fitness

Inspiration At Its Finest

Welcome back to Kickin’ it with Kiki! I am super excited for this week because I get to share with you one of my FAVORITE inspirational quotes. I understand this may not be as significant to you or inspire you in the same way that it does for me, but either way I love it. 

“We can not become what we want by remaining what we are” – Max Depree

When I first read this it instantly made me think about where I was in my life. It pushed me to realize that I really can do anything I put my mind to with hard work. If we continue to say that we want things a certain way or we want to feel a certain way about ourselves but do not do anything about it, then we will make no progress. 

When we TRULY want something we will make it happen and the sooner I realized that the sooner I started making progress for myself. I was able to get my body moving and I started running every day. I started lifting and doing core workouts every day because I knew how I wanted my body to feel and I had not felt that good in a very long time. 

Before I realized this I would binge eat and always eat more than one serving or I would go out to eat every night because it was so much easier than finding something to eat at home. After I flipped the switch in my head I felt unstoppable and I started to feel and notice it when I looked at myself; but, nothing will compare to when other people started noticing and I was able to share what I did in hopes that it would inspire them and make them realize they could do anything they wanted! 

And to think, all of this stemmed from one quote that I came across while scrolling through social media. The inspiration that was stirred inside of me became unstoppable and I can say to this day that I am so glad I ventured out of my comfort zone because I absolutely love the way I feel. I challenge you to think about something you have seen or something you have heard someone say and really think about how it makes you feel. It could end up being life-changing!

Simple Workouts To Do While On Quarantine

Welcome back to Kickin’ it with Kiki!

Being stuck in the house has been pretty difficult for me and we are only two weeks in! That means we still have AT LEAST a month… that is dreadful. It can be hard for some people to work out during this time because all gym’s are closed due to social distancing and I completely understand why some individuals have just stopped working out. It is just simply ‘too hard’, but I am here to tell you that is not true! There are so many simple workouts to do at home that you do not need any gym equipment for. 

Below is a short list of ideas:

  • Jumping jacks
  • Push ups
  • Air squats
  • Burpees 
  • Crunches
  • Wall Sits
  • Russian Twist
  • Curls
  • In n Outs
  • Plank
  • Bridges

Running is also an awesome way to burn some calories and get your heart pumping fast! Even if it is for a couple minutes it is better than sitting around all day. If you have a dog they are perfect running partners too!

I have been doing a few of these workouts every day and they have helped so much, I love the way that I have been feeling! Pairing some workouts and healthy food go hand in hand to making your body feel good. If there are any workouts that you are not sure how to do just look them up on the Internet!

After the news for Indiana came out about school being cancelled this becomes even more important! Keeping a normal schedule will help immensely with feeling good and staying positive through the tough times. 

I challenge you to try a couple of these at home workouts this week! I promise you won’t regret it, have a fantastic week!

Smoothie Prep :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVLqKfIQ4Nk

Welcome back to Kickin’ it with Kiki! A couple weeks ago I focused on a Smoothie Bucket List; here is a great way to prepare for each week ‘s smoothie! If you have never heard of these smoothie bags it will completely change your life. Smoothie bags are the easiest way to prepare for the week in case of any inconveniences because some days are just like that. 🙂 

Here is the simplest and best way to prepare smoothie bags! This will only take about fifteen minutes to prepare and it is a set breakfast or snack for each day!

  1. Decide on your smoothie of the week:
  • There are hundreds of smoothies to choose from so it all depends on your preferences! From fruit smoothies all the way to green smoothies and smoothies that have nothing to do with fruits of vegetables; there is definitely one for you!

2. Buy the ingredients:

  • After picking the type of smoothie you want to prepare for the week, you will grab all the ingredients from the store or from your house! It is important to buy enough of each ingredient for the number of days you will be preparing for. For example, I usually prep for one week so I buy enough of each ingredient for seven days. 

3. Set out the ingredients:

  • After the ingredients are bought you will set them all on the counter. They should each be separated so you can keep them separated for the next step. 

