Something awesome happened to me last year. After nearly two decades of being a runner, I had, perhaps, my strongest running year ever.
Rather than brag by sharing WHY it was so great, I’d like to jump right in and get to the more important point of HOW it happened. I’ll go into the WHY later.
Having my best running year wasn’t because I ran more or ran faster. I didn’t up my weight training. And it definitely wasn’t because of the latest health gizmo, gadget, or supplement that promised to be a game-changer.
Marathon #3 of 3 last year – success!
2024 was my best running year to date because I ate healthier and I learned how to cook.
Learning to cook and eating real food
Let me back up. I’ve always sort of known how to cook. I have my go-to foods and I can follow a recipe.
Likewise, I’ve consistently been eating healthy, even healthier every year, since my mid-30s. More spinach, protein, and whole grains; no alcohol, fewer processed foods, and less eating out (that last one, mostly thanks to having small children).
But last year, I really invested in learning to cook, and in learning more about truly healthy eating and better foods to fuel and nourish my body.
So, what changed?
On the eating side, I dug deeper into anti-inflammatory foods. I researched foods that help with perimenopause symptoms. I started looking much closer at food labels and realized there’s so much garbage in “healthy” foods, or so they’re marketed to be.
Then, the cooking aspect really brought it all together.
A few tools in the health toolbox
Now for a confession: I don’t like to read. Like, at all.
I know I should feel embarrassed or like I should try to discover joy in reading. After all, reading books is all the rage, especially for women and especially for working professionals. But no, no thank you.
I have, however, found a book that I love to read. And it’s a cookbook: Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.
Whether this book (highly recommend, even if you’re not a runner!) or something else, I think a great first step to learning how to cook is to find easy recipes that call for clean, quality ingredients.
Another thing that helped me learn to cook was having a few good tools. It’s not imperative to have every gizmo and gadget to cook well. Keep it simple with a few basics – most of which are probably already in the kitchen – that will get a ton of use.
My favorite recipes are also the healthiest ones.
I have a big wood cutting board and one good chopping knife. I often use a whisk and a garlic press, as well as measuring cups and spoons. It’s imperative to have at least one pot and pan, and, depending on what you’ll make, baking dishes and mixing bowls of varying size. An Instant Pot or even an old-school crock pot are also very useful.
Healthy habits – start small
I believe true healthy eating – including learning to read food labels and learning how to cook real food – is one of the best things anyone can do to improve their health.
I’m also a strong advocate for regular physical activity and drinking water. Those three are a real trifecta and when all combine, can have a ripple effect that encourage more healthy habits, like better sleep, greater mindfulness, even help foster a gratitude mindset.
If you’re interested in learning to cook and eating healthier, just start small.
You don’t have to throw out everything in the pantry and never buy packaged foods. You can make a positive impact by starting to incorporate more real foods into your diet.
For example, skip the boxed macaroni with a packet cheese and make your own with real cheese and real butter (it’s easy and essentially the same process). And boil in some broccoli with the pasta for the added veggie kick.
Or, make your own batch of soup from a packaged mix – but add a bunch of veggies, some beans or chicken, or even tofu. And sprinkle in powerful spices, like garlic and turmeric.
Look at labels and start by noticing how many ingredients are listed. Compare a bag of Fritos with 3 ingredients to a “healthy” protein bar that has more than two dozen, most of which the average person can’t pronounce. IDK about you but I’m opting for the Fritos all day.
Still running strong
And now, for anyone who’s still reading, I’d like to share the details about WHY this was my best running year.
Not only did I return to running full marathons, something I hadn’t done in almost five years, I ran three of them. I had never run three fulls in one year. Adding icing on the cake, I paced all three of them, made it under goal pace, and finished with a smile on my face and pep in my step. And perhaps the best part of all, I trained and ran them all injury-free.
Oh, and a few more things: I’m in my 40s. I’m deep into perimenopause. I have 2 young kids and a full-time job. I wouldn’t call now the time in my life that thriving is exactly expected. But I’ve never felt healthier.
I hope this year brings you the best, healthiest one yet!
That’s enough for now. Until next time,
Lindsay