Tag: KT

fitness and nutrition

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

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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…..

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 5 – Consistency and the Power of a Compliment

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Week five is a reflection week. How good have I been with my food tracking? How consistent is my gym attendance? How well have I done meal prepping? Did I sneak in some alcohol? Did I munch on that dessert? Am I sleeping well? Does the scale like me this week?

As I close out September I see plenty of room to improve and that’s what I am going to do. No more birthday excuses! No more extra dark chocolate covered almonds….I mean they are soooo hard to resist. It’s definitely hard to count out a handful and say that’s my ration. That’s it. 🤧

I am going to focus on being consistent as the fall and fluffy clothes weather are upon me. Why? Because it is easy to hide under the fluffy clothes and I want abs for Christmas this year!

I’m going to hit some clearance racks this week and buy a swim suit two sizes too small to use as my winter motivation. Let’s see how I measure up as we get to 2019 and bikini season!?!

As a bonus tidbit this week, I am putting a shout out to those college kids who are on their own for the first time and may want to give in to the freshman weight gains. Don’t do it. Commit to yourself and your education. It’s all about life balance. You can do it!

With reflections you can identify strengths and weaknesses. This week I turned a corner and hit my protein numbers more consistently, thanks to a new item I tossed into the food mix that cures my sweet tooth and gives me some protein. Check out the FlapJacked mighty muffin hack this week. If you are traveling, in the office break room, or in your college dorm this is a great fill in. This is a quick and easy eat that tastes soooo good! Just add water and you get some decent protein and curbs that sweet tooth. Not an everyday stable mable but a good alternative for when you need it. Double chocolate is the way to go and you can get them on amazon. Super easy!

Short post this week. Just keeping true to my word of a weekly post on my fab and fit journey. Less is more sometimes.

And my extra special bonus this week came from my kid’s doctor who said I looked amazing. I hadn’t seen him in six months so it was nice that he noticed. The power of a compliment like this fuels motivation. It really does. Getting noticed for the hard work you put it is just fabulous. And the shocked look on his face of “Wow, you look good!” made it that much better. Watch out world. I still got some game in me! Fab. Fit. Fun….and now super cute!

Toodles for now. 😘

fitness and nutrition

KT’s Week 4 = PrOgReSS

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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

Faith and Freedom: KT’s Week 3

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Oh I have faith in myself yes I do. I also have the freedom to be good or bad. Who knew?!

As I enter week three, I lived through birthday #1 but did dine out at a favorite restaurant (Pappadeaux).

I did indulge in a seafood dish to aid in hitting my protein numbers but also included some fat in the sauce and I really entered the dark side and shared a dessert. Was it the best choice? Probably not, but my nutrition plan is about living and choosing the better options most of the time and not stressing if you splurge once in a while.

Speaking of splurging I indulged in a low carb cocktail this weekend. Not my first choice of drinks but one that was easier to justify I guess. Nonetheless I expect my scale and body to react a little differently over the next few days while that little indulgence works its way out of my system. This was officially the first time I had alcohol on this healthy living plan since I started and the 12 weeks prior so this was a big deal.

Drum roll please! The new numbers are in:   160 Carbs, 130 Protein,  67 fat

As I suspected my numbers are shifting downward. Down another 110-150 calories a day…. no big deal. But that protein number is so damn hard to hit! I feel like I need to inhale shrimp by the pound daily to make it work or supplement with a protein drink. And right now my go to drink is Shamrock Farms Rockin’ Protein Builder. 190 calories, 30g protein, 4 g fat and 12 carbs.

Enter big sigh as I tackle the week. Still no big victory on the scale to report but I can safely say my stamina on burpees and running is improving so I will take that over the scale anytime.

———–

Mid-week check-in right here: Well today was a game changer! I talked to my coach about my 12 weeks and some big picture thinking and *boom* I changed my program from 12 weeks to six months. That translates into a longer time commitment and hopefully some big changes in my body composition. Again, the coach is now in the spotlight just as much as me. And she knows that I am cataloging this journey on here so maybe, just maybe, I will let her be a guest blogger so she can show her side of the equation.

It’s a partnership for the next 6 months. I’ve never met her in person and we live in different ends of the country with different lifestyles. Talk about a trust exercise! Working together to achieve a goal.  Would you make the same commitment?

I am a bit crazy (in a good way). I take risks everyday and this is just another one for me, but I’m the one that determines the outcome.

fitness and nutrition

KT and the Blimp

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OMG is she for real?

I got a new nutrition coach this week and WOW! She is gonna make me the Goodyear Blimp. Well, that is what I say now and I mean it but she tells me to trust the process. Hmmm. I am a rule follower which means I am going to trust the process but then I am also going to let the world know how it’s going too, from week 1 to week 12. Little does my coach know she is in the spotlight, so let’s hope she commits to me in the same way I am committing to her?!?!

185 carbs, 145 protein, 75 fat. Those are my magic macro numbers this week. What does this mean? It means I am counting my macros or macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat. This is just a way to monitor my food choices vs. counting calories or limiting my food options to paleo or ketogenic for example.

I don’t have any diet restrictions other than I can only eat what fits my macros for the day. This means I’m not on a diet. I’m merely working with a coach who helps me have a better relationship with my food which yields better food choices.

So if I want to eat ice cream all day, I can, but I have to eat only what is allotted in my macros! It’s easy once you get the hang of it but it’s not an exact science to figure your numbers so starting with a new coach is scary as we learn about each other.

I recently came off a cut period in which I had good results. My magic numbers were 150 carbs, 120 protein, 48 fat. Sooooo my new numbers are a lot higher. This equates to another big meal and I have to force myself to eat it. Real world problems, right?

So, I’m journaling my experience to maybe help others out there. Let’s see how this goes. 12 weeks of magic or mystery. Just hoping for 12 steps forward not backwards. Maybe if I am brave I will post pics at the end. #trusttheprocess #putinwork #consistencycounts

Just so you know, this is my second round with a coach and I am working hard to lean out my body to improve my gym performance and overall health. Fab/fit at 50 is my ultimate goal and the hope to see ab muscles in the future is like the cherry on top. But really it’s the process of digging deep mentally to get it done and the ability to continually reinvent yourself that I want to share.

As I wrap up the week, I did my hard CrossFit WOD at 8am then added some bonus abs work and headed over to a Pilates studio for another round of torture. When I was done my body said “feed me” and of course I said yes! I went to my favorite Saturday morning breakfast spot and fueled up. See the pics below. And note this food fits into my macros so it’s a win for me today.

Wish me luck and feel free to ask any questions about the process. I am sure you have read a bunch of times that I like to inspire others. So here goes.