Tag: challenges

fitness and nutrition

Decluttering

2chicksandapen

It’s Spring cleaning time.  But maybe not in the way you think.

I definitely need to spend some time cleaning out my house, but that will be a summer project.  Right now I am focused on cleaning out my nutritional clutter.

A little history…

A few years ago I chronicled my weight loss following a macro-counting program called Stronger U.  I did two sessions and lost a good amount of weight.  Since then, over two years ago, I’ve been kind of winging it, adapting the principles I learned from Stronger U without measuring or counting.  For the most part, it means keeping protein the priority at most / all meals.  I fill in with carbs and fat but try to stick with familiar ingredients and products. I meal prep each week, although it’s not as elaborate as it used to be. I still weigh myself every day and follow the active online Stronger U community.

I was doing pretty good for a long time.  In fact, I lost more than 10 pounds after my last session was complete.  I stayed in the weight range I wanted for the most part, and was able to eat and go about my days and activities feeling pretty good.

Over time, the number on the scale started to creep up, especially over the last 3 months. The first thing I noticed was that my clothes don’t fit as well anymore. Tight in the waist. I have extra flab around my middle. Now the scale is up 15 pounds from where I was a year ago and almost 25 from the lowest number I saw post-Stronger U. I’ve hit what I call my “emergency number,” meaning the number on the scale that means I am out of control. I could blame COVID, but I won’t. I’ve been active and have kept my routines up. Instead, I think it’s from the “nutritional clutter” I’ve let pile up.

I haven’t abandoned what I know, but I’ve gotten in the habit of letting things slide. I’m not eating pancakes for breakfast, but I am gobbling three handfuls of almonds instead of one with those hard boiled eggs. I still eat dark chocolate chips on low-carb vanilla yogurt each night, but it’s more like even amounts of chips and yogurt than just a sprinkle. I overdo it on the cheese and crackers at times. I have half a can of low-fat pringles with my bunless hamburger and sugar free pickles instead of just a stack.

Stronger U called it Bites, Licks, and Tastes (BLTs.) Little things add up to a lot of extra calories. I’ve known a change was necessary for about a month now, and I’ve just tried to dial back my portions. That hasn’t worked, so something more structured is necessary. Change isn’t always fun, but I’m ready for a reset. More on how that’s coming in future posts.

Is there anything you’ve let slide recently that needs a reset? Let us know in the comments.

fitness and nutrition

What’s your motivation?

2chicksandapen

Walking toward the back of the gym, the question came out of nowhere:

“What’s your motivation?”

A newish member of the class. I’d only really exchanged hellos, good jobs, and smiles with him and his daughter. So the question caught me off guard.

“What’s your motivation?”

I must have looked puzzled. So he went on…

“You work harder than anyone in here. I talk about it with my daughter. I want to know what motivates you.”

My heart kind of swelled in that moment. what to say? I told him I used to weigh 313 pounds. Both my parents died too young from choices they made. I’m trying to live longer to be there for my family. To change that history. I told him I also work out to bust stress.

He smiled and said congratulations and keep at it.

I often feel like I blend in. Hide in plain sight. I don’t lift the most weight by a long show. I can’t do the advanced gymnastics movements. I figure most people notice me when I’m dancing or singing or tripping over something (often!)

I may never get those fancy coordinated movements. I may never lift as much as most do. But to be noticed and seen as someone who works. Who tries. Who puts in the effort. There are few greater compliments I could receive.

It was also a great reminder of my “why.” These dragging-on days can make it easy to forget my purpose.

This was also a reminder to give someone that compliment. Pay attention when others strive and just say it. You never know who might need to hear that verbal applause. I walked a little taller the rest of the day and remembered that I never know who is watching.

Keep doing the work. Someone notices. someone sees. Someone is inspired.

What’s your motivation?

3Splitz Farm

A Little Sunshine

2chicksandapen

This cute little mason jar full of freshly picked flowers has so much meaning. It’s fresh from the farm to my table.

Planted, sprouted, trimmed and packages to-go by my farmily at 3Splitzfarm. A new farm that is sprouting in many ways.

