Work with what you’ve got, and within the boundaries of what you can control. The fact remains that I spend nearly three hours per day in my car, and another nine sitting on my tush at work. Short of moving or quitting my job, there isn’t a whole lot I can do about those things. But I do own a smart phone, a tablet, a set of dumb bells and a yoga mat. And I live on top of a massively steep hill. I can run up and down the seven flights of service stairs in my apartment building. I can walk down the hill and back up to pick up groceries for dinner. I can do tricep extensions while my Brussels sprouts are roasting.
Eat Fresh, Day 12: Did people actually exercise before the Internet?
Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon

Who: Gina Goff, Sunset.com managing editor

This year, I resolved to: Exercise more, and follow a low-carb, sugar-free diet.

Even though this challenge is almost done, I still struggle with: Finding the time during the week to really work up a sweat for at least 45 minutes per session. While the past couple of weeks have taught me that there is no excuse for getting no exercise—I can definitely squeeze in some home workouts while dinner is in the oven—I’m not quite logging the hours per week that I think will make a meaningful difference in my weight-loss efforts.

Coping mechanism(s): Technology! Home workout apps, podcasts, Audible, and daily Google Calendar reminders to get my booty moving have all helped get me in the workout groove. And healthy meal-delivery apps available in San Francisco, like Sprig and Munchery, which you can filter by dietary restrictions, have also been essential in keeping me honest in the diet department.

I’m feelin’: Optimistic. Even though it’s still too early to really see results (not to mention that I totally dropped the ball last weekend), I’m proud that I actually worked out on those seriously time-crunched work days. The hardest thing about exercise is making it a habit, so, after two weeks, I feel pretty good about my chances of keeping it up.

My takeaway: Work with what you’ve got, and within the boundaries of what you can control. The fact remains that I spend nearly three hours per day in my car, and another nine sitting on my tush at work. Short of moving or quitting my job, there isn’t a whole lot I can do about those things. But I do own a smart phone, a tablet, a set of dumb bells and a yoga mat. And I live on top of a massively steep hill. I can run up and down the seven flights of service stairs in my apartment building. I can walk down the hill and back up to pick up groceries for dinner. I can do tricep extensions while my Brussels sprouts are roasting. At least for now, I’m going to give myself a break about not using my gym membership and just keep making smarter use of my environment and the little free time I do have.

I’m celebrating with: Extra brut sparkling cava, which I discovered this week has only 1 carb per glass! (Also, if you have other dietary restrictions or preferences, like low-calorie or gluten-free, beveragegrades.com is a pretty nifty tool to help you find the right drinks with which to celebrate.)

A recipe I’m really digging: Grilled Tri-Tip. At $10.99/lb at my extraordinarily overpriced local market, this juicy cut of meat gives a lot of bang for your buck. I made it with a quick chimichurri sauce instead of the Cuban Mojo, because I already had the ingredients at home (and I am a garlic addict). My very unofficial “recipe” uses one bunch of finely chopped parsley, 2/3 cup EVOO, the juice of one lemon, 4 minced garlic cloves (more if I’m not sharing with non-garlic addicts), a tiny pinch of cumin and red pepper, and a dash of sea salt. I made this last night and am already looking forward to the leftovers we’ll have this weekend.

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