People, People, People!!

Its been like 3 years!!! You better believe I've told myself "I'm gonna get back to my blog..." like 2,398 times since I've last posted. This is seriously sad...and a bit embarrassing that its been so long. I was supposed to be on this whole "starting things and sticking to them" kick.
FAIL. I seriously believe that if I would've stuck with this years ago, I'd be famous with a youtube channel and a few endorsement deals by now. So this is why Im back... I need a book deal..and a cooking show. lol.

So now that I'm back, I'm here to stay (doubt it). But I'm seriously gonna put forth a valiant effort.
The thing is.. LIFE happened!


A QUICK UPDATE FOR YOU:


I got married to my sweetie...

Did a few figure competitions...

Visited France with friends...

Got another puppy. His name is Milo..Here he humps my leg.

Bought a new house!

And now here we are...  Happy and Healthy in Little Rock!!

SO LETS GET TO IT! 

The deal with me is: I normally find a fitness activity and I become so immersed in it. It's all I care about. I eat, sleep and breathe whatever it is and I tell people they are CRAZY for not participating in it with me. So today my thing is Orange Theory. I am obsessed.

I've lost about 10 pounds so far and Ive made some really good friends at the studio.

Literally all you have to do is show up, strap on the heart rate monitor and watch the calories melt away. I'm hooked.

So after I'd be attending for about a month, James realized how happy I was with the studio and realized my belly was shrinking. He saw how well I was doing (I sometimes attend class twice a day) and started running his mouth. "Girl please I can run circles around you in that class"..."You think you've got it going on until you see ME in class".. and more trash talk. So i signed him up and texted him to let him know.

So the next day we had class at 845am. I wish you could've been there to see him. Jesus.

He was a fish on dry land. Sucking in that wind! I didn't get on him too hard afterwards and we kinda laughed it off.  He told me he wanted to return that afternoon for a later class with me and promised that he would redeem himself. NO MORE SUCKING WIND.

So we get to class and our trainer Lisa is on him! Never letting him rest. After a while I saw him with his right hand balled up trying to pry it open with his left hand. YALL! The mans hands quit working. I DIED. Hydrate much??

Lisa was telling him to COME ON! PUSH! and he couldn't even give her a high 5 if she asked! We walked outta there in silence. I won't say anything.. but his smack talking better cease. Lol! Hey James, HIGH 5!!

See you guys later,

XO, Court

Guess Who's Back?!

Ok, Ok, Ok!
Its been THREE MONTHS since I've posted and I promise to NEVER leave you guys hanging for sooo long!! Starting a new job (in another state) and planning my DrEaM WeDdInG has kept this little woman BUSY BUSY BUSY. Only 55 Days until I become a MRS and I am sooo freaking excited!! Check him out! My sexy muscle man =)

SOOOOO lets get to it! I have to get you guys caught up with whats been going on in my fitness world! Let us start with the St. Jude Marathon!
 So I am proud to announce that I finished the race!! Here is a shot of me and Nicole at the start up line and YES I was about to Pee my pants. Figuratively AND literally. The restroom lines were about 20 people long so I had to wait until about mile 2 to grab a free potty. I never saw Nicole again. I was in a sea of runners..allll alone. Haha! But really- it was an awesome experience. I actually hurt my IT band at mile 17 and I had to limp/skip/jog/walk/cry to the finish line but I was NOT about to let a stupid injury keep me from that shiny gold medal. MARATHON NUMBER 1...CHECK!




I'm actually signed up to run the Little Rock 1/2 marathon this March (a week before the wedding- yup, I'm a dummy) but I havent run since the marathon. I'm kinda scared. I did a few physical therapy sessions and I might go back to get a little more therapy in just to be safe. Will keep yall posted.

Me, my medal and my homemade knee brace. LOL!!

 

 

So after the race... I took off for two weeks and just rested. It seriously drove me crazy. I felt like I was getting fatter by the minute! On Dec 18, my dear Ashley convinced me to sign up for BIKRAM YOGA. I thought she lost her mind. No way in HELL was I gunna get in a room of 30 sweaty funky people..with the door closed and the heat turned up to 105. First, I sweat like a man..Second..I sweat like a man.. Third, so does my weave. Judge away..lol. I agreed to give it a shot. I figured that all that stretching would do me some good- and at least give my knee a good workout.

