Week 6: DIET and FITNESS CHALLENGE

Diet and Fitness Challenge: Part 3

Regina Tuzzolino weighs in on the progress and the process of getting fit!

Good workout; good stretch!

Hi, everyone! Regina, here. It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. I must admit, I've not been as dedicated as I should be to daily exercising. This has left me wondering, is it just me or...

Why does it get harder around 1 month into a fitness program? I think I know why, but curious if it's the same for you, too.

For me, there's this little voice in my head that derails me. Sometimes it tells me I'm doing so well, I can slack off for a while. Other times, it tells me that work, family, or indulging with friends is more important than getting fit.

Have you heard this voice, too? Its only job appears to be convincing us that we have no time to be healthy. That everything else in the world is more important than us.

One thing I know for sure: This is not the voice of wisdom. It's the voice of self-sabotage.

That inner voice can hurt you.

Don't listen to it!

Recognizing this pitfall is half the challenge of getting healthy. There are psychological studies and books that can help. I’ll list a solid resource at the end of this blog post to get you started. 

But for now, here's what I’ve been doing to overcome these obstacles, by way of exercise and nutrition.

1. I'm proud to say that I have not kept any tempting sweets in the house. When I crave sugar, I eat fruit, nuts, or veggies or drink tea. The first week is hard, but it gets easier.
2. I've cut my meal portions in half. You see, after I tore my Achilles, I kept eating as though I were a runner. And within 2 years, I gained 30 pounds. I've lost about 5 in about 2 months and plan to lose another 8 by the New Year.
3.  I'm getting up from my desk more often. Sitting for too long was causing painful veins to pop up in my legs. So, even if I told myself I was "okay" with my weight gain, that pain was not okay. Now, I remind myself of that a few times a day to get off my bum.
4. Every morning, Aphroditi texts me to remind me to do an activity. Accountability FTW!
5. I'm reducing calories by making healthy meals in my Instant Pot instead of ordering takeaway. It takes about 15 minutes to prep and then it cooks while you work (or workout). It's done in 20-40 minutes, depending on the setting. Look for the recipe at the bottom of this post.
6. I've incorporated some weights into my routine to help build muscle. Weight training continues to burn calories for quite some time after you work out. Besides, getting stronger means you can work out longer. Win-win!

  The good news is I lost 1 lb last week. The so-so news is I didn't lose any weight this week. But I know why. September is a huge birthday party month, it seems. And like a fool, I've gone to several events while hungry and then filled up on not-so healthy party food there.

Enter that evil voice again. It insists that the cake will be burned off at the gym, but when you're just starting out on your program, you aren't usually that "dedicated". So the calories go in, but they don't come out. Hello, love handles!

So this week, I asked Aphroditi to include some moves to tighten flabby areas. I really felt the burn afterward, so I know we're on the right track. Here are a few moves she showed me.  

Doing 15 reps of each one will give you a good 20 minute workout. But I'd schedule a session with Aphroditi first to make sure you have the correct form. Form prevents injury and ensures you get the most workout for your time.
 
The lunge with weights: Great for tightening the glutes, quads and upper body. As you step back (or forward) into a lunge, bring your arms up overhead. Then, as you return to standing, bring the arms back down.
 

Aphroditi showing lunges.

The plie´squat with ball. Start like the photo. Then, as you straighten your legs, bring the ball directly overhead. "zip-up" you tummy tightly as you straighten even taller. Return to this position.

Regina in plié squat.

The side bend with weights helps whittle away love handles. Follow the photo and alternate sides.

Oblique bends.

Do this bicep curl while in a static squat. It will work the glutes and hamstrings, too.

Bicep curls.

And to finish off, here are some great upper body stretches. This is so important, not only after working out, but to counteract all the computer work/sitting we all do. 

Wrist and arm stretch.

Upper body stretch.

Now back to banishing that inner voice that loves sabotaging your goals! :)

Psychology Today has a helpful series broken up into short articles.

One other trick to feeling better about yourself is good nutrition. And what's more nurturing than a home cooked meal? As promised, here's an easy, yet delish recipe. While this braised chicken recipe calls for a traditional pressure cooker, I made some simple adjustments below for the Instant Pot.

Braised Chicken recipe adjustments for Instant Pot:

1. I did not add water. The beauty of Instant Pot is it seals in moisture from the veggies, so there's no need for a "soupy" base.
2. Because I was in a hurry, I did not braise the chicken in oil first. All I did was line the pot with carrots, garlic, onion, and bell pepper. 
3. Then I put the chicken in, seasoned mildly (salt, rosemary), and set the instant pot to "poultry". 
4. When that timer went off, I reset it for another 20 minutes on slow cook. Just so it would fall off the bone. :)

Simple, right? And the result? Amazingly tender chicken with its own au jus (self-made sauce), right there in the pot.

Prefer the oven? There are plenty of healthy recipes out there for that, too. Have a favourite healthy recipe? Share it in the comment section! 

And thanks for reading. I hope to hear about your health and fitness journey one day, too...!