Made for More
Made for More
It gets SO good w Courtney Waked: 40 lbs down, finding purpose, priorities
What if joy was more than just fleeting moments of happiness? In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend Courtney Waked, whose uplifting perspective on life encourages us to redefine joy—even in the midst of challenges. Our friendship, which began serendipitously on Instagram, is a true “God thing,” filled with warmth, faith, and the power of meaningful connection. Together, we share stories of friendship, faith, and finding joy, with the hope of brightening your day.
What to Expect:
- Finding joy through faith and meaningful connections.
- Courtney's fitness journey: shedding insecurities and embracing balance.
- Transitioning from teacher to online health coach.
- Time management tips for juggling work, family, and fitness.
- Relatable stories about therapy, ADHD, and habit-building.
- The power of community and prioritizing self-love.
Join us as we explore how small, intentional steps lead to lasting joy and strength!
Follow Courtney on Instagram Here
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Hello friends, welcome to this week's episode of Made For More. Thank you guys for tuning in today. I'm super excited about this episode. If you listened to gosh two weeks or three weeks ago because I've been struggling on the podcast, you did hear that I may have a little rebrand or some different things coming and that I am working on and this may be the last podcast episode for the year, for the season for made for more. I don't know, we'll see. But thank you guys for listening today and I am super excited about this episode. Um, I have a guest on today that has become you know those people that you meet them and you're like, oh my god, we are the same person. We click so well and it's like you've known each other for years. This is the guest that I have on the podcast. Courtney and I met each other through Instagram. I don't even know how. I think I messaged you, yeah, but yeah, here we are. So, courtney, welcome to the podcast. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:I'm so, so, so excited to be here. This is so wild, this is so fun. It's weird because we talk so much now, but having a microphone in front of us, it just feels pressure. Yeah, it feels so wacky, but I absolutely love it. I'm so excited to be here. You are such a light and I just feel so grateful and excited that we met and connected, and thank you for having me on, of course.
Speaker 1:So if you guys, um, you can't see, but we are actually sitting in my apartment in California on the couch. California, yes, she's back. I know, and it was crazy because whenever we um connected on Instagram and I told you that I was coming back to California and we both live in Huntington beach it was like a God thing.
Speaker 2:I mean, there's seriously.
Speaker 1:There's no other way that you can put it, besides a God thing.
Speaker 2:And let's just say I put myself out there. I feel like. I feel like I was like sliding into your DMS. I just want to tell you that your light was so obvious to me and I know I've told you this before, but I don't just usually take a risk and message someone and for some reason, this was like what? Six months ago maybe?
Speaker 2:yeah, it was a while ago and we hadn't actually got to connect in person until recently. But I was like this girl has so much contagious joy and it's rare, you know, to really feel that through a screen. And so I honestly just messaged you and then you voice memoed me back right away and you were like wait, I feel the same way and I'm like what are we? And from then on we have been messaging and I swear I've been praying about this next door for so many months. And then when you said, cora, I'm moving back to Huntington Beach, I was like there's no way, like there's no way this is happening right now. I don't even know. And here we are now for like our third time meeting up together in the last. What?
Speaker 1:two weeks.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've had deep conversations conversations, um, and you're just such a light and I'm so excited to be here with you and I think that we just have some fun things to share with with our people on the other side of the screen.
Speaker 1:So yes, I'm so excited. I can say the same thing about you, though, because you really do exude joy, because you can tell on social media when someone is not genuinely just happiness and joy are two different things, I 100% agree. Happiness is, I think, think, circumstantial, but joy is something that comes from within and comes from god. Yes, um, and you can see that you know, like the way that you interact with people and you you can. You can see that I appreciate.
