CAUTION: Readers Currenlty On A Diet May Be Offended.

I've often been curious about my high metabolism. I feel like I live a mildly active life, maybe more so a moderately active life, at least based on national averages...
But, I didn't expect it to last so long. In high school I was told to just wait until college, in college they told me that it would catch up with me after I turned 21, then they told me that it happens when you get married, when that didn't happen, it was "when you have a major crisis in your life, no wait... after 24? after 30?
Am I going to have to wait for middle age before my body falls apart, I can't run around the block, and I puff up like a balloon?
I know that I'd like to be more disciplined with exercise, but I don't want the hassle. I enjoy running, as long as it's outdoors with changing scenery. But, I don't like how much time it takes out of my days. I'm sure that I would feel more awake and alive, and even sleep better at night. I've heard all those things and even experienced some of them myself.
But, still I don't do it.

However:
I do live at a high altitude.
I do prefer healthy, fresh food over junky greasy food.
I do occasionally walk to work.
I do hike or walk more than 2 miles at least every two weeks.
I do snowboard, mountain bike, motorcycle off-road or experiment with some other random extreme semi-athletic activity seasonally. But, none of these are ever done devotedly.
I do sometimes eat a can of tuna for lunch or a plain bagel for desert.
I did make my way through the developmental stages of my life eating just a whole can of tuna and half a loaf of whole wheat bread for lunch.
I do lose my appetite and eat only because I know my body needs the nutrients whenever I am overly stressed. And, yet, two days later I could easily put away 4,000 Calories without thinking much about it.
I do get called a Marsh-wiggle and a Garbage Disposal.

Last week I surprised myself by running 3 miles, cold-turkey, at a decent pace with just a little bit of soreness in the legs the next day. I haven't run that far in...

I don't know... months...

probably five of them.

Is that normal? It happens several times a year.

Three weeks ago, I noticed that my pants weren't fitting. (I had to buy a smaller size)
The solution suggested to me by an older sister was, "start exercising, do some lunges, try to build up some more muscle mass."

Most people roll their eyes or feel insulted when I talk about how hard it is for me to gain weight.
Sorry, I don't mean to be insensitive. I just don't like trying to pretend that it is not an issue that concerns me at times.

And, lately it keeps me wondering...

How is it that my metabolism is this way?
And, how long can it last like this?

Which brings me to what prompted the writing of this blog:
an article that I found on the BBC today:

Light exercise during pregnancy may improve the future health of a child by controlling weight in the womb, New Zealand and US researchers say.
There is increasing evidence that the future metabolism of a child may be influenced by its environment in the womb, and that babies who are relatively heavy for their length may be more likely to be obese in future years.

-BBC News

It's an interesting read.
Mom, were you eating cans of tuna and being a crazy exerciser when you were pregnant with me?

Rebecca has always felt that I am wasting my potential.
Sorry, I never wanted a career in athleticism.

Oh, and the Size-Large, Super-Trendy Made-In-China hoodie that I bought on eBay last week from South Korea makes me feel like a Ken Doll in a Little's jacket.
Maybe it will fit my girlfriend.