Tag: community

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 4 = PrOgReSS

2chicksandapen

I am going to start out by announcing my big yet small purchase this week. I bought a new scale. To be specific, I brought a RENPHO scale from Amazon. It ties into my Apple health and has some neat features within its app. (See the pics below).  It was a $30 investment with good reviews online. I am pretty happy with it so far. It replaces my older, more expensive scale but the technology is far more advanced so it was a good investment.

One of the benefits of this scale is its Bluetooth capability. It syncs directly to the app when I get on the scale. Why is this so important? Because there have been a few days in the course of my journey that I didn’t like the number on the scale so guess what? I didn’t put that yucky number into the MyFitnessPal app. I had a choice and I opted not to highlight my less than stellar performance. That means I manipulated the program to yield the results I wanted. Hmmmm…how many people do that in some area of their lives?

At the end of the day I am only cheating myself, and for that the accountability feature of the Bluetooth connection is awesome for me. I am legitimately committing to what the scale inputs into my app. Talk about stepping up my game. When you commit to six months with your coach you need to evaluate everything you do so you end up with results you want at the end. It’s all you. The coach is just your guide.

If you follow this blog I can only hope it inspires you to take whatever step is the next step for YOU in a journey to living healthier.

It always amazes me when I get a note or message from someone telling me I have inspired them. This week it came from a girl in Germany. She told me she loves watching my fit life unfold online. I INSPIRE her. These are the magic words for me. If I know I am under a microscope and have the potential to impact others, I am going to push that much harder for me and those that I influence.

Danke schoen to my Deutschland pen pal of the week. You made my blog post! For the rest of you In blog land: you could be the lucky one to make an appearance in my blog post next week if you send me a personal note!

The numbers report (not the weather report):

Carbs: 150
Fat: 65
Protein: 130

And since the new scale entered the picture, I figured I would post the number for inquiring minds!

The SCALE says: wait maybe next time I will share 😜 ⚠️🙄

But remember, the scale is just a number. I feel great. I look strong. My doctor says I’m healthy. I don’t take medication. My attitude is positive. I’m sporting a new tattoo. And most importantly my mental game is uncompromised.

Hugs, high-fives, fist bumps, and toasts to all who read and react to this week’s KT chronicles.

And for that I am posting some highlights of a gym session with some badass ladies I workout with each week. Each of them inspire me in a different way and are a key ingredient in my success to this point.

And on a closing note my husband bought me a scale a long time ago as a gift. I resented him for it for years as I always thought it signified his discontent with my shape post-child rearing however he was most likely doing it to provide me a tool. At that time in my life I was too busy being a mom to realize and appreciate the gesture. And now when he sees I bought a new scale I think he was in utter shock and disbelief. Hats off to hubs who helps motivate and support me. I can totally get away with writing this tidbit since he never reads my blog posts!

Closing thoughts for this week: My progress on the scale isn’t enough for me to scream and shout about but there were plenty of NSV’s (Non-Scale Victories) this week. My middle child hit 18 this week. I skipped another round of cake. I hit some PR’s in the gym (trimmed another 43 seconds on my mile time) and I even went to a high tea party with friends to celebrate yet another birthday. See my fancy pic!

Oh September, go away already. Too many opportunities with all these birthdays around me.

Wish me luck next week.

fitness and nutrition

T-Minus 100 (and counting…) for Chick 2

2chicksandapen

img_2153

247.

184.

147.

313.

There are numbers that stand out to me in my mind.  Benchmarks.  Milestones. Moments of triumph and shame.

247 was how much I weighed when I got pregnant with my youngest baby.

184 was how much I weighed when I got married.

147 was how much I weighed when I dieted wayyyyyyy down in my early 20s, so far down people said I looked sick.  My lips poked out, my cheeks sunk. I even lost some of my hair.

And then there was 313.  313 was the highest number I ever saw on the scale.  That was six years ago, or maybe seven, in the final stretch of completing my doctoral dissertation.  Raising kids, teaching college courses, presenting papers and presentations, writing articles, cooking family meals and more by day.  Up until 1:00 or 2:00 am each night, chomping on watermelon jolly ranchers by the bag and guzzling diet cokes.

