Two for the price of one

So....my epic trip is on the horizon. As a matter of fact, I put my first km of my trip in today. So, before I shift focus to sharing my explorations in the coming weeks, I want to share what transpired during the last two weeks, both in my WW (Watchers Watchers) journey, and in the preparations for my adventure!

Last week in WW world we focused on protein. How it is a powerhouse nutrient that helps strengthen bones and supports the health of our cells, muscles and blood. I have been aware for some time how eating food higher in protein helps regulate our blood sugars, so our bodies are less likely to experience major spikes. The science shows that protein helps in terms of weight loss and maintenance. It helps us to feel full.

I believe it would be helpful to engage one's own research on our own specific requirements over the run of a day. A nutritionist and/or our family doctor (if we have one) are great resources.

There are many options as far as protein. Animal-based protein sources include things like chicken breast (3 oz): 26 g; Egg (1 large): 6 g protein; Greek yogurt, plain non-fat (3/4 cup): 17 g protein; Cottage Cheese, low-fat (1/2 cup): 14 g protein; Tuna, canned in water (3 oz): 22 g protein; Turkey breast (3 oz): 25 g protein; String cheese (1 stick) 607 g protein. Plant-Based Protein Sources: Lentils, cooked (1/2 cup) 9 g protein; Chickpeas, cooked (1/2 cup): 7 g protein; Tofu, firm (1/2 cup): 10 g protein; Tempeh (1/2 cup): 15 g protein; Quinoa, cooked (1 cup): 8 g protein; Edamame, cooked (1/2 cup): 9 g protein, Almonds (1/4 cup) 7 g protein and Chia seeds (2 tbsp): 5 g protein.

I have been utilizing this past week's technique to get ready for my journey and pack snacks that are protein heavy so I can enjoy feeling full between bathroom breaks and/or gas fill ups. Of the three macronutrients, research tell us that protein has the greatest impact on satiety!

This week in the WW (Weight Watchers) world we focused on Strength training and the importance of this in our lives. The sell is for us to spend 1% of our week on this to increase our metabolism and decrease our body fat.

Many health benefits are also associated with strength training. It can reduce our risk for chronic disease, improve blood pressure and help build stronger bones. We can see an improvement in sleep which also has benefits to living a healthy life.

The recommendation is to engage in strength training activities for approximately 20-30 minutes 2-3 times each week. So....90 min a week. We can sneak this in throughout our day or have a more focused approach. Resistance training using our own body weight is a great way to sneak this into our day. I utilize my weights to sneak in some resistance training. Squats, lunges and farmer carries are my go-to exercises. I do counter push up's and/or wall push up's, moving in ways that use my body to gain strength are part of the routine of my day. One can do a quick search online to find things that work for you. One can also look at this in terms of sneaking13 minutes each day for 7 days and hit the target of 90 minutes!

One of my challenges is to find ways to utilize these skills while taking breaks on my driving adventures over the coming days and over the summer. As I get my kayaks on and off the car I sure use squats and the weight of my kayak enhances my strength skills!

As I come closer to celebrating 66 years around the sun, I have decided to get all my burpees in before the actual day of my birthday. Today I will do my final six burpees. Burpees are strength building for sure. I am retiring my birthday burpee celebrations and will come up with a new plan for when I turn 67.

Next week I will share some pictures of my adventures of kayaking and playing with friends. Have a great week!