Archives for August 2017
Making a Protein Shake On-The-Go Mom-Hack
So you know that drinking an amazing protein shake after your workout will help with muscle recovery and serve as a post-workout treat. However, do you have trouble figuring out how to transport a shake?
Unless you are drinking a ready mixed drink sold already in a liquid form, there are a lot of problems with transporting and mixing a protein shake.
Problems to avoid:
1) Time: Protein powder in drinks can break down starting at around 30 minutes. So ideally you should mix your drink and consume it in about half an hour. If I mix it before my workout, that would be a problem since my average workout is 45-60 minutes.
2) Time again: Ideally I would like to drink my protein drink right after my workout. I live 45 minutes from home, so waiting until I get home is a no go too.
3) Cost: Stopping by a smoothie place or buying pre-mixed drinks are going to kill your budget and your macros because those things are loaded with sugar.
Solution:
Carry 3 items with you to the gym. Protein powder, BlenderBottle Shaker Bottle
Mom Hack:
Use an infant dry formula travel dispenser (shown below) that can be found in the baby department of most stores for around $5. It has 3 compartments that you can put different flavors of protein powder or mix-ins like powdered peanut butter or supplements. I enjoy 
Mixing the protein shake:
Step 1: Pour water in the BlenderBottle Shaker Bottle
Step 2: Choose one compartment of powder and add it to the cup.
Step 3: Place blender ball and lid on cup and shake, shake, shake.
Step 4: Enjoy your freshly made protein drink on your car ride home.
Check out the video of me demonstrating and explaining about this mom hack below.
Dear Me, You Are Beautiful: Embracing a Positive Body Image
DEAR ME, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
I wore a bikini today. Not a two piece, granny tankini type of bikini, but one that bares my midsection. Not only did I wear a bikini today, but I wore it out on the beach packed with families enjoying their vacation. And you know what….? No one shrieked in horror, no one insulted me, no one even gave me a dirty look, and I didn’t melt, die, or turn to salt. Let me tell you how I got on the beach in a bikini today.
When I started Lipstick and Kettlebells, I included “empowering women” as part of my website’s tagline. I wanted it front and center, a mission that would not be lost in the hustle and bustle of daily commentary.
Part of the mission of empowering women was embracing the body positivity movement in which we can love and embrace bodies of all shapes and sizes. I have had amazing relatives and friends sharing their stories on social media and some even baring all down to a bikini to promote the message to “love yourself”. Over the past year or so, I would read these stories, “like” the photos and “follow” their journey all the while thinking how amazing and brave that they all were. It only recently dawned to me that you know what…..I AM THAT BRAVE; I LOVE MYSELF THAT MUCH TOO!
I am very fortunate in several ways. I grew up with a family that was always telling me how pretty I was and how smart I was. I remember going to church on Sunday with my grandmother as a little girl and having all the older ladies comment how lovely I was or how much I resembled my parents. I grew up mostly confident, I was a little chubby, but that was ok because everyone was still telling me how pretty I was and that I will have a growth spurt soon (I’m still waiting). Writing this, I sound a little vain, but it wasn’t like that. I had my insecurities too, especially since many of my friends were smaller than me and as a teen I would shop for accessories as they would shop for clothes in a store that I knew would have nothing to fit me.
In college, I slimmed down a little and for the first time had a notion of feeling “sexy” a new, daring emotion. During this period of life, I met my husband, fell in love, and could fit in clothes that I felt lovely and confident in. Since then, years of semi-poor eating choices, stress, hormones, and a lack of activity crept up until I was 80lbs heavier than the summer that I met my husband. That equates to 12 years and 80lbs. Now I can’t complain because I have a husband that still tells me how beautiful I am to him, but you see, I needed to believe it….and I didn’t anymore. Gone was the confident little girl that didn’t doubt if she was pretty. It probably happens to us all, but I decided to change it.
Last summer I had a baby, my first and only baby. If you had told me last summer that I would strut out on the beach in a bikini, I would have laughed in your face. I’ve never had a stereotypical “beach body” and still don’t, but that’s ok, I’m working on it. I told you that I started my fitness journey in March in my fitness introduction post, but what I didn’t tell you was that I was taking classes for a promotion to move into a leadership position at the same time. My messy bun and no makeup fresh face was far from the polished professional that I wanted to present. I reached out to a colleague that I didn’t know well, but she was selling Younique makeup and I desperately needed some new foundation and basics. I went to her house and she not only got me what I needed, but explained that she joined the company because it was all about empowering women. Whether you are a lipstick and go kind of gal or someone who likes a full face of make-up, Younique was about making you feel beautiful and confident to be the best you. This message really stuck with me. So much in fact, that I joined the Younique team myself because I wanted to help women feel bold, beautiful, and confident enough to take on the world. I added bold, bright lipstick to my ensemble and just started crushing life. Workouts, job interviews, family, mom life, bring it all on because I got this. Hence the “lipstick” in Lipstick and Kettlebells;)
So here it is…my point I guess you could say. You are beautiful and you don’t have to prove that to anyone but YOU. If you aren’t happy with something, change it for you…no one else. If someone can’t appreciate your beauty then you don’t need them. I just walked out on a beach in a bikini as a complete “work in progress”….extra pounds, cellulite, jiggly thighs, stretch marks from having a baby and all. I did so to prove a point to not only you, but me. You are beautiful and life is way too short to always be living in the world of cover-ups and oversized clothes. Today, my daughter and husband were on the beach with me, she is my legacy and I want to show her that a mom can be healthy and strong. I want her to remember her mother as fearless, because I want her to be FEARLESS. There is a big, scary world out there so be genuine to yourself. For me that’s lifting something heavy, wear bold, bright lipstick (even if it’s not the fashion) and lead my family into a healthy, active lifestyle. For you, it may be a different journey…..just remember to do it for you!
