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

You Are What You Eat!

HOLA HOLA!!

Haha this picture is SO ME!

I missed you guys this weekend! I was super busy so I wasn't able to post but IM HERE!! I hope everyone had an awesome weekend and I hope you didn't throw away your weeks worth of great workouts and healthy food choices. It is sooo easy to fall into a slump. You spend monday through friday hitting the gym and picking apples over bags of chips and then as soooooon as you get off work Friday, you're screaming

"PASS THE MARGARITAS AND BURRITOS!"

                                    

Man...if I could.......

                                               

BUT TAKE IT FROM ME.........people who look like this...

Don't take cheat WEEKENDS and eat this....

I know we would REALLY like it if we could...but we can't have our cake and eat it too. You cant eat crap and expect to look amazing- unless you have those crazy genes that allow you to remain small while eating whatever you want. But don't worry!! Your metabolism WILL SLOW DOWN ONE DAY!!!!

Haha Im just jealous, thats all =)

 

We have to stay motivated!! It's easy to fall into the "This one burger won't hurt" trap. YES IT WILL! I'm not saying its not okay to indulge every once in a while- but BEWARE OF THE TRAP!

 

   Yesterday morning I had a 10-miler to accomplish and MAN, was it painful. When working out alone it is so easy to give up when the going gets tough (and your damn legs start to hurt). I must admit, I wanted to stop SO BAD and make a beeline for my apartment but I stayed out there and finished it up. Its not always easy. Its not always beautiful and glamorous like the women's Nike commercials but we must fight through the bad workouts! Don't be easily discouraged! Remember, if it's hurtin, it's workin!

I know this post was quite short but I'm pretty tired. I will post a better one tomorrow, promise!

We will talk about workout pain and relief options! Stay tuned!


Before I go, I'd like to leave you with a little pic-cha...

In other words, drink more water! You can even jazz it up with mint, strawberries, lemons and limes! Water is great for you! It even tricks your brain into thinking your tummy is full so you won't stuff yourself when eating!

DRINK UP!

 

Nighty Night!

Court

Burning Up!

BONUS BONUS BONUS POST!!

I know I've already posted once today but I after the run I just experienced I must share with you some important "Rules of the Road".

Yes, this is me right now. The look on my face portrays exactly how fun this run was.

I started extra late- which is not good, especially when you are running downtown alone. I didnt get to finish because the sun went down and the hobos came out to play.

I'll make up for it tomorrow- don't yall worry.

 

OKAY!

 

So do you know when people say "I was just soo dern busy that I forgot to eat"..

I'm always like...

YEHHHH RIGHT!!

 

I'm such a greedy girl..there is no way I could forget to eat..right?

WRONG!!

I didn't remember to eat until after I was outside working on mile 1. Damn. IT IS SOOO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TO EAT- especially for us fitness people. We have to stay energized. And I dont care what anyone says- if you dont get proper nutrition, there is no sports bean in the world that can give you energy to complete a great workout. I wanted to fall down in the grass and stay there until someone noticed- and brought me a snack. But I kept going. I will NEVER do that again.  

 

ANOTHER THING!!

It is important that you NOT skip meals. When you skip meals and become SOOOO hungry, you will eat ANYTHING! Then you'll feel guilty afterwards. If you consume healthy snacks throughout the day, when its time for your meals, you won't be as hungry as you can make logical decisions. There have been many times when James was crusing along (while my stomach was eatingmy back) and he would calmly say "Where would you like to eat hunny?"..and I'd be like..

I DON"T CARE! I WANT EVERYTHING! FEED ME NOOWWW!!

 

lol

 It is also important that you eat until you are satisfied-- not until you are STUFFED. There is a big difference. Eat until you are not hungry anymore..don't keep eating to the point you're uncomfortable. The ONLY time it's okay to eat until you can't breathe is Thanksgiving.





Totally Kidding...kinda.

 

ONE MORE THING..

There is a difference.

I am guilty of this every once in a while. Are you really hungry?? Or do you need to find a hobby?

Think about it the next time you try to reach for some Oreos.

 

NOW PUT CHA HANDS IN THE AIR IF YOUR FACE FEELS LIKE THIS WHEN YOU SWEAT....

This could be due to a number of things.. the only reason I thought of this random topic is because the little crack under my nose is on FIRE right now.

This can be caused by makeup or facial moisturizer residue that adversely reacts with the sweat. I use hydroquinone and a tretinoin as an acne/scarring treatment and I forgot to wash my face before I went out. These treatments actually make your face more sensitive to the salt in your sweat and cause it to burn. Wiping off your face too hard with your tshirt or towel probably doesnt make it any better.

Sweat bands help/ and make sure you wash your face before you exercise. Aquaphor (in the baby section) before and after your run helps.. AND WATER! Staying hydrating during your heavy sweat sessions can actually alleviate the burn since your sweat won't be as salty.

Ok guys, thats all for tonight!

I hope you sleep well!

TOMORROW IS THURSDAY!

Every Thursday I will post a fun and healthy recipe for you to try! So stay tuned..