4. Chop and cut the ingredients:

  • Using a cutting board, place one of the ingredients on it and chop/cut it into pieces. This could look different for each smoothie but in general the pieces of each ingredient should be small enough that the blender can blend it efficiently. After one ingredient is cut/chopped completely, place all of it onto a plate or in a bowl and move onto the next ingredient of the smoothie.  Repeat this for each ingredient.

5. Measure the amounts:

  • After each ingredient has been cut or chopped measure the amount of each ingredient out for each of the seven days. Place all the ingredients together in bowls to eventually be put into freezer bags.

6. Add to a freezer safe bag:

  • Take each bowl that is filled with the ingredients for each smoothie and dump each into a freezer safe Ziploc bag. These can be any size but I usually use sandwich size bags because it saves space in the freezer. Continue this step for the amount of days you have prepared ingredients for. After they have all been separated and sealed, add a label for each day on the outside of the bag.

7. Place in the freezer:

  • After sealing the bag and labeling it, place each bag into the freezer and TADA! 

Just a reminder that this does not mean the milk is added into the smoothie bags; milk choice is just added each day during the blending. Smoothie bag’s can last up to three months in a freezer but I always recommend using them within two or three weeks to ensure that they stay fresh. 

I have loved being able to prepare for the whole week all at one time! I hope this makes your mornings easier and don’t forget that a healthy mindset is the most important thing; have a great week!

Sectional CHAMPS!

The goosebumps of a good game, the pit in your stomach of a season altering game, the insane amount of joy as the time runs out. The all around intensity and love for the game in the post season of your final season; nothing compares to it. 

I could never explain the feeling of winning the sectional championship on a Saturday night at 7:30; there’s no possible way I could put into words the rush of a million feelings pulsing through my body. The last fifteen seconds were the wildest of any game I have ever been a part of. All we needed was a defensive stop and we ended up getting it which made the crowd go crazy! The best part about that was that the opposing team had to foul us when we were already up by one point. The worst part was us missing the two free throws and having to get ONE more stop to secure the sectional win. The last five seconds turned into slow motion when I went down to double in the post, without fouling, and she missed her layup to win the game. 

The buzzer went off, the time ran out, and our student section rushed the floor as we had just won a sectional title! The support and love from the fans was unbelievable while we received our trophy and talked in our huddle about how proud our coach was of us. 

We finally got announced to cut the net down and my team pushed me to be the first person to get on the ladder and cut my piece, which was a little embarrassing because I had never done it before. After finally cutting my piece I got to show it to everyone and my whole team, all my friends, and my family showed their support. I had never felt so special and more proud  of my team, who has turned into one of the greatest families I am a part of. 

We were able to stay and take pictures after the game and we were there for about an hour extra, we even made a Tik Tok for winning! As we were leaving the school and arriving back into Garrett the fire trucks were getting warmed up for us. Yes, even at ten o’clock at night our town was up and ready to escort us through the town with the community lined along the streets clapping and yelling for us. One thing I have learned from living here is the immense amount of support we show for each other; no matter what it is. 

This past week has been full of so many memories and feelings that I have never felt before. Our coaches told us these would be some of the greatest memories of high school and I fully believe it will live on in my memories the rest of my life. The game has brought our team closer together and I have been able to talk to so many new people about the game, as well as how it felt to win. 

We are getting mini trophies from our town bank and we are receiving Sectional Championship t-shirts that anyone in the school and community can buy to support us as we go compete in Regionals. We also have a week full of team dinners where we get to bond even more to stay TOGETHER when we play in the Regional game this Saturday. 

This has truly been one of the greatest experiences of my life and has made competing for four year’s worth it. I now realize that my hard work has paid off. All the progress we have made as a team this year paid off and we are going to continue to compete as we make our way to State. I could not be more proud of our young team and I am so thankful that I was able to play my last season with the most amazing group of girls who I can help with their journey through high school. 

Smoothie Timeeee

Since I started my journey of becoming healthier and loving my body, smoothies have become super important. They are so easy to prep for and they can be made quickly when in a rush. The more I look at types of smoothies the more I have realized how many of them I truly want to try! There are so many it is enough to keep me busy for years but I have some in mind right now that I am going to try and finish before the end of high school!

