Is Dieting Worth It?

One year I worked with a fellow named Paul in the construction business. He taught me how to stucco houses.

At noon everyday we would sit outside in the sunshine and eat our lunch. I would have my usual tuna sandwich on brown bread and maybe a banana or apple. Paul would have these amazing lunches that his wife made for him everyday. Huge sandwiches with lots of prepared meat and cheese and mayonnaise. He always followed that with a huge slice of chocolate cake or pie or a dozen cookies.

I asked him once if he ever worried about all the rich, fatty foods he was eating. He answered that he never dieted, but ate everything that he really enjoyed. His theory was that he would rather die 5 or 6 years sooner and enjoy eating all his life. It just didn't make sense to him that people deprived themselves all their lives just so they could live a little longer.

I thought about what he said for a long time. Maybe he had a point. I guess it all depends what demands you are placing on your body and what you are trying to achieve in everyday life.

I've tried many, many diets over the years because I am a competitive athlete and I'm always looking for that perfect diet that will give me more energy and endurance. I often go almost a year without indulging in any sort of desert. I even make my own whole wheat bread to avoid the sugar and salt that is normally cooked into bread. It might seem a little fanatical, but I just can't see the point in doing all the training I do only to have poor race performances because of poor eating habits.

Its not always easy, because I really like sweet food. I miss ice cream, cake, donuts and pretty well everything else that is loaded with fat and sugar. I don't give in to my cravings, because being a successful athlete means more to me than satisfying my sweet tooth.

What I do instead is take a two or three week break from training every year and eat whatever I want. Invariably I gain several pounds, but just weeks after I begin dieting and training again my normal competitive weight returns.

I suppose its up to the individual to decide if the advantages of dieting outweigh the pleasures of eating.

Personally, I will always watch what I eat. It has just become a way of life for me.

As for Paul, he had a heart attack and died last year at the age of 61.

I'm 57 and training for a marathon here at home next Summer.