Subway Canada x Carl’s Crew!

Learning Healthy Life Lessons

Last updated on March 29th, 2021 at 03:52 am

I respect my friends who’re all about their workout regimens, dietary plans and paradigm shifts on how they can lead lives that benefit their minds, bodies and souls. It’s almost like a religion for some, their daily exercise like a sanctuary where they’re one with themselves, shedding the woes and frustrations from the rest of their lives away with the sweat equity of their workout routines.

Even well before the #BloggerLife and fatherhood, the only exercise I’d ever get was through competitive sports. Sarah tried to get me jogging, but I’ve never been one for going anywhere without a destination in mind. A number of friends have asked me to try their gyms, but I’ve never seen the appeal of paying money to run in place or lift lots of heavy things ad nauseam when there’re so many other things I could do with my time.

No, my friends, I suck at fitness, and it’s slowly taking its toll on this body that ain’t as young as it used to be.

The Fatherhood 15—No Man’s Friend, Yet Every Dad’s Struggle

Learning Healthy Life Lessons with Subway Canada x Carl's Crew!—My Food Journal
The best worst day of my life is the day I starting using Samsung S Health to track my calories 😒

Now let’s be real—I’m far from lazy. While I don’t make a concerted effort to work out and keep my body in tip-top shape, I spend plenty of time playing with my 28-pound son, lifting, tossing and chasing him to keep him entertained; there’s no shortage of chores to do around the house, whether it’s shovelling, raking, mowing or some spring cleaning in the garage; and the older I get, the more my diet shifts from take-out combos to home-cooked meals. I’m not the worst ever in taking care of self, but I know I could be better at it!

Part of my problem is being a lot less active than I used to be. Back before devoting large swaths of time to raising perhaps the cutest child I know and writing blog posts to tell all about it, I’d be out several evenings a week playing dodgeball, mixed sports and Ultimate Frisbee (don’t know it ’til you’ve tried it; it can get ridiculously hardcore)—but the more my son transitions from a baby to a little person complete with his own mannerisms, preferences and affections, the less inclined I am to spend time away in the evenings since there’re only so many hours before he hits the sack.

So I’m at home a little more than I’m used to, and while I’ve tried to combat the “Fatherhood 15” as I adopt a bit more of a sedentary lifestyle, the methods I’ve used haven’t quite… stuck.

  • I tried getting into P90X3 after Beachbody sent the DVD set, but it turns out:
    1. I rarely use the two DVD players in my house (the PS3 and my wife’s computer), if at all—streaming media’s really raised my expectations for plug ‘n’ play media
    2. Unless you’re dedicated, it can be hard to find a spare 30 minutes to work out. With mornings packed with getting my son and I dressed, bathed, fed and off to our “jobs”, and evenings full of entertaining, dinner, baths and clean-up, who wants to add even more to the mix?
  • I was introduced to the 7-Minute Workout app at a church retreat last September by a fellow Walmerite who’d used it to bulk up over 6 months (somewhere out there is video evidence of me struggling in a 4-man competition to see if we could all do the workout without giving up). You’d think that 7 minutes a day is considerably easier to find than 30, but if you’re not making fitness a priority, the time you’d invest in a little bit of exercise to keep your body going gets quickly eaten up by things you otherwise see as priorities—for me, it’s blog posts, Clash of Clans and eliminating all the clutter that occupies my desk.

So easy as it should be, there it is—I keep myself too busy to keep in shape, and if I don’t correct this soon, I’m not sure I want to see the shape of myself some decades down the road.

This is why I found Subway Canada’s Commit to Fit™ Challenge particularly interesting!

Carl’s Crew and Commit to Fit™—The Quest for Healthy Success in Your Life!

Learning Healthy Life Lessons with Subway Canada x Carl's Crew!—My 1L Nalgene Water Bottle

Starting back in March—Nutrition Month—the 6-week Commit to Fit™ challenge with Subway Canada’s Commit to Fit™ Ambassador, Carl Savard, brought 17 bloggers together in Carl’s Crew to promote healthier living through tips, advice and activities designed to encourage positive changes in our lives.

I started with good intentions—drinking water with the best of them, putting my game face on to compete with my fellow bloggers—it was a challenge after all, right? But March soon got out of control, and I just couldn’t keep up.

My inability to deliver on the weekly challenges wasn’t from a lack of desire to do so—I’ve had my times where I wish I were strong or had more stamina—but more so from the simple fact that I didn’t know how to pack yet another commitment into my life. I too often plan my time out without including some flexibility for the interesting opportunities I want to pursue, leaving me scrambling when push comes to shove, constantly wondering how I wound up with so little time, repeating the same mistakes time and again.

But that makes the weekly lessons no less important—I recognize there’re subtle changes I could make to improve my lifestyle; it doesn’t have to be as showy as a New Year’s resolution or some grand epiphany that I needed to change my life… we often need to remember that life is the sum of the baby steps we take to grow, not just the big ones that everyone remembers.

You TOO Can Make Healthy Choices!

Learning Healthy Life Lessons with Subway Canada x Carl's Crew!—Healthy Veggies at Easter (Red Pepper, Broccoli, Green String Beans)

So fitness is a thing. You only get one body, and you should really treat it as well as possible to enjoy it as long as you can! The decisions we make today will have far-reaching consequences in your future, often hard to see from the lifestyles we’re leading today.