So this is me and Ash on our first day. It was HELL. But now I am SOOO ADDICTED. After only a little less than a month, I've dropped weight, I'm more flexible, and less stressed. I would reccommend Bikram to anyone!If you can get past the heat, you will do fine! You have to remember to hydrate often, eat well and get adequate rest.. and the rumors are true. They will not let you leave the room during class (the sessions are 90 minutes long). You can't drink water until after the 4th pose (about 15 minutes in). No talking, no watches, no looking at anyone else but yourself..I think thats it. There are 26 poses and you do each pose twice. You listen to the instructor and watch yourself in the mirror. Everyone is so focused and in tune with their own practice. I love it. I love challenging myself to get better- I mean seriously when I first went, I had to sit down for half the class. Now I can get through the entire session without taking a seat! Now I'm just trying to work on my postures- some are difficult but most of them are pretty easy. Its just the perfecting part.I encourage anyone and EVERYONE to try it out!

And believe me-- he AINT lying. I love that everyone is comfortable with their bodies in class but MAN. Seriously.

Haha-- one other thing that me and my immature friend can't deal with in Bikram is the pooting. I kid you not, these yogis break wind and keep it moving like it never happened. Half moon pose, let er rip, change. Namaste.

You should have seen the looks on our faces when we heard the first human machine gun. Gahhh. I looked around with wild eyes wondering who did it and Ashley was trying to hold her laugh down. There is one lady who poots at least three times without hesitation. And nobody says excuse me!! I guess because you arent allowed to speak. But still! The room is BURNING UP..and the DOOR IS CLOSED! Hold your gas until its time to leave. lol..I'm kidding- kinda. I know youre supposed to let all the wind go and its part of the process..blah blah blah. It's still disturbing me while I try to hold my poses. Put your poots on silent. Well- nevermind. Those are the killer ones. Ok, ok..I'm done.

So I'm gunna leave you guys for now but I will post another one tomorrow. We have SOOO much to talk about. And I've got a WHOLE MESS of healthy recipes to share! Excited!!

 

Until tomorrow,

Namaste =)

Court





What Runners Pooch?

Hi Guys,

Well I actually miscalculated and today was a rest day on my running schedule. That is actually good news because my legs still hurty hurty hurt-hurt! So in the spirit of rest days, I decided to have THIS for breakfast.. judge me if you want to, I'm a marathon runner now so if I wanna have a mini muffin I WILL HAVE a blueberry mini muffin. And it was GOOOOOD too.

Now I promise I am a semi-clean eater but even the dedicated fall of the wagon once, or twice..or three times. Ya know- be happy. Don't worry that muffin VANISHED from my body after the workouts I suffered through today. Keep reading.

 I was supposed to rest but I teach a kickboxing class and a cardio sculpt class on Monday nights- back to back- and yes, I do the whole damn class with my students. What a rest day this turned out to be! But I love teaching fitness classes because I love sharing the joy with my students..and the pain, of course =)
 It's always good to switch up your workouts- for example: I love to run. But I can't just run all the time- I have to switch it up so that I can give certain muscles a break and engage other unused muscles. And running can get really boring- really fast. Confuse those muscles! Go swimming, or hiking..or do some yoga!
I asked a few of my students to stay and take a picture with me for my blog so that I'd have something to share with my readers-- these are the troopers that remained for the sweaty pic..All the pretty girls scooted out the door. Haha I'll catch em next time.

 

 

OH! I found this helpful picture today which shows one how to run CORRECTLY. Seriously, pay attention to this picture because I promise you- I run with my shoulders slumped and I look like Quasimoto (I'm spelling it like I think it should be spelled- do me a favor, don't google the correct spelling- be nice. It's Monday). I am CONVINCED that I have a Runner's Pooch becuase I dont have good posture while I run. I really tried to fix it but its soo hard to stand up straight while running. You can also get a runners pooch when you don't stretch out your hip flexors properly. So after each workout make sure you STRRREETTCCHH!



Hip Flexin!!

NEW PROTEIN SOURCE...

James tried ISOPURE yesterday and he says that he really likes it. I tasted it and it doesnt taste half bad. A small after taste but it has 40 grams of protein and its not thick, like a shake. Its actually tastes like watered down Kool aid... only drawback is- its pretty pricey. This bottle is $4 but the actual powder is $60 for a few weeks supply. Yikes..

Not too shabby..

 

Before I go:

 

Since I've been shoving protein supplements down your throat, lets go over some sources of protein that we should all include in our diets...

1. boneless skinless chicken (organic is best)

2. canned tuna

3.wild salmon/tilapia

4.beans and lentils

5. eggs (organic if you can)

6. lean beef- sirloin is good

7.greek yogurt

8.quinoa

9. almonds

10.cottage cheese 

Yummy yummy! Now I'm hungry!

