Former regional chief on no sugar, no salt, no fat diet

Although former Ontario regional chief Charles Fox can no longer run distances, he tries to walk a minimum of one hour every day.
“And if I can, I’ll do a couple of hours,” Fox said. “As age carries on, I can’t jog anymore – my knees just can’t take it.”
Fox had always maintained a physical exercise regimen, including jogging, lifting weights and bicycling, but he switched to a regular walking exercise program about 10 years ago.
“Instead of doing heavy weights, I do light weights,” Fox said. “And I golf.”
Fox prefers walking to using the golf carts while out on the golf course.
“I always walk and carry my bags,” Fox said. “I try to find any kind of physical exercise anywhere I can.”
Fox said his exercise program is a reflection of the physical regimen his father followed as a hunter and trapper.
“All he did was walk; in his old age he never used a (snow machine),” Fox said.
“For all this time, he never used a motor for his boat. He would paddle, and every aspect of his life contained physical exertion and stamina, so I learned from that. He was a good role model.”
Fox also follows a diet of no sugar, no salt and no grease to keep his diabetes and weight in check. He has had diabetes for 25-30 years.
Although Fox described it as “a pretty bland diet,” he still eats some fats, such as those fats in moose meat.
“But heavy duty grease, fries, burgers and all that I’ve pretty well cut out,” Fox said. “I use limited grease, or I don’t use it at all.”
While Fox’s exercise and diet routine may be working well for him, others are encouraged to seek medical advice before undertaking any exercise or diet program.
Fox has also cut out popcorn at the movies.
“I love popcorn, but I can’t have popcorn because my body rebels when I have popcorn now,” Fox said. “I just have to listen to my body – you can’t have that and I don’t, and I feel better.”
Fox also avoids white bread, white flour, white sugar or white rice in his diet.
“I find now that I am moving towards more local products as well,” Fox said, explaining he is concerned about the additives in store-bought foods, such as meat.
“If you can buy local, at least you know it is locally bred and locally grown, so for me I feel a little more confident with that rather than buying from a wholesale beef distributor that slaughters thousands of cows.”