All isn’t lost—it’s better to recognize your mistakes for what they are than to stay ignorant and never learn a thing. With much of Week 5 already behind me, I’m taking a look back at all the things I missed, learning to integrate them back into my life gradually—no habit’s formed overnight; with enough time and enough energy… I’m hoping to make a long-lasting change in the right direction!

And hey—if you’re looking to make some healthier lifestyle choices in your life, look no farther than Subway Canada, with over two million possible sandwich combinations to satisfy your appetite without clinging to your waistline!

So eat fresh, treat yourself well, and hopefully keep yourself going for many years yet! In my next Carl’s Crew post, I’ll tell you about the lessons I learned in my journey!

Adios amigos,

The second logo for Casey Palmer, Canadian Dad

Disclaimer: While compensated for this post by Subway Canada, I will totally shove a 12″ BLT sub on Parmesan Oregano with Chipotle Southwest sauce to my face!

You can learn more about Subway Canada on their website, Twitter or Facebook!

If you want to see me when I’m not shoving sammiches to my face, I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

By Casey E. Palmer

Husband. Father. Storyteller.

Calling the Great White North his home, Casey Palmer the Canadian Dad spend his free time in pursuit of the greatest content possible.

Thousand-word blog posts? Snapshots from life? Sketches and podcasts and more—he's more than just a dad blogger; he's working to change what's expected of the parenting creators of the world.

It's about so much more than just our kids.

When Casey's not creating, he's busy parenting, adventuring, trying to be a good husband and making the most of his life!

Casey lives in Toronto, Ontario.

144 replies on “Subway Canada x Carl’s Crew!”

I could definitely find ways to make our meals healthier. I try, but sometimes things are hectic, and we don’t think about it. Quick, easy meals can be healthy too! Making a list every week could help.

My main one is I could exercise more, I am just not good at that. I try but lose motivation. I have been improving my diet and water intake.

I have parked the car and walk more and got rid of drinking pepsi and I quit smoking

I’m sure if I cut out gluten, sugar, dairy etc I’d be healthier but I would be SO angry and sad about it. I fell off the water drinking train too Casey…gotta get back on it 🙂

I have replaced soft drinks with water but I still need to drink a lot more than I do so I have been working on that.

i drink alot of water but i still need to eat better i follow carl and take tips but i still have a long way to go

I need to be more physically active which hopefully will be easier now that the weather is improving. I also need to eat more of a well-rounded diet and drink more water.

be more active , not eating junk food and eating healthier & and drinking lots of water, stopped drinking pop 2 months ago and feeling better for it , and the kids are not asking for me to buy any either , they always make sure i get water 🙂

i need to eat smaller portions, and snack on healthier foods (and at appropriate times). Additionally, i need more exercise!!

Pinterest says when I tried to repin – Sorry! We blocked this link because it may lead to spam.

I definitely need to get “fit”. I do eat fairly well, drink plenty of water and take supplements! I need that motivation to just go out and walk or kick a ball around with the kids! I fear I have become a sideline parent now 🙂 ty

I already run and eat pretty well. I would have to say if I reduced my stress it would make my life a lot better.

Totally suck at it. I have to walk my dog so that helps. Trying to make small changes that won’t feel like deprivation. eg. Less mayo.

I could always drink more water and eat smaller meals more often. As a bfing mom, this is sometimes easier said than done… Thanks for the chance to win. 🙂

Ohmigoodness, I need to get back to eating breakfast. Actually, first breakfast (banana or smoothy) an second breakfast (banana or rolled oats)

I’ve made a few changes in the last few months: reduced my sugar intake and cut out soda/pop; I have started running and gone back to my MMA club; and I have reduced my diet of carbs, and increased my veggie and proteins.

For me eating healthier and living a more active life are the keys to me being more healthy. I need to start this right away!!

I need to eat more whole grains, fruits and veggies! I love going to Subway, I always order my sub on 9 grain bread, and load it up with tons of veggies! Mmmm!!!

It all starts with the food you bring into your house. Cut out the junk at the store and it will make things easier. I’m doing that now, but I need to be a little stronger!

WOW, exercise more & walk the stairs. Wow, prize subway gc is fab. & splendid. 2 fingers snap. It is tight, fly & off the chain. Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest, and generosity. Pick me, pick me! Dear Santa: I’ve been nice. My X-Mas wish this year is to win this contest. Starving artist here desperately needs the gc to shop and eat. A life changing exp.

I could definitely give up soda. I don’t drink coffee or alcohol but I know I’d be a lot healthier if I substituted water for pop! Thank-you for a healthy and delicious giveaway!

I have been eating healthier by drastically cutting out junk, sweets and soda – now if I could just convince myself to exercise – that’s the next step

I should find ways to include more vegetables in my diet. I’m also moderately active, but it would help if I was more intentional about setting aside time for exercise.

First I need to exercise. I walk often but it’s still not enough. We eat pretty healthy I just need to stop having too much sweets

With spring sport season underway we are always on the run so diners are eating in the car. Would love to be feeded my family healthy on the run meals this spring.

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