Tag: dreams

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 11: Protein Power

2chicksandapen

Yes, I get it. OMG I really do get it!

Protein is power. Protein helps rebuild your muscles after a hard workout and protein is needed to lose weight. Duh! My coach has been telling me this all along with the protein factor she has put in my weekly numbers.  But, for whatever reason, I found some excuse not to hit my protein numbers time and time again. It only took me like six months to register this. This doesn’t actually surprise me since it took me almost nine months to buy in to macro counting after a friend shared her successes.

It seems so simple but yet it is really a hard task to consume a mountain of protein when you really want everything carb-related. What an irony, but your body actually feels better and not so sluggish when you have the right balance. I guess this is why I have a nutrition coach. Her job is to remind me what I already know and motivate me when I find a reason to not follow directions. In reflection, it’s the same reason I go to CrossFit to have a coach. One who pushes me outside my comfort zone. I think some forget those benefits when they face healthy living alone.

This week’s post is dedicated to protein and its power to fuel and rebuild my my body and muscles.

Chicken: eat more chicken! Chick-fil-A got it right and guess what? Their chicken nuggets fit nicely in my macros so I am a huge fan of chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A. I even get the fried ones since that fat evens out my numbers on the protein side. This chicken is just as much of a treat as a candy bar to me.

Shrimp: I like mine spicy. Not too spicy, just spicy enough and I can’t have it too much during the week or I will burn out so balance is key.

Tuna: I’m a pouch kind of tuna girl. Albacore white in water. But yeah, nothing great to say about this. It’s TUNA. And if you can stand the smell (or your breath after you eat it) then it’s helpful to your macros, but once every other week is enough for this chick.

Chicken: I’m back to chicken because you can eat it a million different ways and it’s different each time. But for this week I’ll talk about kabobs. Peppers, onions, zucchini and lots of chicken marinated in Italian dressing. Big yummo to me!

Hello, chicken again: rotisserie chicken flavored Boar’s Head deli meat. Yup, I said it. Sandwich meat. Not the processed nasty stuff that comes prepackaged. I’m talking about the freshly sliced deli meat, sliced thin so you can feel like you are eating more. If you haven’t tried it, it’s a good protein to eat. See my scale pic for this yummo. And I can add this to the end a day to top off my protein numbers.

Cheese: I eat a cheese stick almost daily. It hits my fat and my protein so it’s a double whammy. Warning: don’t eat too much cheese or you can get backed up. Yes backed up on the backend. Hope that gives you a giggle.

Yogurt has plenty of options and the Greek varieties are essential in planning a good day. Protein and a small amount of carbs and little or no fat. I stretched this week and bought some yogurt drinks in case I’m on the road again.

New week, same numbers. If it’s not broke don’t fix it! just need to keep nailing my protein digits. Scale is moving on down!

This week’s crisis came when MyFitnessPal crashed at dinner time. I had to take out pen and paper and do math to calculate my macros before my meal time. This is when preplanning your day comes in handy but for me I always wiggle some until the end of the day. This day was one of those days so yeah, I had a mild panic attack as did many others who couldn’t access their app. Epic tech fail Under Armour! I guess my premium service doesn’t get 100% uptime.

I rolled out of crisis mode one day and moved onto a big scale victory the next day. A milestone of some sort. No need to advertise the magic # but a mini celebration was had internally. Now it’s time to reset and realign. New goals to aim for as original goals are nearing and the bar must rise to stay chasing the the finish line.

In closing, I should not forget to post about this fun Friday fact: I opted to indulge in the Red Cup Friday offer at Starbucks this year. I got a holiday drink but not just any holiday drink. I got the Grande Carmel Brûlée Latte. All 400-plus calories loaded with about 70 carbs, 13 fat and 11 protein. What was the justification? The free red cup that I can use the rest of the season and put another skinny coffee in and imagine I am drinking the calorie and carb-loaded caramel brûlée. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing. But, I suffered the rest of the day to stay within my macros so in the end it wasn’t worth it because I can have a skinny option of another drink to fuel my Starbucks addiction. This drink was to me what ice cream is to others. We all have moments of weakness we just need to find a healthy balance. For me this time around I opted for this holiday treat to reward myself for nothing particular. I sometimes do that to myself. But in reality thank goodness for Alex the macro barista who posts all the healthy ways to order your Starbucks coffee. He is a gem if you don’t follow him.

I guess self-pampering is a thing and as I reflect I think I am pretty good at it. #retailtherapy #hairandnails #shoesfordays #girlproblems #massages #girlstrips

Oh how I laugh out loud typing this! I commit to myself. I am accountable for myself and my progress or my demise. Just me! Don’t wait for someone to push you over the finish line. You have to do it for YOU.

I also did not touch, smell, unwrap or eat even one piece of Halloween candy this year so I won that holiday battle just a few days earlier. This blog captures the ups, the downs and everything in between on my journey to fab at fifty. Hope you embrace the knowledge, laugh at the hidden humor and celebrate with me virtually.