OMG doesnt this look sooooo good? Bananas are actually not the best fruit choice for you but they are soooo tasty! My parents would always know when I snuck in (in my college years) to steal food from their pantry because the bananas would be missing! hahaha!

Okay guys!
I hope you have a good night! Tomorrow is my 3 mile trek so I'll let you know how it goes!

Peace and Chicken Grease,
Court

No Nonsense

Booyoww!!
Today was supposed to be a cross training day so James promised that he would tag along with me to the gym so that I can do moves-- and he could snap photos for you guys. But this happened...

 

So i ended up ALLLL ALONE. But that's okay! I kept a positive attitude...

And set out to the gym alone. Don't mind that pile of crap to the left- just a little pile that SOMEBODY (not me) was supposed to take to the trash this afternoon...

 



So I made my way to 10 fitness (gym in Little Rock that costs- you guessed it- $10/month) for 60 minutes of cross training. I didn't go to the functional training gym (functional training is kinda like a crossfit gym- I'll explain that later) because my legs are still a bit sore from yesterday- going from nothing to 9 miles is pretty tough on your body so I took it easy today. 

I hopped on the bike and rode for 25 minutes- just a nice easy ride (intensity of 8, no hill intervals today), watched a little tv and before I knew it, it was time to get off!

I then got an exercise ball and two 8 pound weights and did sit-up jabs.

 

1. Grab an exercise ball

2. Grab your weights- whatever size works for you

3. Lay back on your ball with the weights in each hand

4. Sit up and jab your right arm hard to the left (punch your boss hard!)

5. Lay back on the ball with your core contracted

6. Sit up and jab your left arm to the right (punch him/her hard again!)

7. Repeat..and repeat and repeat and repeat

 

I then did burpees on the step...

So you put both hands on the floor jump both feet back (you'll be in pushup positon). Jump your feet back to your hands (butt shall be in the air- like you just dont care) and stand up, jumping on the step in a fluid motion. It might be difficult to keep it flowing when you first start out but thats okay! Just keep it up. It will get easier with practice =)

 

After I finished with my burpees and ball jabs (heehee), I went for the No Nonsense circuit. This is to be done continuously without a break until the entire circuit is finished. Then you are to repeat it 2 more times! GO HARD and don't hold back. If done correctly, you should be dripping! If The No Nonsense workout is all you plan on doing, running a mile (or two) before and after will add a little intensity to the workout! Give it a try!



 

 

After my workout was complete, I headed to Kroger to pick up some TP and wandered on the health nut aisle...

 

SERIOUSLY PEOPLE!!

"Get Rich Quick" schemes are not the way to go.. So why would one think that "Get Fit Quick" schemes are effective? Slim Quick and Hydroxycut may work for some but why do we always try to take the quick and "easy" route? Work out, eat right and the results will come- I promise. Put the pills down, grab a stick of celery and join a bootcamp. Sheesh.

 

 

 So I wandered on down and passed by this.. I love Muscle Milk. People have different opinions about protein shakes but I think this is a good one. They also have a "light" version for people that want to keep the calories low. But if you need more protein in your diet, these are great (and yummy). LET ME BE CLEAR-- if your diet calls for more protein, it is better to consume more protein with actual whole foods- supplementing with shakes is not the BEST choice. But Muscle Milk is a good shake.

 

Anddd finally. I walked past the frozen dessert aisle. And stopped. Then kept walking. Then turned around. And walked down the aisle. What the heck. Its Sunday. Calories don't count on Sundays. You didn't know that? lol. Well if I must have ice cream, Im gunna go with SKINNY COW. It is the BEST ice cream with 1/3 of the guilt!! I got a mini cup of Dulce de Leche. 150 calories and 1 gram of fat. We wont mention the carbs and sugar content- its Sunday. Remember? haha!! If the ice cream container can fit in the palm of your hands then its all good. I don't make the rules =)



 

Well tomorrow is another running day. I have 3 miles so I'll knock that one out bright and early in the morning!

What workouts will you partake in tomorrow? Share with me!

 

Talk to you guys tomorrow!

 

 

Peace in the Middle East,

Court

 

"Watch Out for the Running Lady"

6 am came around waaayyy too fast. This is me at 6am..(hold on to your hats)..

Omg, I cant believe I just posted that. Haha, I seriously couldn't open one eye. But imagine waking up with this face in your face...

James was up bright and early to train his clients so I went ahead and jumped up to prepare for my 9-miler! It was kinda hard pumping myself up for the run but when I took Mykee out for his morning walk, I saw a few marathon trainers out there hitting the pavement and it pushed me to go ahead inside and prepare for my own run.
 Here are a few things I packed for the trip..

