iRun because of the peace and strength it brings me – Michelle Jordan, Ottawa, ON
iRun because it reminds me of how strong I can be – Monique Lavoie, Ontario
iRun iRun for my heart, so it runs for me! – Cathy Brzoza, British Columbia
iRun iRun to eat more, especially sweet potatoe fries – Joanna Skomra, Ontario
iRun because my heart tells me to – William Martin, Manitoba
iRun iRun so that I can live longer and stronger – Derek MacPhail, Ontario
iRun because it’s fun when it’s done – Sue Matte, Ontario
iRun because iEat – Sherry Maligaspe, British Columbia
iRun iRun because couch potatoes die young – Cathy Andrew, Ontario
iRun to get to know myself, my strength and my spirit – Lisa Groulx, Ontario
iRun because it gets my husband out there – Tricia LaLonde, Alberta
iRun because I need it to soothe the soul, keep me in shape and for overall wellbeing – Beth Neil, Lombardy, ON
iRun iRun slowly! – Jason Hoffman, Manitoba
iRun iRun because it's a great stress release – Brooke McKenzie, Yukon
iRun away from the negative and towards the positive – Teri Lepard, Alberta
iRun because couch potatoes die young – Cathy Andrew, Ontario
iRun for relaxation and to motivate my two sons – Keith Bradbury, Newfoundland
iRun because I want to live to be 100! – Colette DeJean, Ontario
iRun because not everyone can – Olivia Harvey, New Brunswick
iRun iRun to kickstart my day – Sharon Strueby, Saskatchewan
iRun iRun to maintain a strong physical and mental state – Tammy Rainville, Ontario
iRun because it has saved my life – John Marshall, Alberta
iRun because I want to qualify for Boston and raise money for charities near and dear to my heart – Christine Gracel, Calgary, AB
iRun iRun because it's cheaper than therapy – Leah Boulter, Alberta
iRun iRun for the individual pursuit – Robert Pelletier, New Brunswick
iRun because I like buying running clothes – Pamela Blaikie, Ontario
iRun because somebody once told me I couldn’t – Heidi Abbey-Der, Saskatchewan
iRun to stay fit and release those running endorphins – Liliana Plava, Calgary, AB
iRun to challenge myself, physically and mentally – Kathleen Keenan, Brampton, ON
iRun because iLoves my man – Beverly Huang, Alberta
iRun and run, and run, and run, and nobody can stop me – Andrei Lucaciu, Ontario
iRun iRun for relaxation and to motivate my two sons – Keith Bradbury, Newfoundland
iRun to stay ahead of the weight gain – Myra Abstreiter, Alberta
iRun iRun to challenge my perceived limitations – Cassandra Williams, Ontario
iRun to unleash my inner athlete – Adelle Densham, Avonmore, ON
iRun to inspire my kids to try – Glen Johnston, Nunavut
iRun for me – Kiza Francis, Ottawa,ON
iRun because it makes me feel powerful – Sarah Kallaghan, Alberta
iRun iRun to eat – Maureen Tritscher, Alberta
iRun but not enough – Michael Shaw, New Westminister, BC
iRun because running is like breathing to – Stephanie McEvoy, Ontario
iRun iRun because I learn more about who I am with every km – Steph Mansell, Quebec
iRun because it’s in me – Michael Foley, Stittsville, ON
iRun iRun because i love to – Mirella Petriello, Ontario
iRun because it makes me feel good, allows me to spend time with my friends and gives me a feeling of accomplishment – Helen Kolodziejzyk, Calgary, AB
iRun iRun because somebody once told me I couldn't – Heidi Abbey-Der, Saskatchewan
iRun therefore I am – Duncan Walsh, Nottingham, UK
iRun iRun because I like to be healthy – Melanie Oickle, New Brunswick
iRun because it’s like flying, only lower – Glenn Johnson, Ontario
iRun so I can eat ice cream – Sandy Bolan, Ontario
iRun because the wall is meant to be broken – Jonathan Bird, Ontario
iRun iRun because it's better than almost everything else – Nathan Carey, Ontario
iRun for the moment when both feet are off the ground – Catherine Anderson, British Columbia
iRun because I can and I’m grateful – Terry SanCartier, Gatineau, QC
iRun because people around me inspire me – Pina Bevilacqua, Caledon, ON
iRun because it gives my day a boost of energy – Sara Campbell, Nova Scotia
iRun because it makes me whole – Denis Ladouceur, Quebec
iRun because I can’t dance – Mario Javier, Ontario
iRun because it makes me a better person, a better wife, a better mother and a better friend – Nathalie Joncas-Caissie, St-Antoine, NB
iRun because I love the solitude – Janene Tailleur, British Columbia
iRun because all the ladies are chasing my sexy runner’s body – Chris Baker, Etobicoke, ON
iRun slowly! – Jason Hoffman, Manitoba
