This has been a crazy year. Most of us have been in some degree of lockdown for more than 13 months. And many of us have gained weight, become depressed, or have somehow neglected our health and fitness. Plus…summer is just around the corner. Yikes!
How awesome would it be to take charge of your life in just 55 days?
Maybe you’ve heard of the TikTok challenge that’s gone viral—#75Hard. This Author Fitness challenge was inspired by that, but is more reasonable and doable (in my opinion).
Why 55 days? I chose that number for a super scientific reason—it’s my age LOL. Nothing more than that. It’s a long enough number of days to achieve noticeable results, but not so many that it feels like forever.
What do you win for completing the challenge? Nothing but bragging rights and a healthier you. There are a few rules you’ll follow every day. And yes, you need to follow them all EVERY DAY. What happens if you don’t? I’m not your mom. I won’t send you to your room or anything. But you won’t get the results you want if you don’t give it your all.
What to do first:
Weigh yourself.
Take your belly measurement.
Take a full-body selfie—don’t worry, it’s just for you!!! We’ll never see it, unless you want to show us.
Join our Author Fitness Facebook group for support and camaraderie. https://www.facebook.com/groups/AuthorFitness
Set three goals to reach in 55 days:
1. How much weight do you want to lose in 55 days?
2. What fitness goal would you like to achieve (ie: maybe you want to be able to complete 10 pushups, or run a mile, etc)?
3. What personal goal do you want to achieve (ie: finish that novel, design and plant your garden, declutter your pantry)?
Daily Rules:
- 55 minutes of exercise every day. Yes, I said every day. You can break up the time, and it can be as simple as stretching or an easy walk for 55 minutes. You can do this, so stop whining.
- Drink 55 ounces of plain water every day. You’ll also get water from the fruits and veggies you’ll be eating, and any coffee or tea you might drink.
- Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full. This is WAY easier said than done, but it’ll have you eating portions that are appropriate for your body.
- Do something every day, big or small, to get you closer to achieving your personal goal.
- Drink a green smoothie or a mug/bowl of green soup every single day. Just do it. Your skyrocketing energy levels will thank me. Sample recipes below.
- Keep track of what you’re eating (every bite), either with an app (my favorite is Nutritionix) or in a notebook.
- Check off your 8 superfoods each day. List is below. Whenever you’re hungry, look at the list and see what you still need to eat for the day. Plan your meals around this list.
Eight Superfoods to eat every day:
Lean protein
Nuts/seeds (not peanuts)
Yogurt/Cottage cheese/whey/cheese (unless you don’t eat dairy)
Berries
Leafy greens (your soup or smoothie counts)
Other fruits or vegetables
Whole grains
Beans, legumes, lentils, peanuts, etc.
I’m not a doctor nor a nutritionist, but I have been a personal fitness trainer since 2003. It would be a good idea to check with your doctor if you have any health conditions, before starting any new fitness program or making changes to your diet.
But Becky, what happens if I cheat or don’t do everything on the list? Nothing happens. But why would you want to cheat? You’ll get the best results if you do the challenge exactly as written. The results you get are directly related to the effort you put forth.
Come on over to my Author Fitness FB group for support from a fun group of people. Plus, you can find some journal pages to print, so you can easily keep track of your daily progress. https://www.facebook.com/groups/AuthorFitness
Green soup recipe:
Throw a bunch of green vegetables into a big pot. My usual is a bag of frozen broccoli, fresh spinach, fresh zucchini, a bag of frozen peas, a bag of frozen green beans. Try to have at least four different green vegetables, including at least one leafy green. Cover with vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Simmer until veggies are tender (about 20 minutes). Puree in the blender (be careful, because it’s hot) or with a hand immersion blender. I drink a mug of this every morning before my first cup of coffee. You could eat it from a bowl if the thought of drinking soup from a mug grosses you out, LOL.
Sometimes I’ll add some hot sauce or curry powder or a splash of coconut or soy milk. But usually, I just drink it as is.
Make a huge batch once or twice a week, and refrigerate.
Green smoothie recipe (for one serving)
1-2 cup liquid (I usually start with ½ cup plant milk and ½ cup ice water)
1 cup leafy greens (I use kale or spinach)
1 cup ripe fruit or berries (strawberries, blueberries, banana, pineapple, etc)
Blend together until smooth. Add ice if you want it thicker.