It seems that sometimes life gives you subtle, or perhaps not-so-subtle, knocks on the head. I have had quite a few of them this year, mostly in the form of some sickness of another. I was finally forced to pay attention when I got super duper sick and had to cancel my trip to Poland... the trip to celebrate my grandfather's 80th! There were tears and general pity-me days. Then it hit me, quite embarrassingly, that the grandfather who's birthday I was missing, was much, much healthier than I am. I am 24, he is 80. He completed over 2500km on his bicycle last summer and something equally ridiculous on cross-country skis this winter. I get winded walking up the subway stairs. My dad proudly reported that grandpa spent his birthday night dancing away. He was the last person on the dance floor at 4am when all of the much younger guests had given in to sore muscles and sleepy heads. Perhaps there was a lesson to be learned from grandpa's super healthy lifestyle.
So without being too hippie dippie, dogmatic, yuppie or whatever, I have decided to embark on 12 weeks of challenges to inspire change. I am committing to 12 weeks but I am ultimately seeking to build life-long goals to make me as fit as my 80 year-old grandpa! I do honestly believe that food and exercise are at the very foundation of health and we can sustain close to perfect health with a little bit more sensibility in these domains. Anyways, we'll see how this goes.
Week one of challenges:
- Eat small portions at regular times.
- Eat primarily plant-based foods.
- Cut out meat, except fish. Eat a lot of fish.
- Cut out diary. I wouldn't usually be this extreme except I have recently discovered that I am very lactose intolerant.
- No junk food. Bye bye 3pm coffee and delicious pastry break.
- At least one hot yoga class. No excuses about too much work and homework allowed.
- One or less hour of TV per night.
- Read one book for personal interest. This week's choice: "The 100-Mile Diet" by Alisa Smith and J. B. McKinnons.
Yikes!
