Good Food

In the last few days I have been hit with several instances of how poorly people can eat. First there was an info-graphic explaining how unhealthy McDonald's new oatmeal is. I then saw their commercial and they touted it as a healthy breakfast. Now, everything they said was true but they left out all the bad stuff they put into it.

Today I read a column in the Globe and Mail arguing that maybe it is time to ban junk food. 

Also today there was a casual conversation in the office about how easy it is to eat poorly. All of this adds up to people are thinking about food.

It is important to remember that food companies are in business to make money for their shareholders not provide the healthiest option for consumers. If the leadership of the organization believes they can maximize shareholder value by providing the healthiest option then that's what they will do. As for the McDonald's option, they make their money by providing consistency. No matter where you go, the food is supposed to taste exactly the same. To achieve that, it often takes a lot of highly manufactured ingredients.

As compelling as the argument was in the Globe and Mail, I still do not think we should be limiting what people are allowed to eat. It's often not healthy but there are times you just need a big shot of calories to get through what you are doing. It shouldn't be a regular occurrence but it should be an option.

Now the casual conversation was the most interesting as it was how easy it is to eat poorly. This is true. For a long time I didn't eat very well. I still don't eat perfectly but I found a few simple guidelines that help to eat better.

Try to use as many fresh ingredients as you can.

Only make as much as you need.

Plan your meals a week at a time.

I won't guarantee a beach body with this plan but I have found it helps. It keeps you away from processed food and over-eating but it is more labour intensive and will probably cost you more for food.

It's easy for people to eat poorly and the results are noticeable. In even Ottawa, often regarded as the most active city in Canada, there are a lot of people who clearly eat poorly and don't exercise. It's a burden on their life and on the healthcare system. The good part is it is never too late to make improvements.

Parking

I think I may have missed my calling. I should be running a parking lot in downtown Ottawa. The last two days I have been doing some training out by the airport so I have been driving out there and when the training is done driving to the office, arriving downtown between 11 am and noon. From that point forward I had to troll about to find a parking lot that had a spot available. This is not the easiest task to accomplish. Most of the lots are full however, both days I was able to eventually find a lot that had a spot available.

Both days I dealt in cash, with a guy who had a rather thick Eastern European accent and I had to be out of the lot by 6pm. All this seems a bit sketchy. However, if there is no cash register and no record of me really being there, it's hard for the Canada Revenue Agency to accurately assess his income. Also, it was only $10 or $11 to park all day and all day seemed to be the only option available so he probably had a pretty good wad of cash in his pocket by the end of the day.

I have no proof that they are not legitimate business men but one of them was running the whole thing out of his car. Take that however you want to but it all seems a bit fishy to me.

Most people who work in downtown Ottawa either live close enough to walk to work or take the bus. It's a fact of life in Ottawa. There is not nearly enough parking space for everyone to drive to work. I much prefer the walking approach. It is healthy, economical, and best for the environment. We must not forget that I am also often entertained.

Parking in Ottawa is a bit of a racket and may or may not be a front for other activities, I'm just thankful that I don't have to deal with it on a regular basis.

Accountability

There seems to be a common theme in sports talk lately. It centres around how people must be accountable for their performance. With the growth of social networking it is much easier for the common fan to feel like they can hold their favourite or most disliked player accountable for their play.

If you are going to try to hold someone accountable you need to understand what accountability is.

To me accountability is doing what you say you will do. It includes taking hard looks at yourself and admitting that you are not doing as well as you can and taking steps to get better. For me, being accountable is standing up and admitting you can't do something before you fail and impact others.

Now, if you live in the public eye, you are going to be held to a very high level. Joe Sixpack, the guy who lacks the discipline to not show up for work every Friday without a bit of a hangover, can call you out on Twitter, almost without any chance of repercussion. It isn't fair but living in the public eye brings a different level of accountability that most will never see or understand. In fact, most people couldn't handle it.

So, if you are going to question those you don't know, that's ok, as long as you can be just as accountable. However, if you really hold yourself to a high level and do things the way you should, you will live a rich and fulfilled life. You may be surprised at how the world treats you when you hold yourself to a high standard. 

