Tag: weight loss

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

Chick 2’s New Nutrition Plan (aka 24 Chicken Nuggets and a Packet of Sauce)

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Chick 2’s Turn to Chime In:

I’m jumping on the macro bandwagon for different reasons.  Since the start of 2018 I’ve spent a few months on keto and a few months trying to “eat clean” focusing on upping my vegetables and protein while staying away from processed foods.  Both approaches brought success in their own ways, but after a time I stalled out, got bored, figured out how to game each system, missed ______ (bread, chips, tacos, tortillas, ice cream, brownies, insert whatever craving-of-the-week hit) a lot, and decided it was time to change again.

I first heard the word “macros” from one of my CrossFit coaches.  It didn’t take long until I was hearing it two or three times a week.  After seeing several friends achieve good results using it, I decided to give it a try.

It’s only been a few days, but here are my impressions so far.

-Tracking is a challenge to get used to, especially if you are serious about measuring your amounts (using a food scale, etc.), which you need to be. Neither of my previous plans required this.

-I have only eaten significant carbs (other than veggies or fruits on my clean eating plan) occasionally in the past 8 months.  I do feel myself wanting to gorge myself once I have some carbs, like rice, pizza crust, etc.  I hope this changes.

-It is HARD to balance it all. Examples:

Day 1: I ended up with some carbs and lots of protein left.  I had no idea what to do so I just gave up and decided to try again the next day.

Day 2: I ate well at work.  I have gotten really good at meal prep this year, packing for work for the week every Sunday.  Then I usually just eat dinner at home. But on this day I ended up going from work to the gym to watching my daughter play sports until late and ended up consuming 900+ calories after 8pm.  24 chicken nuggets, one honey mustard sauce, and a drink. You’d think this was a mega-cheat but it wasn’t.  I played with food combinations between games, etc. and that was all I could come up with, but I hit my macro counts almost perfectly for the day.  Still, as I told my daughter, the 24th nugget isn’t nearly as tasty as the first one. This was a “trust the process” moment, since everything in me said that eating 24 chicken nuggets was NOT a weight loss move. (I had many of these moments during keto as well.) But, I did it.

Day 3: Today I decided to eat the Chick-Fil-a meal that was offered to me at school midday, hoping to break calories up more evenly. Then I ended up way short on fat and carbs for the rest of the day (mainly due to the waffle chips I ate.)  It was a struggle to get nearly enough protein to get close to the right number.  I was hungry most of the day even though I ate more than my allotted calories, and in the wrong macro categories on top of that.

I am trying to be patient but at times that doesn’t feel so good.  On my previous diets I had go-tos that I knew I could eat if I was hungry.  I haven’t figured that out yet on this plan.  This particular group does not offer meal plans but I can see why they get asked so often to provide them.  It takes time to figure out what works.  On keto I did spend time reading labels to understand carbs, etc.  The second diet was easier to follow, just making vegetables the foundation of my diet.

This one has freedom over what you can eat but the amounts and the overall daily mix creep up on you.  It’s a lot to manage.  The best approach has been to plan the entire day in advance, but I’ve also realized just how often I am offered food unexpectedly (especially at work!) or that things often just don’t go according to plan.  In some ways this way of eating does seem like an approach you can use for life. I do want tacos and chips and all ice cream, but I know I can’t have them in unlimited amounts or every day if I want to be healthy.  I’m committed to figuring it out and seeing if I can achieve my goals.

I have had bad days and better days so far, but I am getting used to it.  I realize I have to be intentional from early in the day to get my protein in, so I shopped with that in mind. More to come in the next update.

#2chx #mealprep #health #nutrition #fitness #CrossFit #macros #iifym #proteinlife #keto #balance #chickennuggets #stilllovecheese
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.

fitness and nutrition

Beth’s First Year of Crossfit

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There’s a running joke on the internet.  CrossFit people LOVE to talk about CrossFit. A year ago I wouldn’t have thought I would be one of those people, but today I can tell you it’s true.  A day doesn’t pass when I don’t talk about CrossFit.

