Tag: journeys

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…

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 6: Food, Toilet Paper and…?!?!

2chicksandapen

Well, here we are at another week in the fab fit fun journey I call life. My life is crazy most days, but that is what I love about it and why I decided to twist my tangled web of life into this blog spot this week. Wait, I do that every week! #itsallaboutme

Let’s start with my opening pic. Those are my tired legs on Saturday morning. Thick thighs matter people and so does rest and relaxation. I get up and hit the gym early on Saturdays and when my schedule allows I double up and knock out an extra workout with Pilates. This was the drill this week and it was bitter sweet all around. I said good bye to one of my favorite CrossFit coaches then scooted over to Pilates where I got my ass, abs, and thighs into tip top shape. Just kidding! The attempt was made only. No abs are visible yet because if there were abs I would post a pic, trust me!

I fueled the beast (me) then back home to my circular spinny chair that is amazing. I flopped my lazy and sore butt into that fabulous chair. I write most of this blog in the spinny chair for those of you who need a visual. All while the hubs thinks I’m texting friends but I’m really writing….he is just oblivious. Feet kicked up relaxing, looking out the windows at the sunshine or the rain, each of which is calming in its own special way. I read, write, think, create and rewrite in this chair that spins like my life: round and round we go like hamsters on a hamster wheel.

This week a special friend told me that he knows what I do every minute of my week thanks to my online presence. Well if you read this post, I dedicate this one to you! Ha Ha, not really. I don’t post the end of my toilet paper rolls on here, or the number of times I hit the commode, but I could, since poop sells. I don’t post the amount of time I spend on glam sessions, or the big deals I close 9-5 as a boss lady. I don’t post about all the petty crap the comes across my work desk on the daily. I don’t post about all the stupid people I have to exercise patience with, sometimes repeatedly. And I don’t post about my sex life. So there, we will get back to my fab, fit, fun life instead. But I do take requests so if you need a commode column or a sex life column just let me know and I will see if I can acCOMODate your inquiring minds?!?!?! Hope I disappoint you with the sex title 😉

My fun Friday started this week when my CrossFit box brought in some new equipment. Ski Erg’s were in the box for us to rise and grind, promptly at 6:30am. It was different, fun, and it got my heart pumping and the sweat dripping which is exactly what I needed for the stressful work day that was on the horizon. It’s been about 20-25 years since I went skiing. Holy cow, that makes me feel old! And it took me a minute to get the motion going but I conquered the Ski Erg and I am looking forward to it being in my workout mix.

FNL or Friday Night Lights rounded out the day for me. A little tailgating, a blue snow cone, and the nasty smell of high school boys post-game. Supporting my local community team. Cheering on a boy who is destined for the NFL and hanging with some friends I haven’t seen in a while. It was good time sitting in the stands, listening to the fans cheer, watching the engaging half-time show and smelling the aroma of a backyard bbq.

This week’s game had a purpose. A good fight kind of purpose. Each of the feeder schools fought to collect food for their local food pantries. What a great way to help others. Being a blogger is purposeful and I challenge each of my readers to make an impact on their community. Donate this week or month to a local food bank. Don’t have the means? Volunteer. Volunteering at a food bank is one of the most humbling experiences one can have.

In honor of the food fight I will be posting food pics this week to give you a glimpse at my food choices this week. Some people don’t understand what it means to count macros and others think I am always on a diet. I really just choose what I want to eat and make it fit in my daily macros.

#iifym – if it fits your macros you eat it. 🍩 🍕 🌮 🍔 🥦 🥩 🥛 🥓 🍦 🧀 🍳 ☕️

  • Steak, chicken, zucchini and onion kabobs was a mid-day Saturday meal while football was blazing at my house.
  • Way too spicy shrimp on a Monday. I needed that protein but they were just too damn spicy!
  • Weekly go-to items: yogurt almost daily #nofat mighty muffin #chocolatefix cheese stick and clif bar are #onthegosnacks
  • Need to avoid items on the daily: cookies, especially the ones the hubbie buys in bogo pack #nothelpful
  • Hydration: I have been drinking Ice flavored water as my go-to drink or no calorie drink but my coach insisted I get some real water in the mix. Enter the water challenge. I’m at about a 3:1 ratio, or 3 flavored Ice to 1 plain Jane water #progress #hopefloatsthisweek
  • Starbucks: I haven’t gone a week without my rocket fuel at least a couple days. This is the time of year I switch from iced coffee to hot. I’m sticking with a skinny caramel macchiato for now but I’m really waiting for their infamous caramel brûlée to hit the scene next month….but I’m hoping the skinny version will be in my macro range.
  • Pasta salad mid-week. Got some peppers, onion, tomatoes and a cheese stick for some fat and protein. This is a meal I could eat daily. Compliments to my sister for making that yummy dish for me this week. #takesanarmytofeedme #stillnotgoodinthekitchen
  • Slacker alert: I missed some photo food ops this week. My bad it’s fall break here so the kiddos are off schedule. #realitytookover

Remember fitness/nutrition is an investment in you not an expense. Keep moving and challenging yourself.

You control the when you eat, what you eat, and how your body feels because of this week my macros are:

130 carbs

62 fat

130 protein

PSA: this blog is written by KT aka Chick 1. KT announced this blog with a quick Instagram video. She added a twist to her storytelling this week by adding her voice. You have seen her in pics which is also by design. Adding video lets you hear the author’s voice. Another layer of creativity which is part of 2 CHX overall style. 2 CHX is always creating and reinventing themselves. Following Dr. Seuss’s lead….why fit in when you were born to stand out? Which is also a celebration of aging women in our eyes.

In your 40s you have experienced life. Success, failures, births, deaths, and technology growth. Now, you can sit back and settle for all things the same / meh or you can create the new beautiful version of you as you tackle your 50s and beyond. This overall blog section will show you our vision for our own personal growth as we hope to inspire others to create their own version of a sexy, beautiful, strong self after 40.

A little tidbit for our readers: KT.247 is her brand within many affiliated brands or entities. KT blogs here as a creative outlet and means of storytelling and as yet another layer of the complex business woman, coach, athlete, momma, friend and CrossFit addict that KT represents. It is only one slice of the pie. Some will like the slice and others may crave more. KT often says she is an acquired taste, one that takes time to appreciate. If you want to stick around, she will be writing here for six long months about her fab, fit, fun life adventures. Stick around or not, the choice is yours.

Until next time…..