Day 8.137 The Sugar Cops

There are a couple of basics that often get overlooked.

Caught between the rock of diet and the hard place of exercise, two elementary, yet omnipotent elements demand your attention.

Air and water.

All well and good you might respond but what about fuel and thermal regulation?

I counter your inquisitiveness thusly, did you know that your body stores fat to satisfy both of those concerns? Should you so desire, you could run TWO MARATHONS (or one Ironman) using only your stored energy, further, should you need less insulation (that layer surrounding your center) all you have to do is keep at it. Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Try that without air and water and you will quickly join the ranks of those of us who know the eeriness associated with a bonk.

You can get by without an expensive bike, a wetsuit, $200 running shoes, a gym membership or, dare I say, a CompuTrainer, but trying to maintain a serious exercise regimen without breathing or hydrating is much like trying to eat soup without a spoon or driving your car blindfolded.

So breathe and drink up. Use your nose and drain the hose.

In between deep diaphragmatic breaths, chased by satisfying sips of cool, clean water, we do need to fuel. Fuel bats third, right after oxygen and hydrogen2-0. If we are shooting for optimum health, fitness, body mass index and improved performance, our choices of fuel are crucial.

I have been experimenting with this for thirty years. I have tried everything from a spinach and peanut butter diet to ketosis, low carbs, no carbs and all carbs. I have used high protein - low carbs and low fat - high carbs. I have supplemented. I have gone off grains, off dairy and off meat. I remain to this day off meat, but that is for a different reason altogether, and for another post altogether.

Through all that experimentation I have come to one conclusion, air and water aside.

You might say that we have found the enemy. And it is us. The us that likes sweet things fried in saturated fat.

If you would like to experiment along with me, I am starting today, here is the protocol:

Breathe right. Drink often.

And no sugar. (I am hearing the Guess Who)

No sugar tonight in my coffee, no sugar tonight in my tea.

None.

Should you decide to take this ride, please know that a referee sits on a moto WATCHING.