Derval O'Rourke: Make it less about the numbers and more about fitness

October is well and truly underway and it’s the perfect time to get in gear. When thinking about your goals have you considered shifting the focus from weight loss to fitness? I’m going to tell you why this might help you. I also have a great recipe that’s perfect for this time of year!

When I’ve asked members of my online community what their goals are, the most popular answer is to lose weight.

Of course, this makes sense to many people, however, it can be a very difficult goal without putting specifics around it.

If you said to yourself “I want to lose 10lb” and you have not lost 10lb or any weight by the date you set, you would feel like you didn’t achieve your goal and might lose interest. If you can, consider a different goal like a fitness test that you can re-test in a number of weeks.

Recently I did a test at the beginning of a six-week fitness challenge. The test was 12 minutes long doing as many reps of certain exercises as possible in the allocated time. I noted how many reps plus sets I did of each exercise.

During the six-week challenge, I will aim to consistently exercise 2-3 times per week and walk regularly. At the end of the challenge, I will repeat the test. I hope to see an increase in my fitness when I retest this.

This is a good way to measure your success when it comes to the goal of feeling healthier.

It encourages you to consistently exercise with the goal of performing a task better after a specific time frame.

Excess weight is difficult to shift but the key is getting in regular exercise every week and making it a part of your lifestyle.

So instead of focusing on just what the scales say, focus on increasing your fitness, the weight is just a natural result of the fitness increase.

Here’s a guide to test your fitness:

• 1. Pick four exercises that you know you can do. For example, jumping jacks, squats, push-ups and sit-ups.
• 2. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
• 3. Do 10 reps of each exercise and repeat as many times as you can in those 10 minutes.
• 4. Note how many you did.
• 5. After five weeks of regular exercise, walking, running or working out, repeat the fitness test.

I understand that it’s hard to shift focus from weight loss, but this could be the very thing that’s holding you back. Try focusing on your fitness for the next few weeks. If you walk 2k every day, try increasing it a little. If you can’t manage going further, try getting your timing down. Instead of walking 2k in 15 minutes try doing it in 13 minutes.

Mindset is everything when trying to make changes to your lifestyle!

Wellness Tip: Take some time to reflect what you want to achieve and ask yourself if the steps you’re taking are getting you closer or further away. Sometimes by adjusting things ever so slightly can achieve what you want.

Exercise Tip: Whatever exercise you usually do, try to increase your repetition or reduce your time this week. If you love to walk, time yourself and note your distance. Then work to reduce the time or increase the distance. Go!

Chicken Casserole

A comfy and cosy dish, perfect for cold nights

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 1 hours 5 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 3 hours 5 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 European

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp ground coriander

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• 4 skinless chicken breast fillets

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 100g chorizo, sliced into 2cm rounds

• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 100g dried apricots, chopped

• 50g split red lentils

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 200ml water

• a handful of flaked almonds

• a handful of mint leaves, chopped

• brown rice, to serve

Method

1. Mix the garlic, coriander, cumin and paprika in a large bowl. Add the chicken and use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat.

2. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole over a medium heat. Add the onion and chorizo and cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Add the tomatoes, apricots, lentils, cinnamon stick, chicken and water and stir well.

6. Cover the casserole and place it in the oven for 1½ hours.

7. Meanwhile, spread the almonds on a baking tin and bake for 5–10 minutes or until toasted, turning halfway through.

8. Ladle the cooked casserole into warmed serving bowls and sprinkle over the almonds and mint.

9. Serve with brown rice.