Dec 21st, 2010 - Training - Tewksbury, MA - 3.1

Day 355 - I'm actually enjoying the process of turning into a fruit. Well, not a total fruit, but a fruit that enjoys less meat. WTF are you talking about?

It was EJ who turned me onto this fruitarian lifestyle (think vegetarian, but only crazier and a lot less sane). Currently, one of the more outspoken spokesperson for this lifestyle is ultra runner Michael Arnstein. His running resume speaks for itself.

I'm sure Mike had most of this running prowess even before he became a full-time, full-fledged 40 banana-a-day banana that most people now know him by, but apparently his transition to an all-fruit diet (with the occasional Ramen Noodle) aided him in his conquest of the Leadville 100 (arguably the toughest ultra around), and then winning a marathon 2 days later! Now that's just nuckin' futs!

(OK, now this is nucking fruity)

It would be great if I could even digest two bananas a day, let alone 40, so I know I don't have the discipline to stick to an all-fruit or all-veggie diet in the coming year. I don't have much time (or the dough) to go shopping for wheelbarrows of fresh fruit/veggies on a daily basis, so I need to feel full fast and on the cheap. The quickest way I know how is to chow down on MEAT, or go to Fil's parents' place.

My ultimate plan is to gradually ease myself into a meatless diet and see how I do. I know I'll fall off of the proverbial meat wagon at least twenty times before I completely give up, or go bat shit crazy and kill everybody on my Facebook friends list. EJ, now I know why you stay away from Facebook.

I have to admit though, I'm already seeing the benefits of this much healthier food habit.

My farts don't smell as bad, and my feet don't sweat as much. This has made Rachel embrace this change even more. It also helps that she's already a 95% vegan with the occasional side order of steak (it's crazy and I don't get it either), so this transition might not be so bad. We might now actually have something in common other than my love for running and her hatred of it.

I've already given up a few other vices so far this year and I have no regrets. I gave up white rice (don't forget I'm Asian, so that's like any other race giving up their stereotype food) at the start of 2010 and I steadily lost 20 pounds (I'm sure running every day kind of helps too). I also gave up ice cream, which Scotty G would consider a crime punishable by death.

Meat is next on the hit list, and I've made some progress. I've been eating a fruit salad for lunch and dinner every day for the past two weeks without any ill effects, other than the occasional Mile 14 at my cube.

Slip up #1 occurred last night when my dad ordered some fast food from Burger King. Amazingly, after I ate the two Whoppers, a large box of fries, and downed the super-sized Coke, I felt sick! So I think something is working.