Speaker 2:It's very real. You just said something so cool, though, if you think about happiness, you said it's circumstantial, right, like it's a feeling. But joy is something that I I feel that it was like a part of my spirit from like a young, young, young age, and I know you have that same spirit, and it doesn't mean you're always happy or giddy or excited, but it means that it's something, that it comes from something so deep that, like you know, even if you're not going through the best times or you're anxious, joy is constant, like you can feel my mom always says that like you can feel joy and you can still feel sadness at the same time, because it is not the same as happiness, right, it's. Happiness is fleeting. Joy comes from something so much deeper, so I don't know. I just feel like that's something that we both love to share with others. So it was just so fun to be here and talking about it.
Speaker 1:Have you always had joy, or where does that come from, I guess?
Speaker 2:I can't remember a time like when I was like a little little girl, where I felt, um, like, as, like my personality was always joyful. You know, I feel like that's the one word that my family would always describe me, as it doesn't mean I was always like pumping around, happy, you know. But I feel deeply, and I know you do too, because, again, we've talked about this. But joy is something where it's like I go into a room and I want to be a light and I want to feel other people's light, so I'm not going to walk in with my head down, like feeling sad for myself, even when I'm, you know, going through a tough time. I want to exude that from like the presence that I can give off to people and hope that they can give that back to me. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:I don't remember ever feeling like joy wasn't there. But I've gone through anxiety, I've gone through sad times, I've gone through some really tough lows, but I never lacked that joy. If I ever did, I could feel it immediately. I was like uh-uh, not today. I do not like this.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, did you ever feel like you didn't have joy in your spirit not like this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, did you ever feel like you didn't have joy in your spirit? I feel like I've always had joy deep-rooted down, but I think it's gotten masked from anxiety or insecurity that?
Speaker 2:okay, that is accurate. Yeah, it doesn't mean it's like disappeared, but it can get masked. And when you feel that, isn't it like a like a jolt to your system? Yeah, yeah, I feel that way yeah, it's so.
Speaker 1:We were just talking about it before we started the podcast. But feeling things deeply is such a blessing, but sometimes it's like man. I wish I could just cut that off right and we actually talked about.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you know, not all males and not all females, but the difference in the rootedness of like our souls, that girls, we are emotional beings and so we don't just let things go as easily. Not every girl and not every guy. But sometimes you're just saying like I wish I could just have be like in a guy's brain for a day and let things go, just let things roll off my back and and not feel so much every time. I'm just like do you ever feel like your thoughts are just overwhelmed? Drag me crazy.
Speaker 1:I mean actually crazy. It's like this and that and like, yeah, you can't, someone that doesn't experience that will not.
Speaker 2:I want to know their brain, yeah like. I want to be in their brain teach me, I'm like you.
Speaker 1:Does your brain ever yeah?
Speaker 2:oh, here's a good question. Do you ever feel like you can't put certain um shows, the news, tv, things that have deep sadness or deep trauma? Do you feel like you can't watch those shows or movies?
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, it depends. I have to be very aware of that. I can't take on the heaviness of this today.
Speaker 2:I'm not in the headspace to do that, but see getting to that point in life where you're confident in saying that because people made fun of me my whole life. Shout out to my family. They would always say you can't even watch a murder mystery show, like you can't even watch the news for more than five minutes. Why? Because I will actually carry those feelings in my heart for the rest of the day.
Speaker 2:You know, and I'm like there is a time and a place, which is why we talk about boundaries with social media and boundaries with um, I think any online just outlets you know, because we have to protect that, sometimes like it's good to feel, but at times it's okay to say like I'm shutting it off you know, like my rational brain has to come over. It has to, I mean I, or else I'll just get lost in my feelings all day, like I can't walk around like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah and then I get to the night and it's like why? Why did I sit in this all day like I just ruined the day?
Speaker 2:I just ruined the day, oh gosh, and then we can't even go there with regret, like we that is not what we want to live in, right like we.
Speaker 2:We want to come out of that and I think there's so many outlets that we've both found and healthy habits and like healthy ways to, I guess, cocoon out of that. You know, I don't know. I think that has been like a prime resource for me, like I'm either gonna sit in my feelings or sit in my sadness or I'm gonna move out of them. Yeah, and that has been life changing the last probably three years.
