I'm still trying to shave some weight before we get into the thick of things... losing a few pounds won't make too much of a difference on a relatively flat course like Calabogie, but it will make a world of difference at Effingham in a months' time.

So, when I need to summon extra will-power, I take the wise words of Michael Pollan to heart.

I'm going on another nutritional rant here, so read Michael Pollan first if you're interested... 

I hate it when seemingly healthy foods are actually riddled with ingredients one would describe as laboratory marvels. Take a brief investigation in your pantry... pull out a few packaged goods. Chances are your food labels will list "glucose-fructose" aka "high-fructose corn syrup", which since 1975, has supplanted natural cane sugar in the average North American's diet. HFCS was designed to taste as sweet, or sweeter than sugar, but it doesn't require any enzymes to pass through your gut. Glucose is rapidly dispersed throughout your bloodstream --which is great when you're working out --but fructose is metabolized via your liver, and studies have shown too much of it can have nasty side effects.

Or how about all these wonderful "pro-biotic" yogurts on the market. Plain yogurt made in the traditional way is nearly lactose-free and easy to digest. Most of the yogurts on the supermarket shelves contain milk solids that negate digestibility for those who are lactose intolerant, and the low-fat stuff often contains extra sweeteners (usually the nasty ones) to balance out the flavour. There's probably more to it, but I'm no yogurt connoisseur or dietician.

It all goes back to Michael Pollan's advice, which is nearly foolproof. Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. Check ingredient lists before you buy... if it's got more than five ingredients, or contains some unpronounceable chemical compound, best to leave it on the shelf. Enjoy whole foods, get to know your kitchen, savour the rich stuff in small amounts... and keep riding.