Paleo or What...

I have tried many diets over the years all with some degree of success, some better then others. Of course trying a diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are two different things and we all have reasons for why we can't seem to do it.

The most successful program I followed was over a two year period while I was preparing for a competition. This was a low fat high protein plan intended to build mass with low body fat. As much as it worked, it is not something I would recommend for a lifestyle.

But what I did find is that this program was similar in theory to the Paleo plan with the twist that fat is okay...but the types of carbs you eat is important. Basically you are trying to maintain a low insulin response which is triggered by sugars and carbs.

My wife and I started in January and the key diet changes we made were:

• no sugars
• no flour or wheat products
• limited milk/cheeses
• no junk food
• more good oils
• more protein
• more vegetables

If you want to try something that is both satisfying and effective, give this a try for a month.

Let me know how it works out...

Why Not

Spring has finally arrived after what seemed to be a longer than usual winter. Of course I don't think it has been any worse than average, but without the odd warm day, it sure seemed to be relentless.

So what are you doing to celebrate the arrival if spring? This is the time to start thinking about changing gears and moving into summer sport preparation. For those of you who enjoyed the winter activities, you have a head start. But for those of us not so inclined, now is the time to shake off those cob webs and start thinking about your summer activities.

Regardless of what your interests are, there are some fundamental activities you should always work into your schedule to keep your level of fitness high. It doesn't take a lot of effort, but every effort is well rewarded. It is amazing how managing your health can ripple through your day from being alert in the morning to having the energy to take on multiple activities through the day. A tool that I use to integrate exercise into my day is to take advantage of pockets of time.

As well, it can be difficult to keep up the motivation considering how many other competing distractions can occur throughout the day. To keep fitness high on your priority list it is important to set goals for yourself. Whether it is to achieve a certain weight reduction, put in a minimum amount of time on the tread mill, or to be able to reach a target level of play, without a goal in mind the routine of daily exercise can become monotonous.

This may be an extreme example, but in conversations with a member at the gym recently, he was telling me how he was in training to compete in three different contests this summer. It is a huge feat to prepare for one contest in a year let alone three. When asked his motivation, he said that he trains hard and enjoys it, he is in good shape and manages his meals with ease, so why not. That was the magic word for me...why not.

We often look at what we do and cut ourselves short. There is always something that gets in the way. I know, because I find these excuses myself. But when I set my mind on a goal and seriously execute, it is really amazing what can happen. Thinking back at some of the goals I have set for myself, at the time they really seemed unbelievable. And you know, whether I though I could do it or not, once decided, I would commit whole heartedly and do it...Why not!

So as spring really starts appearing, take the time to think about something you really wanted to do and just go for it. Often you have nothing to lose and you may find that you have a hidden talent you were unaware of only for the simple reason that you never really considered pursuing it...Why not.

Leverage Your Resources

We live in a social environment where utility is derived most efficiently through specialization. The application of these specialized skills often defines the value we bring to our professional lives. But who organizes the specialists? If your value is measured by the contribution you make in your specialized area of expertise, that is great. However, if your value can also be measured by your ability to organize, lead and mobilize a team of highly skilled specialists, the level of value you bring to your organization all of the sudden increases drastically. This is the art of leveraging resources to increase value. We all use this talent to varying degrees and will be better served to further develop this skill. Here are some reasons why this should be a priority for you.

As great as you are, you are only one person. How often have you taken on that extra assignment, or tried to wrap up that task because it will take too long to explain it to someone else. We are all guilty of this to some degree...and why not. You know you can do the work, it won't take much time, and the others are busy any why. If you really take a close look at what you are doing though, you will quickly realize that the little bit of time you are spending on these tasks is quickly adding up. Recognize that you are only one person and doing it all is probably not the best solution. Always find opportunities to assign work to others more suited to the task.

A second very good reason for doing this is the fact that you can't know it all. Skills development is a process, and the sooner one recognized their strengths the sooner they can focus in further improving these skills. The best way to focus on your strengths is to not get bogged down with work outside your area of strength. This can be a hard aspect for some to tackle. Why can't I know it all? I can learn, and this will help me be more valuable. In reality, trying to know it all may turn you into a generalist in which case you may not be recognized for your true strengths. Rely on others to fill your gaps.

Being very social animals, we also learn through interaction. This can happen in many ways and it is not always the most knowledgeable person providing the information either. Always be aware of learning opportunities through your team interactions. It is amazing what you can learn from people of all levels of experience. This is the "magic" that happens when you effectively leverage resources through group activities. Remember, growth is a group effort.

Just like the ant colony, no man is an island. We need each other for survival and success. The better you become at harnessing and organizing this human potential, the greater your potential for success. So take the time to practice those skill of leveraging your resources, external reliance is critical to our success.

Time, The Common Link

Time, the one thing we all share in common. We can't create it or destroy it, and seem to never have enough of it.

What is it about time that makes it so rare? Do you remember when you were a kid, especially during summer break. Time seemed to be an endless commodity. What should we do today? When is dinner time going to get here? Are we there yet? But there were also those moments when time seemed to be fleeting. When that game of hide and seek seemed to be just starting and the street lights come on, or when you were playing an exciting game of soccer only to be interupted by rain.

What changes our perspective on time? We know that there are only 24 hours in each day, yet some days seem to fly by while there are those days that never seem to end. And it only seems that the older we get the quicker the time seems to pass.

So let me ask the question, where do you spend your time and are you making the best of what time you have?

Have you ever noticed when you buy a new car, regardless of make, that all the sudden it seems every other car on the road is exactly the same as yours. We know this is not true but yet our awareness of that particular make of car is hightened and all the sudden you "notice" the same type of car more frequently. This hightened awareness can be a vary powerfull tool.

Time can become the same experience. What if you were aware of how you spent your time? What if every minute of your day was tracked and analysed? If you asked yourself questions like 'why am I doing this?', 'is there a better way?', 'is this as important to me as I once thought?'

And what better way to boost the quality of your life than to increase how much living you get out of each day. We can't change how much time we have, but maybe we can optimize how we use that time.

My goal is to provide tricks, tools and thoughts around how you spend your time for the purpose of making every minute count..whether it's at work, home or play.