Speaker 1:I want to hear a little bit about your story. I know just from social media, but we haven't really talked about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, one-on-one with your story and so kind of just like what got me to this point? Yeah, just the health and fitness world, yeah, okay. So growing up, I definitely was not the small girl, I was not the fit girl, I was the misfit in the room, like. I always felt like the black sheep and on top of that I had black, dark hair, you know, bigger nose, big eyes, lebanese, and all my girlfriends were these cute blonde girls in Huntington Beach and I just and I loved them and they loved me so well, thank God.
Speaker 2:But I always felt out of place, you know, and I really think that that's kind of insane to think as a young girl. We still feel that, just by the way we look, like how different we can feel. I mean, I don't know, I was always a little heavier set, you know, a little overweight, and I definitely used food, I'm sure over the years I learned, you know, to cope with anxiety, which is kind of crazy, because that's a real thing, you know. And I think one year I'm not even kidding, I was thinking about this the other day From fifth grade to sixth grade, I think, I gained 30 pounds, like one summer, and I don't fully remember or know, cause I think I blocked a lot out, but I know that that wasn't healthy, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:And um again. Thank God I was in a family that really supported me, loved me, encouraged me, um, and no one ever made me feel small like that, you know. But I know I fell out of place and I think it took me so many years of kind of getting feeling like I just didn't ever have the confidence in me that I got sick of it. You know what I mean and I'm sure we've talked about this. But going through middle school and then high school and then college, I was like I'm sick of feeling like the overweight, not confident one in the room and I know my spirit is meant to spread more joy than this, you know, um, and eventually, and eventually you know all those years of trying the diets, trying to force myself to work out, I don't know. You know COVID hit and I just put my head down and I started picking up the dumbbells and I started doing home workouts and it became the healthiest, most relieving outlet I've ever experienced in my life and it was like the uncovering of anxiety and feeling and of things I didn't know I could do, like managing my time before the teaching day or realizing I could lose this unhealthy weight and I could live a much more healthy, active, joyful life and I think over time, you know that all like, along with the weight that came off, so did so much shedding of the anxiety and the like, turmoil and the stress and like different traumas that you have deep within your like body that you don't even know you're carrying for so many years, you know, and I feel like that all came off over.
Speaker 2:I was like a solid two and a half three years, you know. So I didn't just lose, I lost around 40 pounds and that was like the least of it. It was like I gained so much more from learning through that time, you know. So, um, that was like the least of it. It was like I gained so much more from learning through that time, you know. So that was like the one really good thing that the pandemic kind of taught me was like put your head down, set your timers, follow through and make this a lifestyle, because you can right now. So I don't know it really. Just, I fell in love with fitness. Like I fell in love with fitness for the first time in my life and it took me 25 years to go into a gym, basically, and fall in love with it. So yeah, so I did not grow up the athlete Like I played sports, but again, I just didn't fit in.
Speaker 1:Did your family. Are they pretty healthy? Yeah, I would say as a family.
Speaker 2:We are a really active, healthy family, okay, um, but I think, culturally, you know, I'm Lebanese and our lives are surrounded around the dinner table, around food, um, around gatherings, and I felt out of control. Like, looking back, I felt out of control and I think it's one of the best blessings now because people ask me, like, how do you have wine with your family? And like, how do you manage to work out and how do you still keep off the weight if you're still eating the food that your family's cooking at? Like all those dinner parties, and I'm like, because I wanted to make it a lifestyle, I'm not going to miss out on those opportunities to be present with my family and I'm not going to sit away from the dinner table so I miss out on all the conversations. Like I have to manage this better, and I think that was the best blessing of the last few years.