Until next time Turkeys! Happy November to my online peeps.

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 9: Competition Time

2chicksandapen

If you have been keeping up with my blog posts, I journal about events, adventures and my fit life chronicles. Boring to some yet entertaining to others.

For those of you who find my entries entertaining, you should note I am super competitive. I am competitive in sports, in business, and just about everything in life. It’s okay for others to win, but I compete to win whatever I set out to do for me. I may play the same game, compete in the same workout, or bid the same job, but I compete for me and that is a differentiator.

My goals may be different than yours. You may win the tennis match but my goal might have been to improve my serve or win a volley. I am still competing and I am still a winner but at my own inner game. I will never tell my goals to most as they are what I battle for internally. The internal game fuels my soul, but others don’t partake in that.

This week I am competing in a partner CrossFit event. In the spotlight of some sort. Seeking attention as some would say. Mid-life crisis to others and those who can’t endure will cast hate. I don’t expect to win my division but I expect to compete and put up my best performance in the assigned movements while being a good partner for my teammate. I will cheer her on when she needs it and I will strategize with her on movements, transitions, and working towards our strengths. I will wipe sweat, fuel my body, and push my limits mentally and physically for the duration of the event.

I will feel the rush of adrenaline. I will smile from ear to ear. I will show others that I can conquer what I set my mind to. I will celebrate my friendship with a friend I met at our box 2 years ago. A friend who is competing with me for the third time. She thinks we are craZy but she will sign up for another soon. I just know it!

And what brings her back for more? It has to be the team name. We are Sparkle and Snatch, the dynamic duo for this event. Last competition, Team Hot Mess. The 40-something chicks with sass and smarts. Full-time day jobs but a hunger to live life full of fitness and fun.

The big obstacle this week for me is physical health. Can I compete? Can I push through mentally and physically? Why the change in tone in my writing? I suffered a random injury this week. A calf pull – not during my tennis match, but after. I celebrated too early or had too much fun and *boom* I pulled my muscle skipping off the court. Who does that? This girl. It was a significant pull. One that left me limping to my car and tapped out for the rest of the tennis tournament.

This injury means rest, ice, recovery, some muscle scraping, taping, and some patience to see if I can bounce back to perform the required movements in the competition. If you think about it, your calf is vital to functions such as walking, running, jumping and so on. And of course the competition calls for those type of movements. #realworldproblems

What a crappy Monday! My coach took away more carbs…sigh. And of course she keeps that protein number up there in the sky where I have difficulty reaching it.

New week new digits:

115 carbs
57 fat
130 protein

Ah, trying new things to get to that dreaded protein number. Bacon? Yes, more bacon please. A side of protein chips compliments of Quest. At least they crunch like a regular chip.

While I focus on stepping up my protein game this week I am also focusing on not being in my feelings about my injury. A minor setback, yet a humbling experience. I’m still working out, just scaling some movements. I particularly made friends with the Ski Erg this week. It allowed me to work my upper body without engaging my calf. And I actually liked it. One of my gym buddies pushed me to do some GHDs and of course there was no excuse not to put in core work.

Nutrition this week is preparing my body for the competition that I am hopeful to attend. That’s all folks. Next update is next week. Don’t eat too many bon bons waiting for the next post.

#Sparkle-N-Snatch October 2018. Praying for the ability to compete. This is my goal at this point: to compete. That is my inner challenge that I don’t normally share. Will I overcome my obstacles?

Next competition is set for December 2018. Squad competition: Team is named All Jacked Up. Can’t wait to share that jacked up story with you and hopefully I won’t be injured. #athleteprobs

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 8: I Sweat Hearts

2chicksandapen

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I love to workout out and it shows in my sweat! Does anyone out there sweat hearts like me?

Not only do I sweat hearts but but I love my Saturday workouts with people I don’t get to see during the week due to busy hectic work schedules. My Crossfit community makes the stress of the week fade like a bad 80s outfit. It’s that simple.

After a nice morning workout I hit the road for a quick weekend trip. I planned ahead and packed my macro-friendly breakfast and healthy snacks for a day at the ball field. I had baggies full of chicken meat, P3 protein packs, microwavable protein-packed meals, sparkling Ice water, gummies, and a few other on the go snacks. I managed to eat out with friends but stay within my macros. I squeezed in a soft serve ice cream cone on my drive through North Carolina for a pick-me-up.

I had a sliver of time to hit up a local mall and *viola* I found my winter bathing suit. Well, it’s one I will use this winter for progress pics that will hopefully not fit when boating season arrives next spring. Making smart choices isn’t that hard if you plan ahead. Working hard isn’t so far fetched if you are working towards a goal. #goalgetter On a side note sitting in the car for a road trip was extra boring!

New week, new numbers to conquer. Just kidding! I have the same numbers.

130 protein
63 fat
120 carbs

This is my second week with these numbers and my body is reacting. Down a few pounds this week who hoo but more importantly I feel great and my stamina and gym performance isn’t faltering even with a calorie deficit.

