a study on willpower, and how the brain functions in situations where our wants and needs are conflicting. The study concluded that willpower is like a muscle and can be strengthened through work. Sounds intuitive and much like common sense to me. The more disciplined we are, the more this discipline becomes a habit, becomes second nature, and hence becomes easier. However, even though it's difficult for many, runners in particular, to acknowledge (myself included), muscles need rest every once in a while. The same goes for this willpower muscle. And of course, we will experience the same ill effects of overtraining when we push willpower too hard, perhaps not immediately, but eventually. Consistency is a powerful thing in many arenas, and hammering full throttle on the willpower pedal is a quick way to destroy it.

Per the discussion of the above Runner's World article, Fresca Ninja said something that resonated with me very deeply:

Question your motives for choices before they become routines. Question your routines before they become rules. Know your priorities. Apply to eating/exercise/finances/relationships/etc.

It's a very simple statement, but it requires very conscious effort to execute. We all fall into routines and develop habits, some good, some bad. However, we will all benefit from the ability to ask ourselves the reasons for which we do (think) things. This gives us the power to control our habits versus letting our habits control us.