Lire & STYLE. Have a fitness tip or recipe to share? Contact the editor at lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Don t it yourself DIY projects are doomed for failure ‘ma bit of a DIY fiend. It’s been a theme throughout my life: DIY haircuts, clothing, decorations, and accessories of every sort. Although I’ve ventured into each experiment with absolute confidence in my inevitable success, those projects have inevitably failed. Every time. All of my DIY projects have emerged into the world, doomed for the bottom of a garbage bin. So basically, I’ve experimented with and uncovered some surefire ways to ruin my personal effects over the years. I’ve finally come to the conclusion, almost 20 years in, that unless you're genetically at least 1/4 Martha Stewart, most DIY projects are destined to disappoint. I say you have to be genetically at least 1/4 Martha Stewart, because there are people who thrive on the sort of fiddly work that most DIYs require—they do exist, I’ve seen them, but they’re a minority. Most people don’t have the time or patience to ombré all their possessions. Balloons, hen combined with modge »dge and confetti, do not make r fetching bowls. Tie-dying _ sur comforter would just produce a really ugly comforter. These are all projects that I’ve encountered in the DIY section of Pinterest, and damn if my attempts at recreating them wouldn’t turn out horribly. It probably sounds like I’m just bitter at my own inability to produce a cute crop top. Not so. I know I'm joined by sisters and brothers in modge podge- caked arms who have also failed in their endeavours. Those life hacks, meant to produce supposedly pricy items for little to no money (“Did you get that purse from Marc Jacobs?” “No. I made it.”) end up costing more than they’re worth—if we put a value on time, energy, wasted materials, and sanity. When you try out a DIY and find that you are incapable of producing a simple bejeweled collar, a part of your self-esteem dies. The instructions looked so easy! They said the collar would be the crowning glory of my wardrobe! It’s never as easy as they say it will be, and never turns out as well as they say it will. You know why? In the instructions, they only show the pictures of the products that turned out perfectly. That, or my supposition is correct and the people peddling these projects are all at minimum 1/4 Martha Stewart. This is why I’ve started leaving it to the professionals. Pants need to be hemmed? There’s a seamstress down the street. Want a new bowl? Don't use a balloon when there’s a fantastic selection of bowls to be found at a dollar store. Looking to add a cheap-but-chic shirt to your wardrobe? That’s what second hand stores are for. Why take jobs away from people who actually know what they’re doing? Or rather, why go to the effort of doing it yourself, only to admit defeat and slink to a professional? If you possess the talent to go the homemade way, do it. You're an inspiration to the rest of us, and you keep the dream alive. Personally, I’ve given up on attacking my possessions, only to end up with a lot of shirts that look like they were lovingly adjusted by a kindergartener. CATT AB ae ae OOP ttt iting an Hl i oe Photo courtesy of Bored Panda/20 Hilarious Pinterest Fails (Pinterest) Lunch of the Week: Breakfast! The building blocrs for a busy day Amelia Yossin, Contributor very night, millions of Canadians hit the sack for a good night's sleep. While asleep, our bodies recharge and rest, and we awake in the morning hungry and ready to take in our first nourishing meal of the day. Ironically, this is the meal where many of us reach for our most sugary food items of the day: specialty sweetened coffees, pastries, processed cereals, and more. In this instalment of Lunch of the Week, we are turning the spotlight on breakfast. How much added sugar is actually lurking in these popular, processed breakfast foods? How can we build a more substantial, nourishing breakfast each morning? There is a lack of consensus for how much added sugar a person can have per day. “Added sugar” means 10 refined sugar, added to the product by the manufacturer. It does not include naturally occurring sugars in fruits, some vegetables, and milk. The American Heart Association (AHA) has suggested a maximum of six teaspoons a day (24¢) for women and nine teaspoons a day (36g) for men. Keeping these amounts in mind, let’s look at where the sugar is hiding in our favourite breakfast foods. The refined white flour used to make baked pastry products and white bread—along with their added sugar—sends our blood sugar levels soaring. An apple fritter from Starbucks has 420 calories, with nearly seven teaspoons (27¢) of sugar. Think a muffin is a better choice? The healthy-sounding “Zucchini Walnut Muffin” at Starbucks has a whopping 490 calories, with 28g of sugar. Watch out for deceptively named “low-fat” pastry products. Oftentimes, manufacturers make up for flavour lost from removing fat by adding extra sugar. For example, the Starbucks “Reduced-Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake” has 400 calories, with an incredible 12.5 teaspoons (50g) of sugar! Also, don’t be fooled by a baked product that features fruit—this may make the food appear more healthful, but it’s not necessarily a good choice. The healthier-looking “Reduced-Fat Very Berry Coffee Cake” still has 350 calories, with nearly eight teaspoons (31g) of added sugar. How about our favourite specialty coffees? At Tim Hortons, a medium Chocolate Latte has nearly eight teaspoons (30g) of sugar. If we go by AHA standards, that one drink comprises our recommended sugar intake for the entire day. A small Iced Cappuccino may seem like a light and refreshing drink, but it packs more than eight teaspoons (33g) of sugar. Not only do these processed breakfast foods load us up with unnecessary sugar, they are also nutritionally poor. The processing of foods typically robs them of nutrients and heart-healthy fibre. Modern processed foods are designed to be cheap, convenient, and profitable for the companies which sell them—none of these aims has anything to do with naturally supporting a healthy body. When you build a better breakfast using whole foods, you nourish yourself with the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) and essential micronutrients (think vitamins and minerals) needed for a healthy, strong body. Here’s a recipe for a quick, nutritious oatmeal to get you started. The next time you go to the grocery store, head to the bulk food section and load up on the yummy ingredients listed. Then you'll have all you need in your cupboard to put together a nutrient-packed breakfast in just a few short minutes! Quick Fruit and Cinnamon Oatmeal 1/3 cup rolled oats 4 dried apricots, chopped (or 2 tbsp raisins, cranberries) 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp chopped walnuts (or almonds, sunflower seeds) 1/3 crisp apple, cut in cubes Optional: 1 tsp brown sugar Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Combine the oats, cinnamon, nuts, apple, and apricots in a bowl. Pour on enough hot water to just cover the oats; don’t add too much or it will be watery. Cover the bowl with a plate or pot lid, and let the oatmeal stand until the oats have absorbed the water. Stir, adding a splash of milk (dairy or alternative) if you like, and enjoy! Serves one, and packs easily in a mason jar for those early classes.