Food Blog:
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Miss Tenacity.
New Mexico.
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Wednesday, October 25
Sugar High at My High
 
The dirty truth is out - I ate junk food for lunch in high school. Not everyday, nor even most of the time. But with startling regularity, a few days per week I could be counted on to use my $1.05 designated for the hot lunch to be spent on exactly two things: a $.60 package of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls and a $.45 bag of Capri Sun.
How did I justify this, being an athlete and even somewhat interested in nutrition?
Short answer - I didn't really try to justify it. I simply craved sugar.
Long answer - I ate well for breakfast (non-sweetened cereal and milk) and dinner (meat, potatoes, vegetables) every single day without fail. Having dinner with my family was not an option - it was expected and enforced. Those insanely sugary treats were rarely available at home, so of course I craved them. That craving, coupled with my lunch cash, enabled me to indulge. And then the running after school just burned it all like tissue paper in a blaze.
I counsel my high school athletes now to watch everything they eat, but that having some sugar every day is just fine if the larger percentage of their meals are "real food". That's good advice for anyone who has a hard time denying cookies and ice cream. Eat well most of the time, exercise, and then after working out when your muscles are literally thirsty for simple sugars, then have that treat. It will all balance out, I promise.
Some diet books even use this as their "secret", claiming that their magic formula is a 90/10 split between good and 'indulge' foods - or 85/15, or even 95/5. What they are selling is common sense. All things in moderation, including moderation.
Time posted: 20:41 [permalink]
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CONTACT ME: tenacity -at- gmail.com
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