Meal Planning Strategy on Vacation
Today, marks day four of our family vacation and it has been a quiet relaxing day. I always stressed about making healthy choices regarding food while on vacation. Even my trainer reminded me before I left to make healthy decisions.
I decided to accomplish “mission healthy eating on vacation” by cooking in the condo more than eating out. I joked to my husband while packing the car that I never felt more like a “mom” than I did packing the cooler full of food to bring on our trip. You see, lugging a cooler full of food for hours in a car was one of those things that I swore I would never do (we all have them, things our parents did that we said we would never do). Well….now I’m a little older and wiser and I know 4 things:
1) It is expensive to eat every meal out in a resort town.
2) A 14 month old only has the patience for waiting for food so long (even with snacks we bring).
3) Unless I want egg white omelets or baked fish with every meal, there are not a lot of healthy options.
4) Buying groceries in a resort town is almost as expensive as eating out, so bring on the cooler.
Now a vacation would not be a vacation with a few treats here or there, but I saved those splurges for specifically Fractured Prune Donuts and Dumser’s ice cream. My strategy for meal planning was as follows:
1) Create a meal plan, complete with ingredient list. If you are tracking your Macro Nutrients (Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins), plug those in a tracker (I prefer my fitness pal).
2) Break down your list into two categories: ingredients that will transport well and those perishables that are best to buy at your destination.
3) Take inventory of what ingredients you have at home and shop for those that will transport well. Items that will transport well are meats, frozen vegatables, dry goods (pasta, rice, etc), sauces or marinades, spices, snacks, drinks.
4) Make a list and pair items with coupons to bring on your trip if possible. Items I purchased at our destination was fresh vegetables, milk, eggs, bread, yogurt, cheese, hummus.
5) Stay on plan, I built in a couple of flex meals where we could eat in or out, but for the most part we have stuck to the plan and our digestive systems have thanked us for it.
Overall, by cooking in the condo, I was able to meal plan for healthy options of some of my family’s favorite foods. Check out today’s “Healthy Eats of the Day: Venison Taco Salad”.
PS: Don’t forget to follow Lipstick and Kettlebells on Instagram @lipstickandkettlebells for other exclusive recipes including my favorite…Hawaiian Chicken
Healthy Eats of the Day: Venison Taco Salad
Today, was Taco Thursday for lunch. I am going to share with you the recipe and macro stats for my Venison Taco Salad.
For those of you that don’t know, venison is a fancy term for meat that comes from a deer. I am fortunate enough that my husband ensures that our freezer is stocked with ground venison, venison steaks, roasts, and sausage. A local butcher does a great job in portioning each package of meat into approximately 1lb packs. One of the reasons that I love to include venison in my diet is the fact that it is about as organic and “free range” as you can get. There is very little fat in venison (unless your butcher adds beef fat, which we specifically DO NOT get added). Basically, venison is the perfect meat for a high protein and low fat option. If you are just starting to cook with venison, I suggest using ground venison in recipes that you would typically use ground beef (spaghetti, tacos, meatloaf, chili).
Venison Taco Salad Recipe (Serves 2 people)
Ingredients:
1lb ground venison
¼ cup of taco seasoning (or chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika)
2/3 cup of water
2 cups of shredded/chopped romaine lettuce
½ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons of salsa
Other topping options (not included in macros): Sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, jalepenos
1) Brown ground venison in a frying pan over medium high heat until color turns from pink to brown. (Venison has very little fat, but strain and rinse cooked meat anyway to help eliminate any “gamey” taste.)
2) Add 2/3 cup of water and ¼ cup of taco seasoning to the meat and continue cooking over medium high heat until excess water is cooked out. Set meat aside.
3) In a bowl, add 1 cup of shredded lettuce, 4 oz of cooked venison taco meat, ¼ cup of shredded cheese, and 2 tablespoons of salsa. Top with any additional topping options. This meal takes about 15 minutes to prepare making it a great lunch option. Or a quick dinner after training 😉
The macros for the recipe as I have described is: 5g of carbohydrates, 12g of fat, 42g of protein.
Try it out and let me know what you think.