10 Weeks Until Summer: Week 1

Here in Madison, Wisconsin, it finally felt like summer is coming. We had a beautiful weekend.

Summer officially starts in about 10 weeks, so I figured for those of you wanting something to work towards and follow along with, I would come up with a 10 week guide to working towards or even reaching your goals by to official start of summer.

Today I want to talk about the most important factor in reaching any goals, not even health related goals, and that is your mental mindset.

It is often said that the biggest challenge you will face is the six inches between your ears, i.e. your brain.

The mind is a very powerful thing, and when you commit to something, your mid can get you there, or talk you out of things as well. It’s kind of like the little angel and devil on your shoulders. One side says do this, the other says do that.

You need to be in the right mental state in order for any workout, nutrition, or motivational program to really work. The best programs in the world will not work if you don’t put your mind to it.

Step 1: Set Your 10 Week Goal

Instead of thinking about the process and how you will get there, for now I want you to think about 10 weeks from now. What do you want to feel like? What do you want to look like? What do you want to be able to do then, that maybe you cannot do now.

Write this down. No seriously, don’t just think it, WRITE IT DOWN.

Post it up by your bed, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in your car, at your desk, or as many places as you can see it daily. You need to always be thinking about that goal.

Step 2: Find Your Why

Goal setting is great, but you need to dig deeper. If you goal is to lose 20 pounds, you need to ask why. Then ask why again, and again. It may look like this:

1. I want to lose 20 pounds
2. Because I will look better
3. Because I will feel more confident
4. Because I want to find a new boyfriend/girlfriend this summer

Now that is just one simple example, that might not even apply to many of us who are already happily taken, but I hope you get the point. Lots of people want to lose weight/get ripped, but when you get to the bottom of it, you need to find what your TRUE goals are and what you want to achieve.

Step 3: Work Towards Your Goal, Every Chance You Get

Without getting into details on how you will reach your goal, just focus on doing things that you know will help get you there. If you have been reading this blog long enough, there are plenty of tips on here to get you started.

I like to assume that most people have a good idea of what foods are better choices than others, and how much food is too much food, and how good exercise and activity are for them.

Focus on these things for week one. Eat lean proteins, eat veggies, limit processed junk, and drink lots of water. 

Be active most days, with planned exercise 2-4 days per week, and other general activity outside of that.

Walk a little more, take more steps, and just move.

Week 1 Recipe: Chicken Kabobs and Grilled Zucchini

Every week I will also be adding a healthy recipe for the week that you should try. Since it’s nice out, most of them will involve a grill, but they can also be made in the oven or on the stove top.

• For marinade:
• 3 lemons, juiced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dried dill
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• For kabobs:
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, chunked
• 1 yellow onion, quartered and chunked
• 1 red pepper, chunked
• 16-20 baby portobello mushrooms, stems removed

Directions

1. Prepare marinade in a long, shallow baking dish by combining lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare kabobs by skewering alternating pieces of chicken and various veggies. Be sure to leave enough room on ends of skewers to flip them while cooking.
3. Place skewers in baking dish with marinade, and roll to coat. Cover dish and refrigerate overnight or at least for a few hours.
4. When ready to cook, heat grill to high. Place skewers on grill. Cook, using tongs to turn skewers occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For Zucchini:

• 6 whole Zucchini (medium Sized)
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 3 whole Lemons, Zested
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (additional)
• Extra Olive Oil If Needed For Brushing

Lop off the tops and bottoms of the zucchini and slice them into quarters, lengthwise. Place them all in a very large (or two regular sized) plastic zipper bag. Drizzle in olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and the juice of two lemons. Seal the bag(s) and smush them around a bit so that the zucchini is coated. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to marinate.

Prepare the indoor or outdoor grill to medium to medium-low heat. Grill the zucchini on all three sides until nice and tender, being careful not to burn them. Remove the zucchini to a plate as it gets done.

Pile up the rest of the lemon zest and sprinkle 1 tablespoon kosher salt on top. Use a knife to chop the salt and zest together until it becomes…well, lemon salt! Add more salt if it needs it. Sprinkle the lemon salt over the plate of grilled zucchini and serve.

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Stay healthy my friends,