Getting healthy and fit in real time, in real life…

In an earlier blog, I commented on the remarkable timing that Nature has in welcoming armchair quarterbacks during the most sports-action-filled time of year with an endless deluge of leaves reminding all who value their lives that there is one more ‘practice’ (the removal of the same leaves) to be completed before settling in for the start of the first half. 

And if this fact wasn’t enough to threaten the missing of the few opening bars of the national anthem and the associated frequent consumption of carbonated beverages (both major players in the hearts of men), somewhere in the near future lies the second half of the conspiracy to reduce your average, hard working man to a blithering, pathetic crybaby by springtime.                                                                                                                                            

Ladies – just the kind of pliable personality most appropriate for taking orders like fertilizing the front lawn until it is bedtime.

But I get ahead of myself.

The fact is that the second half of the conspiracy is much more subtle in its’ approach. We can forecast the pending advance but not always the intensity and volume of attack. And of course, there is always this notion in male minds that ‘maybe it won’t be as bad as they say.’

You’re right. It can be a lot worse.

And if you have not guessed what I am talking to you about by now, allow me to give you one last hint. It is white, cold and heartless, capable of piling up to soaring heights for the pure pleasure of watching you try and remove it, one shovel full at a time. Others would say that it is fun, fluffy and beautiful. But they are usually skiing or snowboarding down it. 

You know what I am talking about: a four letter word that cannot be said for the fear that it strikes in the hearts of all who live in residences with a driveway.

However, just like the leaves. the mere presence of the four letter word that cannot be said gives us great exercise for the upper body, shoulders, arms and legs.

And you can bet, after 4 to 5 months of contending with the four letter word that cannot be said, you will be falling over yourself for the opportunity to fertilize your front lawn.

And you will be in better physical shape to do it.

Maybe The Fall/Winter Conspiracy is not such a bad thing after all?

Next week:  Just a Chip Off the Old Salt

Have a week of good health.

Rick

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This month I’ve started a new and exciting pursuit…Studying. It’s been a long time since I darkened the door of a classroom…about 8 years to be exact. I decided to take advantage of the best of all benefits at UBC: Tuition Credits. I’m taking a class in creative writing for the pre school set. In the coming weeks, I could be resorting to monosyllabics, but I’m not yet fully immersed in the genre of children’s literature.

I think engaging that muscle between my ears is important to health and well being. Current research (http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/ADPrevented/) points to the advantages of keeping cognitively active. One of the best ways I know to use my head, so to speak, is to try something entirely new. That led me to creative writing. I haven’t written children’s stories since I was a child. I do have a good built in “focus group” with my two sons. I’ve been passing my story ideas by them for the thumb up or thumbs down. I also spent an afternoon recently in the children’s book store to scope the latest trends in books for post millennium cohort. The conclusion: not much has changed. I will take this chance to shamelessly plug my former school mate Sherri Finch. Her books are rhymingly hilarious with great graphics. After a Gov Gen or two, I guess she knows what she’s doing with a pen and a blank page. Oh sigh, “If only I could aspire to such heights”.

The goal of the course I am taking is to have a completed book to send to a publisher by the end of the term. Wish me luck, and kindly accept my apology if I start to speak in limericks.

Finally, I have an astounding recipe to share with you for (get this) low fat brownies that you can actually eat and enjoy!!! They are an incredible 58 calories each (per 1 ½ inch square, not per pan). As usual, I leave out the salt and use 50-50 unbleached white flour and whole wheat flour. My children don’t like walnuts, so I leave those out, too. I’ll share this now because the season of over indulgence is creeping up (67 sleeps, 2 hours, 46 minutes & 18 seconds at the time of this writing). This recipe will definitely satisfy your chocolate craving and your sweet tooth at the same time. I’ve tried many variations of brownies over the years, but this one is the best (well, second best compared to the sublime Hershey’s Brownie recipe http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1910,156180-237196,00.html).
LOWFAT FUDGY BROWNIES
From COOKS.COM

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. prune puree or prepared prune butter
3 lg. egg whites
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray; set aside. Cut chocolate into 1 inch pieces and place in heat-proof bowl. Set over low heat in small skillet containing 1/2 inch simmering water. Stir occasionally just until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; set aside.
In mixer bowl combine all ingredients except flour and walnuts; beat to blend thoroughly. Mix in flour. Spread batter in prepared pan; sprinkle with walnuts. Bake about 30 minutes until springy to the touch about 2 inches around edges. Cool on rack. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Makes 3 dozen brownies.
To make 1 cup of puree: Combine 1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) pitted prunes and 6 tablespoons water in container of a food processor. Pulse on and off until prunes are finely chopped. Makes 1 cup. (I used pureed prunes found in the baby food section of the grocery store.)
Nutrition per serving: 58 calories; 2 g fat; 10 g carbohydrate; 70 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 30 percent of total calories comes from fat.

Although I haven’t actually weighed myself recently, I”m sure I’ve gained a few pounds in the last few weeks.  This is not really surprising as I have been eating more than I should be and I have stopped exercising.  Will need to be careful.

Last week, I wrote that I am supposed to avoid cheese and bread.  It is not really working out well.  Obviously need to work on my willpower.  I went out to dinner with some friends last night for pasta.  It is close to impossible to avoid cheese and bread at an Italian restaurant.  I decided to have one piece of garlic bread.  Then another.  Then another.  I’m sure I ate the most bread by the end of the evening.  After dinner, one friend invited us to his apartment for drinks and there was a lovely selection of cheeses.  I tried to resist for a while.  Then I reasoned that it would be offensive to the host if I did not eat some cheese after all his hard work of going to the store, carrying the cheese home, and placing them on a plate.  I did not want to be a rude guest so I ate the cheese.