Exercise should be something you enjoy and it sounds like yours certainly works for you. I know off days are important for most people, but they don't work for me as far as running goes. I actually get restless...almost anxious. It just doesn't feel right. When I do strength training, I always take rest days in between workout days. When I was training for the half marathon, I did easy running days and hard running days, as well as hills and sprints, etc.
I'm glad your food worked well for you during your marathon day out yesterday. As important as exercise is for feeling well, diet is much more important. As the ex-NFL guy on my sports talk station says, "You can't out run a poor diet." For me, exercising just encourages me not to waste that good effort by making poor food choices. I'm afraid for many, they run five miles and then say, "Oh, good. Now I can eat a 599 calorie piece of cake!"
Have you found that your taste has actually changed? I really don't like the taste of some foods I used to love. And I really love the foods that I do eat now.