These are not in order from most intriguing to least intriguing but I am so excited to share and go through this journey of smoothie testing with you!

My bucket list of smoothies up to June 5 is:

  • Mango Smoothie
  • Apple Pie Smoothie
  • Berry Blast Smoothie
  • Strawberry Banana Smoothie
  • Kiwi Lime Smoothie
  • Coconut Smoothie
  • Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie
  • Peach Raspberry Smoothie
  • Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
  • Green Smoothie
  • Kale and Pineapple Smoothie
  • Green Nut Butter Smoothie
  • Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie
  • Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie
  • Pina Colada Smoothie
  • Cinnamon Bun Smoothie
  • Mocha Bean Smoothie
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Smoothie
  • Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie
  • Hot Chocolate Breakfast Smoothie

There are a lot of different kinds of smoothies; fruit, vegetable, green, and of course the odds and ends smoothies that have cocoa and oatmeal in them. It is nearly impossible to list them in categories because each of them have different ingredients in them which is why I use Pinterest to help me organize what is in each.

Once I learn which smoothies are my favorite I will use them for college! It will be so easy for me to prepare my breakfast or before practice snacks each day and will save so much time. I have also learned how to smoothie prep by preparing all the ingredients, separating them, and putting them in each bag. After bagging the ingredients it is easy to freeze them and just pick out which one you want each day; I LOVE it!

It is so easy to organize smoothies on Pinterest and I encourage each of you, if you are interested, to use Pinterest as well. My account can be found through this link; https://www.pinterest.com/kierrarichards/, and I would love to share Pins with you and talk with you about your journey!

I am also creating a checklist for my bucket list because it will help me track my progress. If anyone feels inclined to do this bucket list challenge with me I would love to hear about it and see how our opinions differ for each smoothie; it would be so great to connect with you! I hope you learn to love smoothies just as much as me or even more!!

Kickin’ It Off With Kiki

Hey kicksters! I am so excited that you came back to read and learn a little more about who I am behind the screen!  As I have gone through high school I have been able to learn a lot of things but more importantly, I have made such good relationships with the people on my athletic teams. As each new season comes I find myself getting closer with my team and I love every second of it. Of course I miss my past teammates, those who have graduated and I do not get to spend every day with anymore, but making new relationships is something I look forward to so much and sports has really given me that opportunity. 

woman doing pull ups

I have come to the conclusion that I am coming down with senioritis… SOOOO every day I wake up and all I want to do is throw on leggings and a sweatshirt. Most days I give in because, lets be real, who likes waking up and going to school of all places. However, as the day goes on and I get to go to weights class my mood does a complete 180 and I normally have fantastic days! The way I feel when I work out and how I am able to let all my anger and frustration out in a healthy way has also become very important to me. It has helped my mindset so much and I am so thankful for that. Making my own food and sharing with others of how and why I chose to make it has also become a big part of my day. 

be fearfully authentic

Each day is filled with new experiences that help point me in the direction I want to go as far as college and what I want to pursue in my life. My lifestyle is solely based around athletics and I know that is the direction I want to go in the near future. Through my experiences I have learned so much about how to be myself and how important it is to not care what others think as long as YOU are happy and healthy. Until next time, stay original! 😉
#introductionfriday

Life as I know it

From the second I wake up, working out is on my mind. It has become an escape from reality when I need it and is truly one of my greatest allies. Thoughts continually flood my mind of what to prepare for lunch or dinner. The excitement of new recipes and ideas is one of the greatest muses for each day. Pinterest; frankly, is a blessing in this aspect of my life. Seeing people in pain or not having the capability to do something for themselves hurts me more than anything else in the world. Through high school, what I want to pursue has been orchestrating through my mind constantly as it is the next BIG decision ahead of me. Food and physical activity tend to make up a majority of my day and through my research I have become stuck between two things; a dietitian and a physical therapist. Sundays are strictly family time and I would not have it any other way. Coming together with the people I love as well as my brothers and sisters in Christ brings a joy that compares to nothing else.

I am quite simple yet 100% authentic and original. I am an athlete, a lover of food and others, and purely led by God in all aspects of life. My friends, they call me Kiki.