Speaker 2:That taught me, you know, like we don't have to be extreme, we don't have to die at culture, um, and I feel like my family has always been, like I mean, they poke fun at me all the time. You know they're like gosh, like can't you just miss a day of working out? Like why are you? Why do you wake up at the crack of dawn to go work out Like you? Just give it a rest, you know.
Speaker 1:Um, but they're so encouraging and they've been such a staple piece of me pushing through, especially the really tough times, you know. So I don't know it's been the best outlet. Do you feel like you ever were at a place that, when you first started working out, did it come from a desire to like, love your body, or was it kind of rooted in like I hate the way that I look?
Speaker 2:I'm sure you know it's almost hard to go back there Like I'm sure it started with. I feel so uncomfortable Honestly, I think more physically, like health wise I felt uncomfortable in my own skin. I was sick of walking into the room and feeling like people were staring at me, even though they weren't you know it's just this, um, it's, it's the self-conscious feeling that I didn't want to feel any longer.
Speaker 2:So it definitely came from a place of let's be real, right Body image, wanting to look good, and that can be such, and I'm I'm sure you've. I don't know if you felt this way, but, like, when you start to lose the weight and you start to feel more confident, that can turn into a whole different beast of getting attention that maybe, um, you weren't used to getting, or maybe becoming obsessed with working out. I've been through all of that. You know where I kind of was like, ooh, where do we find the balance? Like it wasn't until the past probably year and a half that I started to find so much more of a healthy balance. I mean, did you ever feel that way?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'm glad that you said that too, because you've been on your journey for five years.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Which hearing that it took you three and a half years, or three, three and a half years to get to a healthy place. I think it's good for people to know that too, because it's so I think a lot of people do just jump into it for a few months or a year.
Speaker 1:Yes, and then they're like you know, I don't love this or I can't live a lifestyle with this. But it takes time and I feel like you have to go through the different seasons and the ups and downs and the obsessiveness and the part that you're like oh, I hate this, like I don't want to do it Right, Like was there a time where you were?
Speaker 2:so obsessed Like, hey, I can't, I mean, you're an athlete Like that had to be a hard transition, just from going from training all the time to like how do I work out and not be so competitive with myself, Right? So I know we have different experiences, but they're so similar because you become obsessed, and that is something where I feel like we'd both be so cautious, as like online health coaches and fitness coaches, where it's like we don't want our clients to fall into that same um same mess. You know, but almost everyone does. You kind of have to experience it to know that it's not healthy.
Speaker 2:Right, I agree, I agree, I think it's good, but it also is good too, because you know if you ever need to kind of pick it up a notch and get things going, like you can dial in for a short period of time, like when you're training for a race. You know that that's not forever, but it's a period of your life, yeah. Or like if you're in a diet phase and you're like I'm going, no need for extremes.
Speaker 2:I mean that has to be something that is like rooted in your spirit again of we don't have to live such an extreme life. How do we find balance with everything? And I feel like that was my calling personally, Like that's where I felt like teaching. I guess I didn't even talk about that yeah, yeah Tell us like what do you do?
Speaker 2:So I'm an elementary school teacher and turned online health and fitness coach Right. So I started my own small business three years ago almost maybe two years ago, I guess and I actually left. I was an elementary school teacher for sixth graders with special learning differences and needs and I absolutely loved it. I felt called to teaching from when I was in fifth grade. I knew the moment I was supposed to work with kids and it was a very clear calling for me and my mom always encouraged me. She's like Court, you have a heart for teaching. You've got to follow through.
Speaker 2:It was the one thing in my life like I'm so chaotic. It was the one thing in my life I followed through with. Like I am a, I love change, I'm sporadic, I'm doing for the rest of my life, do you like? No, I get that, I get it. So I mean we could totally have a whole different podcast talking about that, but maybe one day we will. I think we might. Um, but for now that was kind of the pivotal moment where I was like I love working with children. I know I'm supposed to serve others. That is clear desire in my heart, but when I fell in love with fitness. There was this whole other transformative. It was like God was like Courtney Waked, turn your eyes to the side and I'm not going to give you a clear direction. I'm actually not even going to tell you how to go about it, but you're supposed to leave teaching. And so I just fell and I literally left teaching that year after the school, after the summer, ended. It was not clear. I was just like I'm supposed to leave and I talked to my parents and they were like are you sure? Like you know, but okay, if you want to do this, like, we support you. I did not have a plan. Like they, let me live at home, save money.
