More Posts
Walking Through The Woods
Posted by Ace on Thu 27th Sep, 2012
I took my two springer spaniels for a walk to our local woods this morning. As I was spritely walking through the woods it occurred to me how different I feel these days compared to a few months ago. I remembered walking through the woods and my legs feeling like lead, slowing me down to what seemed like a crawling speed. I remembered how I would think this could not be due to lack of fitness because I can run marathons... And there was I just enjoying the walk though the woods with my dogs, the fresh air, the rays of sun shining through the trees, full of energy despite the hard training session of the night before. I carried on thinking about what has led to this change...
The answer for me is my choice of lifestyle:
Diet:
I have cut out all processed food, sugar, grains, legumes and dairy from my diet. I believe these were things to which I had an intolerance. Consuming them left me feeling uncomfortable, and my body used up valuable energy trying to deal with it all. I would wake up in the mornings with no energy, not just as if I had no sleep but as if I had been in battle all night!
My diet now consists of plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, poultry, natural fats and nuts. Everyday I am discovering how a new addition to my diet has a bonus to it. Stamina-improving beetroot & radish, immune-boosting sweet potato, muscle-repairing eggs, metabolism-boosting lamb, immune- and stamina-boosting kale, recovery-boosting tomato & avocado and on goes the list... This I think is one of the biggest factors in how good I feel.
Sleep:
Getting sufficient sleep has always been a struggle for me. I have a very demanding job and often end up working very long hours. Not wishing to compromise on my training I have previously neglected getting enough sleep. But embracing a paleo lifestyle also means getting enough sleep and sure enough this week I have put that to test. I have had at least 8 hours of sleep each night and my running performance has dramatically improved. So I am thinking surely this too gave an added spring to my step in the woods...
Moving:
Another aspect of a paleo lifestyle is moving and using our body to do what it is designed for. Again because of the nature of my job, I often sit in the car for up to 4 hours a day. That's before you add up the time sitting down when I am at work. It cannot be healthy to sit on my backside for most of the day just because I exercise for 1-2 hours most days. Well this week I have had a few days off work and I have walked my dogs, did some housework, went blackberry picking, running and, guess what, the more you move the more you want to move. So some credit must go to keeping on moving...
Sharing:
The walk through life is all about making choices. When I make choices that I find have been positive to me I would like to share my experiences so that others could also choose to reap the benefits. This is not purely selfless though because doing so makes me feel light as a feather. So because I felt so good walking through the woods this morning, here I am sharing my thoughts and experiences with you and hope that if you choose to give it a go it turns out to be at least as positive an experience for you as it has been for me...