iRun iRun all the livelong day – Pierre Saint-Laurent, Québec
iRun see where my feet will take me today – Megan Dolinskas, New York
iRun because otherwise I’m grumpy – Alexandre Charest, Quebec
iRun for overall wellbeing – Trish McCourt, Halifax, NS
iRun iRun because it sure beats the bus – Robin Robbins, Alberta
iRun for health, iRun for life – Pat Cheung, British Columbia
iRun because I’ve lost 80 lbs and running has become fun – Cheryl Kelly, Ontario
iRun because it cleans up my life, because I drink more water, sleep better and eat healthier foods – Robin McIntyre, Ottawa, ON
iRun iRun to challenge my mind, body and soul – Sonia Mendes, Ontario
iRun because it’s better than almost everything else – Nathan Carey, Ontario
iRun because I never thought I would be able to – Gary Morris, Winnipeg, MB
iRun iRun because endorphins are free – Cassandra Chouinard, Ontario
iRun iRun because it is my tonic and my salvation – Georgia Ioannou, British Columbia
iRun iRun to satisfy the irresistible urge – Tim Nixon, British Columbia
iRun because it is my tonic and my salvation – Georgia Ioannou, British Columbia
iRun at 50 years old because at 43 I couldn’t – Peter Cicalo, Ontario
iRun to my happy place and some days it’s very – Doreen May, Alberta
iRun iRun to inspire my children! – Wendy Bowen, Manitoba
iRun because it reminds me that I am capable of so much more than I have done – James Sauve, Ottawa, ON
iRun to prove to myself I can – Lesley McGougan, Brampton, ON
iRun iRun because it helps me see things more clearly – Jennifer Pitts, Ontario
iRun iRun to feel great – Kathryn Rachar, Saskatchewan
iRun because I learn more about who I am with every km – Steph Mansell, Quebec
iRun because I cannot say no to a second slice of chocolate cake – Emily Shandruk, Vancouver, BC
iRun iRun because I love the sense of accomplishment – Amber Moase, Nova Scotia
iRun to someday win the race – Lindy Dunlop, Yukon
iRun so my daughters know that they can, too – Shelley Kirkpatrick, New Brunswick
iRun because when I run I feel most alive – Meghan Lynch, Ottawa, ON
iRun because endorphins are free – Cassandra Chouinard, Ontario
iRun iRun for me! – Judi Wearing, Saskatchewan
iRun iRun because iEat – Sherry Maligaspe, British Columbia
iRun iRun at 50 years old because at 43 I couldn't – Peter Cicalo, Ontario
iRun iRun away from the abyss – Charlene Thomas, Ontario
iRun iRun to correct years of sedentary living! – Mike Scott, Ontario
iRun iRun for the challenge and to remember to fully live – Pascale Synnott, Québec
iRun iRun because it gives me freedom to relax my brain – Marie-Claude Gregoire, Nova Scotia
iRun because pecan pie, french fries and beer are chasing me – Teresa Sterling, Ottawa , ON
iRun because I get foot rubs afterward – Kate Howerton, British Columbia
iRun because I want to be a role model for our six kids – Catherine Empey, British Columbia
iRun so I don’t say never ever again – Linda Klaric, Manitoba
iRun to be free and enjoy our beautiful country – Cheryl Carter, Clearwater , BC
iRun because it’s a great way to see the world – Sherry Mahoney, British Columbia
iRun because I live – Georges Schneller, Laval, QC
iRun to prove to them that iCan – Catherine Smith, Manitoba
iRun because it gives me freedom to relax my brain – Marie-Claude Gregoire, Nova Scotia
iRun because it makes me feel powerful – Carlene Paquette, Carp, ON
iRun iRun for the fresh air and adrenalin – Charlyn McGregor, Saskatchewan
iRun for the challenge to go faster and farther – Steven Matejka, Alberta
iRun for the cool t-shirts! – Pina Bevilacqua, Ontario
iRun iRun because walking is too slow – Barry Knapp, Ontario
iRun because there is no finish line – Claire Kilgour, Ontario
iRun because food tastes better afterwards – Patrick Houston, Alberta
iRun because it’s cheaper than therapy – Leah Boulter, Alberta
iRun whenever I feel the need to escape – Iona Hillis, Ontario
iRun because I am not as clumsy I thought I was – Hanna Baer, Quebec
iRun iRun because I like buying running clothes – Pamela Blaikie, Ontario

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Healthy food, one week at a time: Top Canadian marathoner and busy mom Tania Jones shares her secrets to mealtime success
As an elite athlete, I have experienced the pitfalls of poor nutritional habits as well as the value of clean, healthy eating to fuel world-class performances. Now, as a wife and mother, I feel obliged to deliver the best meals possible to my family.