 

May the force be with you,

Court

I'll Take an Order of Yoga, To-Go!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!!

The week is almost over! Only two days left!!

So I didn't get to post anything yesterday, I was in Dallas for work (blah). You wanna see a picture of me being super busy while in Texas? Okay!

MAN I WAS BORED TO TEARS

 BUUTTT I DID see something in the DFW airport that actually inspired my post today!!

A DAMN YOGA STUDIO IN THE AIRPORT! Who came up with this??
GENIUS GENIUS GENIUS!!
Though I would never use the mats because I dont trust them- what if someone tried to do the downward dog and accidentally peed on the mat a little? Then you come along and put your face on that very mat? Then you'll have pee residue on your face and nobody will want to sit near you on the plane. And there you'll be.

Hahaha!! I know that is TOTALLY worst case scenario- but I still aint using public yoga mats- unless they provide that antibacterial cleaning spray, then maybe. Yikes

No excuse now! Flight delayed? Well get your butt to the yoga studio and strecth it out. NAMASTE.

SO NOWADAYS, it's easy to use the excuse "Im so busy" or "I work so much" or "I'm too tired"..

 

Honestly, you make time for what you want to make time for. Get to sleep 30 minutes earlier than normal and wake up 30 minutes before you normally do. Use those 30 minutes to fit some exercise into your schedule. You can run a mile or two..or you can do some jumping jacks and pushups. You know those fitness videos you have in the corner collecting dust? Yeah. Pop one of those babies in and get it moving!! YOU MUST TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR PHYSICAL FITNESS.. People! You complain about not being able to lose weight or not being able to eat right- nobody can change that but YOU. You just have to really want it and work like Hell.

 

My ranting is over. Now I will give you a few exercises that can be done from the comfort of your work desk...

 

1. Start by parking further away from the door- unless its dark outside

2. Take the stairs

3. Walk the hallways as fast as you can without actually running

4. Shadow box (do a few jabs at the air)

5. Grab some water bottles and do a few curls

6. Underneath your desk, do some football runs. Move those legs super fast!

7. Imaginary jump rope. Get jumping and swing your imaginary rope. Like Rocky does

8. Chair dips. Place the palms of your hands on your chair and your feet on the floor. Move your  tush off the edge of your seat. Bend your elbows and lower your body. Straighten your arms to return to the starting position

 

Those are just a few. You can google more "At work exercises"... or you can take it to the next level and attend a fitness class nearby on your lunch break! Just pack a bag, and bring a hanger to hang your work clothes while you workout. Take some shower shoes, hurry and wash off and get back to work! Many gyms do lunch hour workouts that are actually shorter than normal classes for the employee on the go!

DAMN RIGHT!!

HAHA

Have a great day yall!

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

You Run for Fun?

 

Well Hello there..

And WELCOME TO MY VERY FIRST BLOG!! I'm so excited! Can you tell??
I'm Courtney Powell and I'm coming to you live from my bed- in Little Rock, AR. I created this blog because I wanted to share my passion for fitness with other freaks out there in internet land. I get so pumped about working out and I need somewhere to channell all of this excitement. So, I should be sleeping right now (I'm training for the St. Jude Marathon and I have a 9-miler- supposed to be 13-miler) in the morning. I am a bit behind on my running but now that I have this cool blog, I have something (hopefully soon to be someones) to be accountable to. There are so many events that are forth-coming that I am sooooo excited about! For example: the St Jude Marathon- December 1 2012 in Memphis, TN (my hometown, whoop whoop), MY WEDDING (yup, you see that handsome man carrying me on his back? thats my sweetie, James) in March of 2013 (www.powelldavis.ourwedding.com)  and the TOUGH MUDDER May 2013! I cant freaking WAIT for the tough mudder. check out their website! www.toughmudder.com Seriously, you watch the opening video and it will make you want to take on the world!

So this afternoon, I stopped by GO RUNNING in the heights today to pick up a few things for my long runs. There is no way I will be able to survive 9 (13- wink,wink) miles tomorrow without water. So I purchased this nifty water bottle that fits perfectly in your hand. See? It even has a cute little pocket for all of your neccessary items (pepper spray, keys, license..etc). I am a bit nervous that holding something in my hands for so long will get on my nerves. I can hear the water slushing around already, lol. Hopefully I won't mind it- I need the water. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow. I plan on heading out at 6am! I need to check my route before I turn in for the night .. (runningmap.com is an awesome tool to plan running routes, by the way).
I also purchased some sport beans just in case I run out of energy tomorrow. I am NOT a gu person. Unless you wanna see me puke on the pavement..no thank you. Gimme something that tastes/feels like candy and I'm golden. I don't have the strength to grab the bean package and snap a photo but I promise I will do that tomorrow!

Yeah, this pic has no significance, just throwing it in there for a little AAAHH! =)
Okay, I think it's time to hit the hay, now. That pavement will be calling my name bright and early in the morning!
Love and Light (yeah, im hitting ya with the yogi-speak),
Court