Earlier today, quite by chance, I was looking over the stats since I started using my smartwatch—and, to my surprise, today makes exactly two months since I began wearing it.
In that time, it’s managed to track certain aspects of my physical performance—or let’s just say, my activity levels—and a few health-related things too, like sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, and what relates to my periods.
These readings aren’t precise, of course—they simply offer a sense, a glimpse through your metrics. But I like knowing… even if it’s just an approximation of things.
As one can tell, what I do most is cycling, and I’d like to improve on that. I mean, I want to walk more. Go for a run now and then, and also get back to my home workouts—that’s actually why I downloaded this app, which is really quite good.
Not that I’m trying to make excuses, but over the past few months I haven’t managed to do much more because I’d been going to the dentist every week, catching up on things. I also had two wisdom teeth removed, after which I had to take some time to rest.
It must be acknowledged that achieving this goal I’ve set for myself also requires proper nutrition—an adequate and balanced diet—which, in this country, is quite a challenge. Driven by curiosity, and making the most of the experience offered by Artificial Intelligence, I delved into what an optimal weekly menu might look like for me.
Let’s see what Copilot had to say:
🌞Monday to Sunday – Weekly Fitness Menu
Breakfast (pre- or post-morning exercise): - Porridge made with plant-based milk, sliced banana, chia seeds and a teaspoon of honey. - Herbal tea or unsweetened coffee. Mid-morning snack: - Natural or Greek yoghurt with nuts and a piece of fruit (such as guava, papaya, or mango). Lunch: - Monday: Brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken breast, tomato and avocado salad. - Tuesday: Quinoa with lentils, baked fish, spinach and grated carrot salad. - Wednesday: Roasted sweet potato, omelette with onion and peppers, cucumber and cabbage salad. - Thursday: Wholewheat pasta with homemade tomato sauce and tuna, served with a green salad. - Friday: Cuban-style rice with beans, lean pork fillet, beetroot salad. - Saturday: Warm chickpea salad with roasted vegetables and hard-boiled egg. - Sunday: Vegetable rice, roasted chicken leg, cabbage slaw. Afternoon snack: - Fruit smoothie with oats and plant milk or coconut water. - Alternative: Wholemeal bread with natural peanut butter. Dinner (light and restorative): - Monday: Pumpkin soup and a French-style omelette. - Tuesday: Vegetable soup with grilled fish. - Wednesday: Chickpea salad with hard-boiled egg. - Thursday: Mashed sweet potato with chicken breast. - Friday: Lentil salad with avocado. - Saturday: Rice soup with vegetables and egg. - Sunday: Carrot purée with fresh cheese. This menu focuses on complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, and a generous helping of fibre and antioxidants. You can tailor the portion sizes to your hunger levels and the intensity of your workout each day. And should you fancy a little indulgence, a piece of fruit with cinnamon or a square of dark chocolate makes for a lovely treat.
😃
I think I’m going to create a version of this based on what can actually be found in the markets here, and work out what budget I’d need to follow that kind of diet.
Copilot certainly isn’t shy when it comes to talking and sharing ideas—it’s already given me a rough budget and even said it could adapt the menu itself to what’s actually available in Havana. According to its estimate, I’d need between 12,000 and 18,000 pesos a week, which comes to around 48 dollars or so. Let’s round it up to 50… That said, I’d still rather carry out this research on my own.
🌿Weekly Fitness Menu – Havana Edition
Breakfast (pre- or post-exercise): - Oats cooked with water or reconstituted powdered milk, ripe banana slices, toasted pumpkin seeds or peanuts, and a touch of honey (if available). - Light coffee or herbal tea (lemongrass, mint, etc.). Mid-morning snack: - Natural yoghurt (if available) or a glass of milk with savoury biscuits. - Alternative: seasonal fruit (mango, guava, papaya). Lunch: - Monday: White rice, black beans, boiled or fried chicken leg, tomato and cabbage salad. - Tuesday: Boiled sweet potato, onion and pepper omelette, cucumber salad. - Wednesday: Cuban-style rice and beans, homemade fish or soy croquettes, beetroot salad. - Thursday: Pasta with homemade tomato sauce (if available), boiled egg or melted cheese. - Friday: White rice, stewed split peas, pork steak (if available), cabbage salad. - Saturday: Warm chickpea salad (if available) with boiled vegetables and hard-boiled egg. - Sunday: Rice with pumpkin, roasted or fried chicken, grated carrot salad. Afternoon snack: - Fruit smoothie with oats and water or powdered milk. - Alternative: bread with homemade peanut paste or butter (if available). Dinner (light): - Monday: Bone broth with root vegetables + boiled egg. - Tuesday: Vegetable soup (sweet potato, pumpkin, onion) + bread. - Wednesday: Cold rice salad with egg and vegetables. - Thursday: Mashed sweet potato + French-style omelette. - Friday: Lentil salad (if available) with tomato. - Saturday: Rice soup with egg. - Sunday: Pumpkin purée + fresh white cheese (if available).
Not bad, is it? 😁
I’m really not eating the way I should, now that I’ve seen all this. Time to start taking these things more seriously, then.
Lately, it’s been raining almost every afternoon here. It’s lovely, actually—it cools things down and makes the evening power cuts more bearable. It’s not as hot.
My last two bike rides were quite the adventure. The day before yesterday, I got caught in a downpour out on the street, got soaked, and I suppose I wasn’t feeling great emotionally either—today I’ve come down with a cold. I even had a high fever in the early hours.
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And when I got home, I had to scrub the bike, which was all dirty.
Yesterday I went out again, but only after changing the inner tube on my bike tyre. I broke the valve stem on the one I had while trying to pump it with my dodgy hand pump—I think it even snapped inside… I’ll have to get a new one.
When I’d made it halfway, I had to rush back home because the sky turned black. I didn’t want to get drenched again—my nose was already dripping with cold snot... 😒 disgusting.
Perhaps by now you’re wondering why nanixxx is so obsessed with exercise and cycling. Believe me, my friend, it’s the way I’ve found to stay sane around here. I’m going through some truly pivotal moments in my life. In fact, this song I want to share really struck a chord with me when I heard it, in one of those random playlists Spotify gives me when I ask for varied music from Spain.
Before all this, I used to get sick quite easily, but not so much anymore—and even when I do, like now, when I wasn’t feeling emotionally at my best that day, I bounce back quickly. Of course, I still have to tweak a few things and look for alternatives, because nutrition, amid all the challenges I face daily, is absolutely crucial.
Thank you for making it this far. I’d love to know—what do you do in this regard? And how do you nourish yourself? Do you think the AI’s suggestions have been on point?
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(You can see the lyrics in English here)
https://www.letras.com/maria-rozalen/y-busque/english.html