Speaker 2:I started my own online business from the ground up. It was just just very small and it started because girls reached out to me. They were like court, how do you lose weight, court? How do you manage teaching with losing weight? How do you eat healthy? What do you pack for your preps? Do you still drink wine and you still lose weight? Like I was getting those kind of dms and I was not on social media. Like I only have my little following of I still don't have a large following, but like I only had my girlfriends, basically, and it totally changed my direction in my life and I ended up getting certified as a personal trainer and I just started learning. And then, uh, working with business mentors and I started building up this little small business and it's not like the most crazy thing, but I'm so grateful for it. And, um, I found my way back into teaching this past year because I was just missing working with kids so much. So, again, that will be probably a whole different topic.
Speaker 2:But just this pursuit, this like pursuing my passions together, the past year especially has been so fun, but it came with a lot of trials and a lot of anxiety, especially between leaving teaching and starting my business.
Speaker 2:I felt like I was stuck between two passions and I didn't know how to merge them together, but like I had complete faith that it would happen and like thank God, mostly because the people around me encouraging me to like just keep going. So this year has been really fun because it just opened up so many different desires and dreams. And I don't know, I guess I just think you can do it all if you want to. It's just not going to always happen on your timing and that's what I've kind of learned from leaving teaching and then starting my business. And then finding the two together has been, oh, like I could cry talking about it. It felt like God answered my prayers but it took two years to get them answered. I don't know if that makes sense, but yeah, I just know I'm supposed to work with children and I don't know did you ever deal with getting made fun of when you were younger? Was that ever?
Speaker 1:something you battled. I always made fun of very few things, but I always felt like I was the one that got left out in the friend group Yep, like if there was room for two people on the sidewalk and there was three of us, I was always the one at the back. You were in the street. Yeah, I was the one at the back. You're like on the street, isn't?
Speaker 2:that interesting, yeah, how you like, love others so deeply and so well, but then sometimes you, I feel like those are the people who get a little left behind you know and not to be victims Like that's never the goal, it's never what I want to be, it's never what you want to be, but it's interesting that like that can happen to the people who like love the deepest you know, you can kind of get left in the deep end like drowning a little, you know, and I don't know.
Speaker 2:I feel like we always see that in others. That's why we want to help them out. You know, and I think that is the calling on our hearts of like we see the people who maybe are are shadowed a little bit left out, the kid who's getting made fun of in the corner, that you're like oh, let me help you, like I feel for you, yeah and I mean I'll never forget.
Speaker 2:I just shared this on Instagram for the first time but, like, I got notes written on sticky notes and put on my back and no one knows this like I, for some reason, it came over me the other day and I like almost started crying, like I was a seven I think seventh grader, you know and, um, I like never shared that with anyone.
Speaker 2:I think I told my mom when it happened but I would get made fun of for my weight, for my nose, like literally things that you would not even believe. Like, and it sticks with you and I think it's why I probably got called to sixth grade as a teacher, my first year of teaching, I really feel like I was like I can see you, I can relate to you, I can help you, um, I can encourage you and oh, it's just so sad because, like, you think about that little girl, you know, and you're like I just want to give you the biggest hug because that stuff sticks with you. You don't forget those words that those mean kids said when you were in, you know, elementary school or school, and it's why I have such a heart to like, teach kids to do better you know, so I don't know, I just think we can do so much, so much better with encouraging rather than just like tearing people down.