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It starts when my alarm goes off at 4:45am. I ask myself…Beth, do you really want to get up and go?  Then, get out of bed to my quads and glutes screaming….why are you up?  Get back to bed! Walking across the room, every cell in my body is telling me I’m sore.  I can’t today. But I keep walking. I get up and get to my box nearly every morning.

It is addicting and those who haven’t experienced CrossFit (but have friends who talk about it) might call it a cult. I may have even been one of those people just a year ago. I won’t go that far but I will say, after nearly a year, I am a believer.

KT and I each had our own paths to joining our box, CrossFit Pure, but KT took the plunge far earlier and is responsible for bringing me in to the CrossFit community.

It wasn’t easy to get me to try it. KT would tell you I was full of I can’t. I won’t fit fit in. I’m not athletic enough. I don’t have time. I just can’t. But those were all just excuses or poor reasons to not invest in myself. It took about a year of her asking, persuading, coaching, nagging, or verbally dragging me before I gave in.

KT and the Box Babes welcomed me with open arms. They told me it will probably be like death for the first few days but you can do it and we will be here to support you. And that is where my Pure family journey began in late summer 2017.

Before I joined Pure, I had been a committed walker / jogger for years.  In 2016, I set a goal of moving for 750 miles and managed to clock well over 1,000 miles.  That was an accomplishment. I was still considered morbidly obese, but my cardiovascular health did improve and I managed to keep diabetes at bay. Even still, I wasn’t getting the results I wanted, the ones you see in the mirror and others might take notice of.  I lost about 10 pounds that year, but I wanted more.

Fast forward to today, when I will soon celebrate my first year CrossFitversary. I can’t believe I did it but I did.  I committed to something out of my comfort zone.  I made a financial and time commitment to myself despite scheduling challenges and long commutes.  I survived and now consider myself an athlete of sorts.  Maybe not an elite athlete but I compete every day at the box, even if it’s just with myself.

I had my annual physical yesterday. My doctor marveled at how much I have improved my health this year. My blood pressure is excellent, my heart is strong, and as a bonus I lost over 25 pounds, which is about the same as what I had lost the previous three years combined. Holy wow, I did that. Me! The girl who thought she couldn’t turned into the girl who believed she could and did it.

I am now able to look in the mirror and see how much I have changed. I am physically stronger, mentally stronger and I am capable of taking on many life challenges I face by slowly chipping away at them. I feel better. I look better and more confident. I eat healthy foods most of the time.

Looking back, I was afraid of CrossFit for several reasons.

As many of my friends can tell you, I am about the least athletic person on the planet.  I can trip over flat ground (and do so often).  I have no coordination or sense of my body. Growing up, I had permanent scabs on each knee.  My Dad called me “Grace” (since I had none).

Having heard some of the things CrossFit athletes did, I was convinced I wasn’t capable of lifting weights on a barbell, doing burpees, or jumping on a high box without injuring myself and those around me (and also eliciting ridicule from the actual athletes there).  Then, there was the scheduling.  The friends I had went to a class I couldn’t attend due to my work schedule.  How would I endure this by myself?

I can now share that all my fears about CrossFit were quickly laid to rest.

Movements were taught step-by-step by capable, patient, qualified coaches…scaled versions helped me build up if I couldn’t get it that day.

Even though I technically went to class by myself, the people at my class welcomed me quickly and encouraged me from the very beginning (which isn’t easy at 5:30 am!)

Finally, I now find seeing people and enduring the pain / accomplishment to be a beautiful part of the process.  These are people who I would have never met otherwise.  Some people who are crazy healthy and fit actually cheer for me – me! And are pulling for my health, fitness, effort, and happiness (even as they play a role in it).

CrossFit is the real thing.  My story is real and still unfolding.  I’m just one of many who have been transformed by CrossFit and community, and I’ll keep talking about it to anyone who will listen.

Think about your health goals.  Maybe CrossFit isn’t for you today, but what might your next step be? If you feel scared, find a buddy and get active. It might be a nightly walk today and yoga next year. Define your path and skip along at whatever pace works for you. Remember if you never try new things you will never see the world and all that it has to offer.

#2CHX