Category: The Adventures of JB

On a mantle in my parents home sits a picture of me immediately after crossing the finish line at the Richmond marathon [1].

I both love and hate that picture at the same time

I love it because that photo captures the excitement of a moment four months (and hundreds of miles) in the making as my right arm was raised in victory after finishing (actually it wasn’t raised victoriously so much as lifted slightly in exhaustion)

Then I notice the fact that I’m around five pounds overweight (maybe closer to ten)

The reason I’m thankful this picture takes such a prominent place at my parent’s home is it clearly teaches an important truth:

There is no such thing as the runners diet

The runners diet is basically an idea that you can eat whatever you want on training days (or immediately after strenuous exercise) since you’ve already burned lots of calories.

There is some truth to this since our bodies will crave food after a hard workout or run and there is a need for extra calories. However what we use to refuel our bodies must still be healthy.

I learned this lesson the hard way as marathon training that began in July started to end in November. The last six long runs on Saturdays looked like this

1. Twenty Miles
2. Fourteen Miles (a rest week)
3. Twenty-Miles
4. Twenty-Two Miles
5. Fourteen Miles (in the pouring rain)
6. And Eight Miles (Resting for Marathon)

So during the last month and a half I ran ninety-eight miles on Saturdays alone…but was still overweight.

How in the world did this happen?

It actually started with something quite innocent

“I deserve to eat a Mcdonald’s biscuit on Saturday morning because I ran twenty-two miles today.”

The thing is that’s true, I even ate it within thirty minutes after the workout which is recommended. The problem arose when the statement started changing ever so slightly.

“I can eat a Mcdonals biscuit because I ran twenty-two miles Saturday” or “I can eat junk food since I ran eight miles today [2]

Now instead of putting back calories I burned a half-hour earlier, I’m putting back calories I burned two days ago. Or in the case of running eight-miles I’m putting back calories I haven’t even burned yet!

But wait, it gets worse

As the marathon training come to an end (particularly during the last five weeks) I developed a sense of accomplishment.

This was quite understandable…after all I ran almost 100 miles on Saturdays leading up to the Richmond Marathon alone!

So the phrase became “I can eat a Mcdonalds biscuit (or other junk food) since I ran over 100 miles this month including all training runs!”

Does running that much give a person permission to indulge themselves more than usual? You better believe it! However if this excuse is used often enough it results in extra pounds.

I wish I could tell you the runners diet works but it doesn’t

Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way that the only path to true fitness uses both exercise, and a healthy eating plan.

Along my fitness journey I’ve been able to learn many lessons (most of them the hard way) about being in shape. At the top of the list is one I learn just about every January.

Fitness isn’t about a diet

Now of course weight loss is a part of fitness. But unfortunately many of us (myself included) believe that skinny=fit and that creates a serious problem.

From a physical standpoint losing weight is just one part of fitness. There is also a need for strength training, exercise, and a healthy eating plan [1]. In other words true fitness is a lifestyle that continues to keep that weight off for months or years at a time.

My First Real Run from John Wilburn on Vimeo.

For many years my belief that fitness was all about weight loss led to a cycle of extreme dieting that would usually begin in January

At the beginning of the year I would always go on what’s called a VLC (very low-calorie) diet. Basically this is one of those diets that involves drinking shakes for breakfast and lunch every day, along with some healthy snacks.

There is some good news, and bad news about a VLC diet

1. The good news is you will lose lots of weight in two weeks
2. The bad news is that weight will be gained right back almost immediately

A VLC diet usually only lasts two-weeks since it’s goal is quick weight loss, and more importantly breaking the old eating habits. Unfortunately it’s very easy to fall back into those habits, and gain all of our weight back.

My point is most diets don’t lead to health because they can’t be continued for an extended period of time [2]. But there is a deeper problem with dieting that affects more than just physical fitness.

Most diet’s cut down our calorie intake or make drastic eating changes in the first three weeks. This will normally result in loss of energy, or strength.

Which harms us mentally:

1. It’s very difficult for us to concentrate
2. We struggle focusing on something for long periods of time
3. Inability to be as effective at work
4. Often leads to our crashing in the afternoon (needing a short nap) in order to focus

Which harms us socially:

1. We lack patience
2. Lots of anger over small or unimportant things [3]
3. Not enough energy for social activities (crash at night instead of meeting with friends)
4. At times we isolate ourselves from others (just don’t feel like being around anyone)

Which harms us spiritually:

1. Instead of having a Christian testimony we are going around angry all the time
2. Can become very apathetic and lazy [4]
3. Relationships become very selfish (only care about me)

I know that all these are true because I’ve experienced them countless times while on a VLC diet.

Some of you may be thinking “Okay if we aren’t supposed to go on a diet how do we lose weight?

The answer is actually simple…make small changes, and think long-term.

Eat a carrot instead of a cupcake
Drink water instead of a Pepsi
Have a smoothie as your snack

These smaller changes won’t lead to massive weight loss right away (sorry guys) but the good news is it will lead towards true fitness, and won’t turn you into someone who you hate.

As someone who struggled with weight issues most of my life (severely overweight till after college) fitness is very important to me. However every year I find myself going through the same cycle.

1. By the end of February I’ve lost weight, and am at the peak of fitness (for a white dude in his late thirties)
2. By the end of March I’ve put on a few pounds but that’s no big deal
3. By the end of April what used to be an incredibly easy run now feels like mount Everest
4. The Summer finds me putting on my annual “seriously it’s too hot to run outside” weight
5. Lots of progress is made in the Fall, only to be destroyed by Thanksgiving and Christmas

The point is this is the month that I usually start slipping with my fitness plan [1].

The crazy thing is I KNOW those extra March pounds are coming, but I almost NEVER do anything about it!

There are many reasons for this yearly setback, but it pretty much boils down to motivation.

See physical motivation (I am going to get in shape) will only last so long (three months max). After that you need to have something outside of yourself to withstand temptation.

There are only a few times that I’ve been in shape by the end of April, interestingly one of those was the first time I started losing weight.

The day before thanksgiving one year my father came to me with a proposition. We all knew that I was overweight by at least twenty pounds, but there was never a motivation on my part to do anything about it [2].

For motivation he promised to pay a certain amount of money if I reached a weight loss goal, and more money if I kept it off for a certain amount of time.

Suddenly I felt VERY motivated (and got all of the money).

The problem is there aren’t people walking around giving you money for weight loss [3] so we have to find something else that motivates us.

This motivation is going to be different for everyone but let me share mine…I want to fulfil God’s purpose for my life with excellence.

Near the end of his life the Apostle Paul wrote these words

II Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

II Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Paul knew he was going to die soon (4:6) but didn’t worry about this since he had a testimony of faithfulness (4:7). Another way of describing this verse would be, “I did all God called me to do.”

I want to be able to say that when I’m dying.

But in order to do this my life must be characterized by physical discipline.

1. A mind that can concentrate and think clearly in my later years
2. Extra energy that can be invested in the work of God
3. The ability to continue working late in the day instead of collapsing
4. Turning to fruits of vegetables and times of stress instead of junk food

Just so we are clear I am nowhere near this right now

But that’s the point.

Reaching a lifestyle of true fitness so that I can do the Lord’s work with excellence is going to take more than a few months.

And that’s what motivates me

Chances are I’ll end up with five or six extra pounds by the end of March like almost every year [4]. But if that takes place I can promise you one thing.

I won’t be doing the work of God with excellence