In yesterday's post I talked about how I've been a cyclist for most of my life and how I used it as a form of commuting and for general fitness. Well since I've been in Canada I've not cycled, a fact of which I'm not proud, but then again I've kept fit without the bike for the most part.
As I live downtown with Kata in London, Ontario, we for the most part can walk wherever we need to go. Kata's work is about 15 minutes slow walk from here, the nearest supermarket is another 5 further. The nearest mall is about 15 in the opposite direction from her work and the nearest Starbucks is about 10 minutes away. This is a benefit of living in a well served downtown area.
For the occasions when we need to travel further out of the city center, there's the LT Bus system (London Transit), cabs (not that expensive compared to the UK) or friends' cars when we can wrangle a lift (our friends are sweet but we don't take advantage of them). Sometimes we'll hire a car for the times when we need to travel really long distances, its not that pricey ($40 to $60 per day) and it works out cheaper than the train (super expensive) or the greyhound (not really in price terms but greatly in convenience terms). Visiting Kata's parents in Strathroy, her brother in Kingston, her uncle and our friends in Ottawa would all be impossible or extremely expensive without a car. Its an extra expense but it works out on the odd occasion we need it.
So back to fitness, despite not having a bike (or at least a working bike) I manage to keep fit. I walk our dog twice a day, about 30 mins in the morning and 10 mins at night, I walk to meet Kata for lunch and then to get her home from work at the end of her day. I walk to the grocery store and carry the groceries home rather than take a cab as many people would do. On top of that I take the stairs in our building (unless I'm carrying heavy bags). Every little helps.
A while ago I bought a set of Perfect Pushup handles and I've used them almost every other day for months and its worked pretty well, my chest, arms and abs are stronger than they were before and it gives me an extra something to do to keep myself in check physically.
I really need to get my bike sorted out, I bought a second hand Miele 10 speed road bike back in November, but it needs some work, tyres and tubes replaced, some other minor stuff to take care of too. I've been remiss and I really should get it sorted, it'll soon be the wrong weather to ride round here, winter with a road bike is not the best mix.
Its one thing I miss from the UK, round the year cycling is pretty easy there, what with the weather being pretty moderate most of the year round, apart from the gale force winds. Scotland has 3 seasons, cold wet season, warm wet season and wind season. Wind has always been my most hated weather condition for riding, but round here it'll be the cold. So I guess I'll get my bike fixed up asap and get some riding in before its too late for this year.
Fitness is important, its become harder through the generations for people to stay fit. The modern lifestyle, with the advent of machinery and technology people have become more sedentary. Add to this the increase in processed foods, high in sugar, carbohydrate and fat and you have a disaster waiting to happen. It has happened in the last 50 years, not that I'm telling you anything you don't already know, however its not as simple as eating too much.
Your life is ruled by genetics, but in recent years they are discovering epigenetic effects that take effect many years after the fact. For example, if your grandmother went through a time of famine, that can lead her children to be born with a propensity to obesity, not just that, her grandchildren have an increased chance to be obese. Its interesting to think who you are may be due to the living conditions of your grand parents, not just your genetics.
None of this is an excuse though, in general if you eat a healthy balanced diet, low in processed sugars and fats and take regular moderate exercise, no matter your body shape, you will be pretty damn healthy.
As I live downtown with Kata in London, Ontario, we for the most part can walk wherever we need to go. Kata's work is about 15 minutes slow walk from here, the nearest supermarket is another 5 further. The nearest mall is about 15 in the opposite direction from her work and the nearest Starbucks is about 10 minutes away. This is a benefit of living in a well served downtown area.
For the occasions when we need to travel further out of the city center, there's the LT Bus system (London Transit), cabs (not that expensive compared to the UK) or friends' cars when we can wrangle a lift (our friends are sweet but we don't take advantage of them). Sometimes we'll hire a car for the times when we need to travel really long distances, its not that pricey ($40 to $60 per day) and it works out cheaper than the train (super expensive) or the greyhound (not really in price terms but greatly in convenience terms). Visiting Kata's parents in Strathroy, her brother in Kingston, her uncle and our friends in Ottawa would all be impossible or extremely expensive without a car. Its an extra expense but it works out on the odd occasion we need it.
So back to fitness, despite not having a bike (or at least a working bike) I manage to keep fit. I walk our dog twice a day, about 30 mins in the morning and 10 mins at night, I walk to meet Kata for lunch and then to get her home from work at the end of her day. I walk to the grocery store and carry the groceries home rather than take a cab as many people would do. On top of that I take the stairs in our building (unless I'm carrying heavy bags). Every little helps.
A while ago I bought a set of Perfect Pushup handles and I've used them almost every other day for months and its worked pretty well, my chest, arms and abs are stronger than they were before and it gives me an extra something to do to keep myself in check physically.
I really need to get my bike sorted out, I bought a second hand Miele 10 speed road bike back in November, but it needs some work, tyres and tubes replaced, some other minor stuff to take care of too. I've been remiss and I really should get it sorted, it'll soon be the wrong weather to ride round here, winter with a road bike is not the best mix.
Its one thing I miss from the UK, round the year cycling is pretty easy there, what with the weather being pretty moderate most of the year round, apart from the gale force winds. Scotland has 3 seasons, cold wet season, warm wet season and wind season. Wind has always been my most hated weather condition for riding, but round here it'll be the cold. So I guess I'll get my bike fixed up asap and get some riding in before its too late for this year.
Fitness is important, its become harder through the generations for people to stay fit. The modern lifestyle, with the advent of machinery and technology people have become more sedentary. Add to this the increase in processed foods, high in sugar, carbohydrate and fat and you have a disaster waiting to happen. It has happened in the last 50 years, not that I'm telling you anything you don't already know, however its not as simple as eating too much.
Your life is ruled by genetics, but in recent years they are discovering epigenetic effects that take effect many years after the fact. For example, if your grandmother went through a time of famine, that can lead her children to be born with a propensity to obesity, not just that, her grandchildren have an increased chance to be obese. Its interesting to think who you are may be due to the living conditions of your grand parents, not just your genetics.
None of this is an excuse though, in general if you eat a healthy balanced diet, low in processed sugars and fats and take regular moderate exercise, no matter your body shape, you will be pretty damn healthy.
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