I may end up liking burpees now. Is that even possible, to like doing burpees?

Heading out for some more travel over the next couple weeks so the big test is if I can manage my healthy lifestyle while bouncing from hotel to hotel and spending extended time in the seat of a car or a plane. Not to mention messing with my daily workout routine.

Until next post, toodles.

author moments

Literacy Night with the 2 Chicks!

2chicksandapen

It was a dark and stormy night….really!

Seriously though, last week was amazing! 2 Chicks headlined a literacy night at a local elementary school. It was well attended despite the hurricane weather fast approaching. The set up was cozy; kids gathered with blankets and snacks on the floor. We couldn’t have been happier to meet these readers. Sharing our books and our story as authors is the heart of what we do!

We had a diverse audience, which we love, as we get to hear what our readers think about our work. What more honest critic (and fan) is there than a child?

Some of the kids were interested in the illustrations and why we chose what we did. Others were fascinated with the book-within-a-book concept from our third book. Still others wanted to know what it means to be an author and how we got our start. Many enjoyed hearing about the beginning, middle, and end of the process of making a book. Of course, the 2 CHX love the opportunity to share all of our ideas in hopes of inspiring future writers and illustrators. We encouraged them to carry notebooks with them and keep paper by their beds. You never know when ideas will strike!

Chick 1, KT, had a particularly moving experience where she met a young boy who likes to write comics with his friend. His friend likes to illustrate their ideas. WOW that is amazing! A partnership of creativity much like the the 2 Chicks have! A relationship to cherish. Their conversations expanded as the evening continued and his curiosity climbed. KT seized the opportunity to inspire and share artwork and works in progress, a true behind the scenes look for this aspiring writer. They then exchanged contact information at the child’s request to form a pen pal relationship and the young man offered future book reviews. What an amazing opportunity for both the child and the author. A connection made and more inspiration to follow….maybe even some pen pal updates. Our cup is overflowing with pure joy when we have events like this.

For Chick 2, Beth, it was an opportunity to connect with former students of her own. Chick 2 used to teach future teachers at the University of Georgia all about reading, writing, and children’s books. Three of her former college students are now teachers at this elementary school! Seeing these educators, now colleagues, encourage young people to enjoy reading, writing, and sharing their ideas was a full circle moment.

Thanks so much to our local friends for inviting us! We are looking forward to reaching more readers this way in the coming months and years. If you’d like us to visit, let us know!

Our message: Keep reading. Keep writing. Keep smiling. Keep doodling. Keep dreaming. You can be whatever you aspire to be.

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 7: Accountability Ass KicKeR week, of course!

2chicksandapen

Well, I ended the week with a strain to my lower back in the gym. Spent two days recovering but I overcame the obstacle which is a big sigh of relief.

Back at it Monday morning hitting the gym, but I took it easy as a precautionary step. At my age I need to listen to my body and rest when it says it needs a break.

New numbers out of the gate:

120 carbs
60 fat
130 protein

Check out my consistency screen shot of my food tracker app. I may not be perfect each day but my coach has me aim for within 5 grams of my numbers to stay on track. In the past few weeks I struggled with protein. One day I struggled with fat. Go figure, since I had to use olive just to get the fat I had that day! I guess the moral of the story is eat good protein and you limit your fat intake naturally. Chicken and shrimp are high protein with minimal impact on fat. #bigsecretIknow

Out with the old: there goes the rice, potatoes, and bagels. Sniff, sniff. I knew this was coming each week but it doesn’t make it any easier. I think it’s ok to say I am addicted to carbs.

In with the new: here comes the protein-packed food to hit that daunting protein number each day. Chicken and shrimp are my best friends for now.

New menu addition this week: out of necessity, to stay within my macros and still eat a bagel, I opted for a simple variation of my bagel but made with Greek yogurt. The yogurt definitely makes it fit better in my macros. Pretty tasty, but of course I didn’t make it! A pal made them for me. Remember it takes an army to feed me because my cooking skills suck! Check the recipe out:

//www.skinnytaste.com/easy-bagel-recipe/

Epic cooking failure: I attempted to make flapjack oatmeal protein cookies this week. It was a no go. I gifted them to others who may enjoy the chalk-like taste or they may just toss them in case they were just being nice to accept, knowing how bad of a cook I am!

And holy wow my coach kicked me in the rear this week.

“Share your journal” she said in a nice email. What? That’s my private entries that only I see…until now.

Enter the big sigh. If I want results I need to do the work. This is another reason why this blog is important. Others need to see this road isn’t easy and it’s full of obstacles. Dig deep and suck it up buttercup. Every ounce matters on the scale you weigh on as well as the scale you weigh your food on!

I will be electing not to write for a few days. One reason is I’m traveling for business and the other is I am going to be pouting about sharing my journal.

I may wait until the end of the week and just say yup it worked or no it just stressed me out (referring to the journal ass kicking).

Update: scale is going down finally. Many non-scale victories along the way but patience and consistency is now yielding results. More to come in future posts.

Until next time…