The garden. The livestock. The visitors, the flowers. All designed and labored by the farm family. So much pride. So much love goes into each delivery.

As days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and months turn into years. Our farm story is evolving. Some years our corn will be plentiful. Other years another crop may struggle. We never know what nature holds for our little farm.

What we do know is we have dreams. We don’t mind hard work. We live to see the fruits of our labor in whichever form it produces. We love sharing our story with the world as well.

From how to start to how to maintain to how to survive all that gets thrown your way. We document it all to share virtually as well as in books. A benefit of 2 Chicks also being 2 farm girls.

Sometimes we have a pen in hand. Other times it’s a tractor or pruning tool. You never know what adventures we shall share with you.

From our farm to you. Enjoy this virtual flower arrangement. We will be soon selling flower subscriptions and delivering special treats through your community to make others smile.

challenges

Frustrated 2.0

2chicksandapen

I started this post a few weeks ago and then stopped. Just stopped mid-stream. The post was negative. I don’t like to write about negative attitudes. However, here I am a few weeks later and I’m crotchety again. Go figure.

I’ve been dealing with chaos for a couple of months on a few projects. One stalled for this reason. Another sidelined for a different reason. Lack of human capital on another. Just one roadblock after another.

I’ve kept my calm. I’ve committed to endure the test of time. What I have little tolerance for is ignorance, laziness and stupidity. When any of those factors hinder my progress I want to bang my head on the wall. Literally and physically.

Sometimes I just don’t get how something so simple seems so challenging for others. Am I a details snob? Weather has been rain rain and more rain. This hinders outdoor projects. Supply chain issues hinder renovations on the home front, even something as simple as getting a fence put in.  Transportation issues arise. Add in price increases due to supply and demand. Thanks Corona. Thanks for complicating life on a whole different level.

Some examples to note for my review in the future when I revisit my blog time capsule: I went to Best Buy it was closed at 8pm on a Saturday. Wow. I went to a furniture store for a need and guess what they close at 7pm on a Friday. Places are still buttoned up tight from Corona. I hadn’t seen it as much as I’ve been on the home front a bunch. Just a big wake up call I suppose.

All these small things keep adding up and boom stupidity hit. Lack of preparation on somebody’s part causing an emergency on my end. Should life work that way? Most days I bend and flex but some days I draw a line in the sand and say no way. Solve your own issues. I have enough of my own.

When I look back 20-25 years, I had to lean on myself for problem solving or engage resources to help in shortcomings. Today’s younger generation is just not built the same way. If google can’t fix something you might as well call in the marines.

Maybe we need to go back to the card catalog and encyclopedia days and do some leg work to get answers vs. having google supply a cheat sheet.

I am cranky so this is my cranky pants post. You may see one or two of these a year. So sad to say the first one is already in the books.

3Splitz Farm

Rain, #1

2chicksandapen

We knew it was coming. Early morning scrambling outdoors, when I wanted to be scrambling eggs.  Had to get things done before the clouds opened up. Hammer and nails. Pounding through the Sunday morning quiet.  Always with one eye toward the horizon. 

The new day turned darker. The sky began to spit, then stopped. Hammer hammer hammer away.

Finally it turned from darker to that menacing deep gray and in we went. To watch the rain come down through the window. A comforting sound even with the smacks of thunder.  A lamp on in the corner of the room.  Cozy with the sound of drops and pattering waves on the metal roof. Watching the puddles grow on the porch and in the dirt.  Flowers and horses soaking in the refreshment while the humans take cover. 

I grabbed my computer, cuddled under the covers, all snuggled in for nature’s show through my grand window. Then Nashie the plump pup jumped up into my lap, daughter and boyfriend not far behind.  All just sitting there, chatting, giggling, nothing better to do than waiting for the rain to pass.  Part of the plan? Not really, but nothing to be frustrated about. Nature doing her thing.

A game of solitaire starts in the next room.  Drip drop, rumble on and on.  All we can do is wait. And watch. And wait.