Why do you run?

People often ask me, "Why do you run?" I wish I could say," because I am fast" or" I look really good in running shorts," but the truth is-I like to eat. Not just eat, but I like to eat carbohydrate laden junk food. I have never met a brownie I couldn't turn down.With my propensity for pastries often driving my eating habits, I have to counter act it with something, or I would blow up like Violet in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  People who know me say, "You're not fat. You don't have anything to worry about." But, the truth is I do. I polished off four boxes of Lucky Charms in a couple of months all by myself. They are delicious one small bowl at a time! But small bowls add up quickly, and  I soon found myself unable to button my pants. Who among us has not encountered the same problem? We get a little lax with our eating, stop exercising, and soon find the dial on the scale moving in the wrong direction. Personally, I can't afford to buy a new wardrobe every year because I have put on ten pounds worth of Lucky Charms.  Running helps me to balance my food intake. I have found over the years that when I am exercising, my eating habits begin to change. I eat less junk food and a few more healthy things.  When I am consistently running, I have little more discipline and self control in the nutritional area of my life.  I still enjoy a bowl of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream, with chocolate syrup, whip cream, and sprinkles, but once a week instead of every night. I might even have an apple for a snack, instead of peanut M & M's.  For me, running is the one thing that continually brings balance to my life-especially in the area of eating.  It is the check that balances out my passion for Panera because I am not fast, and no one really looks good in running shorts. (Okay, I saw a few people today who looked good in them). I am counting the miles, because the calories count!