I probably weighed more than that at some point, but 313 is the highest I saw between my toes.  After that I stopped looking in disgust.

This week, I passed another milepost.  I passed 213 on the scale, more than one hundred pounds down from that highest reading.  Over time, I’m sure I’ll tell the stories of all the diets I’ve been on, from my first time on Weight Watchers at about age 11 to what I’m doing today.  I’ve lost 100 pounds several times in my life.  Maybe that’s why I am a bit more sober about this one than celebratory.  It was a goal I was happy to get to, but I am still in progress.  I may always be in progress.  Maybe that’s what I understand this time that I didn’t before.

Of course, any doctor would tell you that 213 is not a healthy weight for a 44 year old woman, five foot eight.  I know that.  Many people wouldn’t be proud to tell that they weigh 213, or wouldn’t tell you their weight at all. I was in a conversation at the gym this week with two men, who shared that they weigh 155 and 195, so that was perspective.  I’m sharing here because it is a number and it doesn’t define me.  My weight is definitely a part of my story, and a complicated and even important one, but I mostly don’t care what people think about it.  Mostly.

These days I try to focus more on how I feel.  I work out most days, and in spite of some pesky injuries, I can move better and do a lot more physically than I could several years ago. I eat pretty well most of the time. The doctor was pleased with my progress at my latest physical.  My blood pressure is great.  Overall, my health is improving.

Still, this is just a pause on a very long path.  A milepost on the way to another destination. I’ll wave at it, take a picture, then keep moving to what comes next.

More about that in future writings.

-Chick 2 (aka Beth)

 

perspective

3:33 am

2chicksandapen

Yes, it is 3:33 am as I look at my phone. Why am I on my phone at this hour?

If I wake up in the middle of the night, I check my phone. As random as it sounds, I check for many reasons. For starters, I have an adult child who travels and sometimes there is a late night text from him. It feels good to let him know I’m there even if it’s just a simple one word answer.

Next, there is a friend who battles insomnia so again, just a quick reply does wonders when they are battling so much more than me at this hour. There is also the teen child who doesn’t seem to have a normal sleep pattern currently that I need to check on to make sure all is as good as it can be.

And then there is the unknown: when somebody may need something. An undefined emergency of some sort.

What does that mean? Well, tonight an online acquaintance, a female friend I don’t see everyday, a connection in my life, shared a brutally honest post about her pain and struggles. I felt a calling to offer hope through positive action at that moment without hesitation. Fortunately I wasn’t the only one there for her but then I thought to myself: not everyone has that same network, do they? I may be the only one to hear that voice.

Offering hope is simple. It’s free. It’s not hard to do. It’s just being there for somebody. Showing support in the darkest of times. Uncomfortable? Maybe, but starting these conversations is uncomfortable for most.

We never know when somebody is in a dark space and they can’t see their way out. We need to be avid listeners. We might need to hear the words or read the words one speaks more carefully. Never ignore a cry for help! In today’s digital age, a cry for help doesn’t always come in person or by phone call. A cry may be a post on social media, a comment hidden in a group text, a scar on one’s body, or other visual signs you might find easier to ignore than to inquire about.

Remember, you may be the only person who hears the cry. How you respond may help a person come out of the darkness or may just let them see enough light to fight another day. However, inaction may be tragic.

I watched a video recently about how everyone will ask how somebody is doing if they haven’t posted online for days but nobody notices when someone is struggling in plain sight. Interesting but true. Keep your antennas up and offer hope to anyone who may need it.

Timing is crucial. If you see a sign, don’t hesitate. Being nice can never be frowned upon but living with guilt of inaction can add years of regret to your life.

Being positive and friendly is definitely free but it might be the one thing that can truly benefit a person in need.

Be kind today. Do a good deed. Make conversation with somebody you normally wouldn’t talk to today. Honor my friend in spirit. Be a warrior for her.

We all have the ability to inspire others. If you inspired somebody today, drop us a note so we can celebrate with you. We have the power to impact many through this blog and we want to make an impact on you!

xoxoxoxo to all the warriors who read this blog today, tomorrow and the many days ahead.