Q: WHEN DID YOU START TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH?
A: I always have been. I’ve always been athletic, worked out, and stayed active. My father was that way back when I was a kid. He was always into physical fitness, so it was part of our family regime.
Q: HOW DO YOU KICK OFF EACH MORNING ON A HEALTHY NOTE?
A: I probably drink too much coffee. It gets me going. I’m a coffee nut. My morning has to start with two Americanos. I catch up on the news and I’ll usually work out around 8 o’clock. I’ll do an hour with a trainer three days a week and I’ll do another session on my own. So, I do four solid sessions a week, which I find is enough, especially at my age.
Q: HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR ENERGY THROUGHOUT THE DAY?
A: I find there’s a lot of prickly static energy in the air these days with COVID-19. To counter that, I try to eat well and to drink less. I live a pretty clean life. I’ve never had an issue with energy, that’s for certain. I wish there was more positive energy these days. It’s starting to look like we’ve turned the corner.
Q: WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DINNER AT HOME LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
A: I’ll make fresh chimichurri and barbeque lamb chops. I’ll also braise off some leeks and make a green salad. That would be a real quick dinner that will take me 20 minutes to throw together. I like eating chimichurri with protein because it’s healthy and low in calo- ries, rather than butter or cream sauces. I try to not eat too many tomatoes either because they are not the greatest thing for you and people don’t realize this but there are resins on the inside of the cans that are not really good for your system from a chemical basis. Most of our meals at home are comprised of a beautiful simple protein and I love the onion-leek family, garlic, scallions, and roasting shallots. We eat a lot of that. I love a simple green salad, with just a good cask-aged red wine vinegar and good olive oil and fresh herbs. That’s a typical McEwan meal.
Q: YOU MUST DINE OUT A LOT. HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR DIET AT RESTAURANTS?
A: I eat the same way when I dine out. I seldom ever eat from the main course column. I’ll share a fish with my wife. I love eating crudo, raw seafood, raw fish, octopus – anything in those categories. I love a good broth. I always order a green salad. And that’s a typical meal (unless I go to Fabbrica in Thornbury where I’ll have a wood- burning oven pizza and handmade pasta, as well as fish). When you get to my age, you have your habits.
Q: WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD, WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE?
A: Chocolate. I’m really bad with chocolate. I’ll eat a whole bar of 70% chocolate, thinking in my mind that it’s good for me – and while there are some brain benefits, too much I know is not. At least it’s good chocolate. I do have a weakness for that.
Q: HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET ENOUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO YOUR SCHEDULE?
A: I just make time for it. I’m kind of master and commander of my own schedule. You have to fit it in, right? I make it happen somehow. It’s nice when you run your own business, you can run your own calendar as well.
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER HOBBIES OR INTERESTS THAT KEEP YOU FIT?
A: I love to ski. I’m an avid skier and avid road biker. I like to fast paddleboard. We have little race competitions up on Georgian Bay. Certain neighbours who think they’re fast and we’re all competitive. So, it’s fun.
Q: HOW DO YOU FIND WAYS TO RELAX AND MANAGE YOUR STRESS LEVELS?
A: Stress is a hard one. It’s always there. We have fun. We have dinner parties with friends. We’re very social. We have a big circle of friends and it’s nice to spend time with them. There’s no greater way to relax and burn off some energy than doing a two-hour road bike or an hour paddleboard. Those are great ways to level the day out. I find physical activity is great for stress.
Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO SUPPORT A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE?
A: Stop lying to yourself. Most people eat too much, drink too much, exercise too little, and eat the wrong foods. The worst thing you can do is lie to yourself. So, one of the best things that you can do is just be honest with yourself. You are what you eat and people eat a lot.