My jelly beans! You guys, THESE THINGS ARE AMAZEBALLS!!

I seriously ran this 9 mile route nonstop and when I made it back to my apartment, I was ready to clean the entire house! What you do is eat one pack of beans (the ones with the caffeine) to get you going 30 minutes before your run. Then you pack a bag of beans for the trip..I only needed half a bag during my trip so I can use the remaining beans next run. I chewed a few during mile 5 and mile 7 and I was good to go! Now just because these beans work for me doesnt mean they will work for everyone but they are seriously worth a try. Like I said before, there is no way I can do GU. Just thinking about trying to swallow that slop makes my stomach turn. Beans, Beans..they're good for your--run.

So here is my special fanny pack- I turn it backwards so the bag is on my backside and I dont look as goofy. These bags are small but I managed to fit my phone, a bag of beans, my keys and my pepper spray (that I decided to pull out and run with around mile 2). Trust no one!

Remember that water bottle that I thought was gunna get on my nerves?? LOVED IT!! Its not annoying at all because it fits so snuggly around your hand so you don't actually have to worry about holding it. And the sloshing water didnt bother me at all. WIN!

 

So down to the running business...

I mapped out a 3 mile route that I was kinda nervous about- 1) because it's a 3 mile route- that will have to be repeated two more times. How boring. I don't know how I did it- but I did (i bet it was the beans, lol).

2) I knew my route would take me right past the Salvation Army in the crummy part of downtown- I know, I know.."why in the heck are you running in the crummy part of downtown Little Rock".. I don't know- there are a million runners in the area during this time- no excuse, I know but I was so prepared...

This picture was taken after my run, but i literally had my finger on the trigger the entire time. Anywho, I ran right past the Salvation Army- 3 times. And I am telling you, those homeless men were SOO encouraging!! All I heard when I ran past was "YOU CAN DO IT" and "KEEP GOING" and "I LOVE YOU" and of course, "CAN I HAVE A DOLLA?".. haha I am totally serious! They seriously made my running a bit easier. I mean the run wasnt bad at all, but my legs were about to fall off. It hurts more when you start to slow down- thats why I try to keep my pace steady. I didnt run as fast as I want to during the marathon but I didn't walk. Baby steps =)

Towards the end of my run, there was a little grumpy old lady and her friend in the middle of the sidewalk. I was heading straight for them and I heard the friend say to old grumps "watch out for the running lady".  Little miss thing replied "the running lady better watch out for ME".

HAHA!!

That isnt a picture of the old bag, but when I googled "grumpy old lady" thats what popped up.

 

OH YEAH,

One thing you must remember when going on long runs is SOCKS! They can make or break you. Here is a picture of my foot when I did the Germantown Half Marathon with normal socks..

BLISTER CITY!! I quickly learned that you MUST wear good running socks that will wick away all the moisture and prevent blisters. I got that blister around mile seven with my normal socks- well I wore my new Feetures socks and I was blister free!

 

 

Make sure you have a recovery formula to replenish with after your workouts. I love the Wheybolic protein from GNC. Strawberry is awesome! I dont have a picture of the bag for you but you can purchase that at GNC so your body won't be so fatigued for your next workout!

 

NoW FoR mY TrEaT....

 

James decided that we needed a trip to Wally World to get NECESSARY ITEMS ONLY..

Okay, I can dig it. I asked our favorite friend Aaron if he wanted to tag along. He agreed because he knew it would be a show. I am a shopper and James is a saver..

Welp we traveled with our little buggy down the wine aisle..and I spotted my "Great Job Running This Morning" treat...

 

MADDDD HOUSEWIFE WINE!!!

 

 

Yes Yes Yes!! I knew James would say "hell no, put it back" so I told Aaron to hide it at the bottom of the basket and sneak it on the little checkout scanner while James wasnt paying attention. I mean Aaron was moving like a sneaky cat!! James didnt even notice!!

Thats Aaron bagging the groceries while my sweet bottle of wine sits hidden on the scanner. Welp the goofy checkout guy holds up the bottle of wine to James and says "SIR I HAVE TO CHECK THIS OUT LAST"...James looks up and says "whats that?".. I say "geee how did that get in there?" and Aaron dies laughing. Damn! Caught!

Thanks Mr. Checkout Guy..

 

 

Well,

Thats all for today guys!! Tomorrow is a cross training day! I think I'll do some functional training but I'll take lots of pictures and tell you all about it!

 

Love and Light,

Court