I love to run. Love it. SO keeping a running schedule is not difficult. Even when it’s hard, even when the weather is awful, even when it downright stinks – I still enjoy it. Strength training and I don’t have the same love affair as running and I, but I still enjoy it. I like getting stronger; I enjoy seeing new muscles. Clean eating and I? Well, we don’t really like each other. In fact, at times, we downright hate each other. I love food. Even healthy food. I just also really, really, really (etc.) enjoy food that isn’t good for me.
Recent articles (like this one at WebMD) have highlighted that high mileage runners have a shorter lifespan than moderate runners. (The articles have put the high-mileage title on runners that run more than 2.5 hours per week. While I wouldn’t consider myself an extreme runner, I fit into this high-mileage description.) I have no plans to cut my current mileage, and as I’m going to begin training for my first marathon and ultra marathon soon, I’m actually planning to greatly increase it.
So while I’m not going to decrease my miles, I do need to make changes in the kitchen. Hopefully clean eating will help prevent the heart issues that affect high-mileage runners. The problem is that food that isn’t good for me tastes so GOOD. (I have a thing for sweets. And desserts. And all chocolate. I actually find it incredibly unsettling when people claim not to like these things. How is that even possible?!)
Do you have any recipes that make healthy food taste as good an unhealthy food? Share it below. Do you have healthy recipes that kids will also love? Share it below. Do you have a clean eating recipes that taste like cupcakes? Share it below!
(As a side note, researchers have been unable to say what causes high-mileage runners to have shorter lifespans. Eating habits may not be a contributing factor, BUT eating healthier definitely isn’t going to hurt!)
Run Mom Run Happy 
I am just like you! I LOVE sweet stuff. among all unhealthy things, sweet stuff, cakes, chocolates get to me the most! i don’t care about fast food or chips or candy as much as I love cakes and chocolate! Here’s a GREAT website that gives clean eating recipes for cakes ! and trust me, they are GREAT! chocolatecoveredkatie.com . her milkshake recipes are amazing!
Her pictures look delicious! (It’s hard to believe they are healthier desserts!) Thanks for the link – I think I’ll be visiting her site quite a bit. 🙂
Yea, they look delicious and ARE delicious! another recipe I found, and always make when i crave sweet stuff is to melt some dark chocolate and grind a handful of nuts, and then cut some apples and dip them in the chocolate and then the nuts. So good! And i found that 1/4 apple is about 40 cals? it’s a great healthy dessert ;P
I will never give up cupcakes and long distance running!! I guess I’m doomed 😉
Even if I do get my eating on track – I’ll never give up cupcakes / running either! Doomed together! 😉