Food is the foundation for our family's health. And yet our modern lifestyle overwhelms us with demands, making it challenging to fit in the selection and preparation of healthy foods.
I'd like to let you in on a little secret that I have discovered: The key to feeding my family right lies in how I plan and prepare meals. Improvements in my meal planning and preparation process have ensured that the good food we wish to eat is actually being made and consumed!
Every Sunday, I spend two to three hours doing the majority of food preparation for the entire week. I cook once a week and prepare food for the whole family to last for five weekdays. Here are the key components to my successful weekly food approach.
Plan first and keep it simple
I have a five-day meal plan that covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus healthy snacks. My plan is to cook one stew that lasts two days, one stir fry that lasts two days and a salmon meal. In the end, I'm actually only cooking three meals that cover five days.
I also prep the lunch sandwich mixes all at once, such as egg or tuna salad. I chop up veggies and fruit to last several days as well.
I discovered patterns in our tastes and eating habits. While we may believe that we want a lot of variety, the truth was that we were using a few recipes repeatedly. I've built a plan for three individual weeks which meets all my family's suggestions. I simply repeat in three-week cycles.
Think efficiency
My rule is: Shop, cut, cook and clean only once. I have the food delivered, but even if I bring it home from the grocery store, I try to plan my day so that I prep the food before it goes into the fridge.
I block out two to three hours on Sunday afternoon. The delivery of groceries arrives in the morning. Everyone else has to leave the house or find independent projects to work on and so that I have this dedicated preparation time.
Quick turnaround
Because the main meals are prepared in advance, I can have everything on the table quickly each night. I find when our family gets home, we are ready to eat right away. It seems that even 30 minutes is too long to wait for dinner some nights before we get into snacks. With this approach, I just warm everything up and within five minutes, the family is eating.
The five-day window
Cooked food lasts about five days in the refrigerator (except for items that contain egg or milk). This allows me to prepare up to five days of meals for my family at one time. Initially, I was wary of eating food prepared five days earlier - my understanding was to keep food a maximum of three days - but it's completely fine.
Special needs
Every family has unique nutritional needs, even if it's as simple as having kids who are four or 13 years old. The weekly plan has to take into consideration goals such as weight loss or gain, allergies, energy levels, vegetarian and fussy eaters. Plus, don't forget to consider scheduling conflicts such as post-school soccer games which require mobile meals to keep young athletes fed.
Get coaching help
Few of us were taught how to prepare food by an expert in the field. I am a self-taught cook who started by observing mom in the kitchen, followed by years of experimentation and reading lots of magazines and books.
Just as coaching has been essential to my running success, getting someone to come in and give me new ideas and approaches has helped my meal preparation. And if you are as frustrated as I was with meal planning and preparation, you need to do something to improve it. A chef costs the same as a personal trainer on an hourly basis. This may be money well-spent, since a two-hour visit could transform your whole culinary approach.
With my new approach to meal preparation, I am thrilled to no longer be starting each day figuring out what my family and I will eat at the end of the day. The weekly meal plans streamline the planning immensely, and my family has a variety of cooked meals to select from when they get home. Clean-up after dinner is also very easy as there are no cutting boards, knives and pans to clean. With a little help and some careful planning, I've created time and energy during the week to enjoy evenings with my family. Hopefully, so can you!
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