Be accountable and life will be an amazing ride. 

The Old Noggin

Today, the Canadian communications company Bell is donating a nickel every time someone tweets #BellLetsTalk. The whole initiative is to raise funds and awareness for mental illness.

In some ways I am very lucky. When it comes to body parts that I can rely on, my brain seems to always answer the bell. I'm not saying I don't make mental errors but my noggin seems to work as advertised. I can't say that about several of my body parts anymore. My left knee is a bit wonky from curling. My right shoulder isn't quite right after a rather spectacular wipe-out skiing. Even my voice still occasionally cracks over twenty years after puberty but the noggin keeps on ticking.

Not everyone is as lucky. For whatever reason, a lot of people seem to have their brain go on the fritz. It can be really hard to detect, especially if you don't know that person very well. So, if you are feeling off or helpless, or confused, or even just not right, don't be afraid to talk to someone. You may just be having a bad day or you may be starting something much worse.

I am not an expert in mental health but I know there can be a lot of reasons the brain doesn't work as advertised. It can be brought on by stress or trauma. It can be a lack of good coping skills. It can be a combination of all of it or something else completely. The difficult part is, unlike a cold, it can be hard for others to see the real problem so, don't be afraid to talk about it.

I've been lucky. My brain works as advertised but don't be afraid to speak up if you think yours may need some help. It make a big difference in the long run. Also, if someone trusts you enough to talk to you about stuff like this, take the time to listen. It may be the best thing you ever do for anyone, ever.

Lazy Sundays

This is the first Sunday in a long time that there is no football of any kind on. I aways find this a little difficult to deal with. My routine is thrown off kilter. There is no real reason to wake up. It's still winter and even though it was fairly nice out, I had no desire to be outside.

I was very lazy today.

I laid on the couch and watched a lot of movies. In a way it was rather glorious but it is also a bit unproductive. Ok it was very unproductive. I didn't even go buy groceries. Next week-end I will be in Saskatoon at a bonspiel I curl in every February. In less than three weeks, it will be March and that's when things get a lot better. The weather starts to get a lot better and that always improves my mood. So a super lazy Sunday in mid-February isn't a bad thing.

I have to admit it is nice to not have a plan and to just go with it. So much of life ends up being planned out. It has to be that way. It's really the only way to get things done. Not having a plan can feel very free. Being a blob on the couch won't keep you in shape but once in a while it will make you smile in a way like you are cheating the world, even if it's just for one day.

I am not advocating a lot of lazy days but every now and then, it's sure nice to just let the world pass you by and you can always jump back in tomorrow, just like I will.

Gym Time, Your Time

There are a lot of people that do little annoying things in various situations. We know a lot of them. People talk in movies. People change lanes without signalling. Those are annoying but there is one behaviour that has reached epidemic proportions. It's worse than the woman who stretches her quads out after every arm exercise. Yes, you read that correctly. A leg stretch after an arm exercise. In fact I never see her do any leg exercises but that's a different story for a different day.

There is an epidemic of people texting at the gym.

Before I go any further, I feel the need to state that I understand there are some people who need to be on call for their employment and need to have their phone with them while they work out. That's fine, I get it. There are times I need to have my work BlackBerry on me. It's part of life with a job with a lot of responsibility. It even provides some freedom as the alternative would be stuck at home or in the office. However, if something is mission critical, the phone will ring. It won't be a text.

Here's the thing, You go to the gym for yourself. You go to feel better and to look better. So, why don't you take that time as your escape from the outside world. You can focus on you and leave the rest of the world behind. You won't leave them forever, just long enough to do something for yourself.

I'm sure you are thinking why should I care if people are texting while they are at the gym. It is a good point to raise. People who text constantly will do a set of ten reps then sit on the equipment and text for five minutes. They get in the way. They are walking around glued to the screen of their phone.

I am pro-smartphone. I don't hide how much I like the devices but there is a limit. You don't need to read everything on Twitter or have another meaningless conversation about something you won't even remember in a couple of days. Go ahead and use your smartphone but don't forget to look up occasionally and engage in the environment around you. One of the best places to do that is at the gym. I wouldn't be lying if I said the view can be pretty good as well.