The Farsighted Runner

A recent article in the New York Times on the topic of “frugal dieting” highlights an important issue. That is, probably the single most defining factor which unifies most dieters is that they’re consumers. Regardless of the method people choose to employ (be it the South Beach Diet, the Skinny Bitch series, or any number of others) , the thing that most people are buying into is a promise.

The promise of easy weight loss. However, according to the article:

“What matters most is your level of motivation and your willingness to change,” says Kelly D. Brownell, a psychologist and director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale.

In other words, it’s not a question of how much money you’re willing to pour into quick fixes, or buy into that promise. The problem is that the kind of internal change that Brownell is talking about is extremely difficult to implement.

And it has absolutely nothing to do with money.

How does one go about changing one’s mindset — not towards dieting as a temporary fix (because study after study shows that dieting does not work as a long term solution) — but by embracing a healthy lifestyle?

To supplement the NY Times article, here are some of my own — sustainable and low cost — suggestions:

1. Shop at farmer’s markets.

An open air market in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, I’ve yet to come across a farmer’s market. But, there are open air markets located in most city centers year round. The difference is at a farmer’s market, the available produce tends to be locally grown and is therefore seasonal. Although at open air markets one can definitely find seasonal produce, it’s still possible to find things like bananas and mangoes year round — items that are most certainly not local to northern Europe.

Just yesterday, I bought an absurd amount of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries. I eat a lot of fruit, particularly in the summer, so perhaps what might be enough for a small family is enough for…just me. When I got home, I immediately froze half of it. For the rest of the week, this fruit will go into my morning breakfast smoothies.

Why is this a good idea?

I’ll concede that this is stating the obvious, but open air or farmer’s market offerings are generally skewed towards whole foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. If you force yourself to shop in a place that mostly offers whole foods, then it becomes much easier to make healthier food choices.

Also, buying in bulk tends to be relatively inexpensive  – much cheaper than buying the same amount of fruits and vegetables in a conventional grocery store. For all the fruit that I bought yesterday (which included, by the way, a kilo of strawberries and slightly more than half a kilo each of the other types of berries — we’re talking more than 5 pounds of berries, one of the more pricier types of fruit), I spent little more than 10 euros. I wouldn’t be able to afford such an indulgence at a conventional grocery store.

2. Join a virtual community.

Photo by Dat the Man

There are plenty of free ones. Although I haven’t used it myself, but I like the idea of My Fat Secret, mostly because it costs nothing to join but offers a lot of the same support as pay-as-you-go websites like My Food Diary and Weight Watchers.

Why is this a good idea?

Being part of a community is helpful, because it’s a place that you can go for support and inspiration. My only word of caution with regards to these communities — which are explicitly geared towards dieting — is that they also draw some folks who are only seeking a quick fix. Perhaps it sounds a bit cruel and unusual, but run away from those who are embracing short term solutions (for example, group challenges that ask members to lose as much as ten pounds in a single month).

But, there are other free options as well. Perhaps surprisingly, twitter can provide a sense of community and support for those who are seeking others with a similarly healthy mindset. For example, I have two twitter accounts. One I use to keep up with people I know personally. The second account is linked to this website, the Farsighted Runner. With this account, I only follow and am followed by individuals and organizations who show a strong interest in running and healthy living.

For me, such interactions — although a minor part of my day-to-day life — are useful in their ability to reinforce good behavior.

3. Find an exercise partner or group.

Photo by Visualpanic

A few years back, I paid to join a running group. Mostly I did it because I wanted to increase my mileage goals, and had a lot of anxiety surrounding my ability to do so on my own. Although this was a good option for me at the time — and I won’t leave out the possibility of joining such a group in the future — I know that it’s possible to train regularly without one, because I have.

That said, I know that exercising with others can be a powerful motivator. Running has been a central part of my life for the past seven years. It’s a commitment that I’ve kept up with this entire time and one that I fully intend to sustain. Sometimes my ability to sustain this goal needs a bit of a boost, and joining a group can help provide it. There are times when we could all benefit from extrinsic motivating factors.

For me, not a week goes by in which there isn’t at least one day (and, to be honest, usually it’s multiple days and sometimes even everyday) when I lace up my running shoes begrudgingly. At that moment, I might be tired, or hungry, or simply unmotivated — and as a consequence, there’s nothing I’d prefer more than to not run. Literally the only thing that makes me run at that moment is knowing how I’ll feel once I get going (that is, usually I feel pretty great) — and how terrible I’d feel if I had skipped out.

Having an exercise partner (or partners) helps cut out that internal struggle, because it becomes a lot easier when you know that you’re not just letting down yourself by not exercising — you’re also letting down someone else, as well. Good exercise partners are also reasonably positive and encouraging (nothing can knock the wind out of your sails more than running with someone who does nothing but complain the whole time, every time you run together).

Why is this a good idea?

I’m fortunate that I’m the type of person who can reason myself into running more often than not — running partner or no. But, I’ll always be the first to admit it’s a constant struggle and sometimes I’m just as good at talking myself out of it. That’s why having an exercise partner — particularly in the early stages of adopting a fitness routine — can be so compelling.

For other tips on how to embrace a healthy lifestyle — rather than attempt to diet your way into one– check out these pointers from the Mayo Clinic.