A time to ride, a time to rest; a time to eat, a time to cheat

After last week's frenetic last-minute push to break 200 miles for the month, I've not spent much time on the bike. I ended up tallying roughly 70 miles over the course of five days, which isn't a whole heck of a lot for some people, but it is for me. As a result, my legs were killing me, and my right leg would sometimes fail on me when I stood up or while I was just standing around.
So I've taken a break for a few days to rest and recuperate, which are essential to any fitness plan. After riding a mere nine miles last Thursday, I took the entire weekend off. For the most part, that has helped. My quads are no longer tender to the touch, although I can still feel a little pain if I exert myself.

Another tip, which I learned from watching last season's Biggest Loser, is "cheat days" are not only to be expected when you're dieting, but they're essential. If you are curbing your caloric intake, you can overdo it and stall your metabolism. That means you don't burn as much energy and you can actually gain weight even though you're eating less. The occasional cheat day, however, is not only good for your mind, preventing you from feeling like you are denying yourself, it can convince your body that you haven't suddenly found yourself in the middle of a famine and it's alright to burn some calories.

I say all that as prelude to my experiences this past weekend, when I finally decided it was time to reopen the toxic waste dump in my gullet. I had planned to have my cheat day this past Saturday to coincide with Free Comic Book Day and the opening of the Iron Man movie, so I could pig out and get my geek on all in one day.

The funny thing is, while I was cheating on my diet and eating all of those things I thought I wanted, I actually felt cheated because I'm finding that my tastes have really changed since I began all this. The day began with a sausage biscuit (no egg) from that evil trans-fat empire, McDonald's. I actually had to stifle a gag reflex or too as I ate it, and once I finished, I just felt greasy. My mouth felt like I'd just drunk a bottle of suntan lotion.

For lunch, I thought I was cheating by getting fettucine alfredo with peppery chicken at Fazoli's, but once I looked up the nutritional info for that dish, I was surprised to learn it was actually something I could incorporate into my diet. Those bread sticks, though, are delicious but evil little bastards.
At the movies I had the one treat I had been looking forward to all day -- buttered popcorn. Again, though, I felt cheated because while the first few bites were true heaven, the rest made me nauseous as I felt that oily goo slithering down my throat. Just a few months ago, I could have polished off a large bucket of corn all by myself. While I certainly gave it my best shot Saturday, I eventually had to set it aside.

When it came time for dinner, I was actually starting to crave whole grains and low-fat dishes, but I was determined to blow my diet in grand style. That explains why I found myself half-heartedly eating country fried steak and gravy. I won't lie -- it was pretty good. But I had already eaten so much junk during the day that I was really only eating for flavor by the time dinner rolled around, and I was having to overcome the pain of stuffing and overstuffed stomach to do it.

But in the end, cheat day wasn't nearly as enjoyable as I had anticipated. Most of the day, as I tried eating some of the foods I once loved, I was continually disappointed. And the after-effects were outright unpleasant. I constantly felt nauseous and bloated, and my whole body just felt greasy.

The lesson in all of this is quite simple. If you are trapped in a high-fat, deep-fried, fast-food diet and feel you cannot change, you can. Not only that, but once you truly make the change a healthy diet, you won't be able to go back to eating the way you once did. I know. I was once quite proud of having the world's worst eating habits. I knew I should eat healthier, but it seemed impossible. However, it was much easier to make the change than I ever thought it would be.

I won't lie: Starting a healthy diet can be a little difficult at first. The first three days, I felt like I was in pain. But I was committed, and it got easier after those first few days. One trick I've used is to eat healthier but not starve myself. By that, I mean I continue to eat hearty portions, but now they consist of food that is better for me. If you attempt to fast your way to a healthier weight, you'll eventually fall off of that wagon. But if you make wholesale changes in your diet, you can stay healthier for life.
Now, however, it's time to stop writing about my food and get on with life. It's also time to stop resting and start riding, so I'm going to get off here and get out on the road.