Speaker 2:It's insane to me that and it happens at such a young age with kids. So I was like that's why I was interested to see if you had ever gotten like any experience like that where kids were just like harsh and mean to you. I mean I'm like, oh, but now you didn't. Huh, not any fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, not like that but I I do think it's if that wouldn't have happened. Where you're at now like you may not be that's so true there, but it's crazy how things stick with you and now it's like. Social media is a whole different beast.
Speaker 2:That people can just yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you remember. I feel like I can remember every main thing that someone said about me growing up.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Isn't that crazy and it sticks with you? Yeah, it does, because I think every a lot of the things that I get anxiety about are the things I worry about. I think the same, the little 10 year old girl inside me worried about the same thing, right like she just wanted to be loved and heard, yeah, and someone to care about right someone to see her 28. I'm like same thing.
Speaker 2:I know same thing. I know and it's probably why we found each other. Yeah, and I don't know. I think girlfriends I mean let's just talk about that for a second girlfriends are so important and we just talked about, you know, being in healthy relationships and how important and valuable that is. But you have to have identity outside of your relationships and talk about friendships. I mean, those have ups and downs over my life but I still have such great girlfriends from childhood and from middle school and high school, and some from college and some that I've let go of, but like the ones that you meet after college, like getting to you know, just be in your presence and enjoy. You has been such a blessing and I just think girls need each other, like we need each other, and we need friendship and community and I think that's something that I know you and I both feel called to and I just feel like people are lonely and they need others, Like they're craving it.
Speaker 2:You know like there's a reason Run Club is popping off.
Speaker 1:And there's a reason that people are craving great podcasts.
Speaker 2:We want to connect. You know, I feel like that's something, um, I don't know, like moving back to California. Has that been hard at all?
Speaker 1:all um. I feel like when I was in California at first I didn't really didn't try to make friends because I'm like I'm not gonna be here long kind of thing. Yeah, it was like temporary um, but now I do have a desire, yeah to make friends because yeah, if not like I, I get lonely yeah because it's a real thing and Satan tried, like he wants to isolate us. So, and that's when you're the most anxious. Yes, like forcing yourself, even like us talking this morning, I feel better oh, you know what I?
Speaker 2:mean it just calms your nervous system it really does, because I think now we talk about so much in the wellness space, like you know, do this deep breathing and do this wellness tap and do it's all true, it's all really healthy. And I do these things that I know you do too, yeah, but you cannot. You cannot fix loneliness with just those things that you have to get out there and you have to connect with others, like you have to ask for someone to listen sometimes or someone to knock on their door and bring them an iced coffee and just chat with them, like I think that's something that is missing so much right now and it.
Speaker 2:It's something I'm like I love doing. I love showing up to my girlfriend's house with an iced coffee and being like let's chat.
Speaker 1:But the more that I talk to people just everyone wants friends.
Speaker 2:Right, like no one does.
Speaker 1:I think it's so easy to go out and, like you, pass a cute girl like on a walk and you're like I want to be friends with her. She's probably thinking the same thing.
Speaker 2:I love that. You just said that you're, like I passed a cute girl and, like you know, it's funny we're at the stage where we don't say that about boys, we're like. I passed a cute girl and like she looks fun yeah, like she looks nice.
Speaker 1:But the more that I talk to people it's like yeah, like they want, we're all craving desire yeah and I think the older you get too, it's like you want those intentional. Oh my god, I don't want girlfriends that we're just gonna go take an Instagram picture with and yeah, and just like have small talk. I want the deep. Yeah, and honestly, I'll pass on that every day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm so over that yeah, I feel like there was a point in my life where I was probably guilty of, I'm sure. Yeah every girl you know you're craving um friendship and community so you're willing to kind of talk about the most pointless things. I'm so over that I'm like five years past that stage in my life.
Speaker 1:So no thank you. Yeah, it's like if I can't pour into you, or like you don't bring value, like we can't bring value to each other's lives, there's no need. I don't want it.
Speaker 2:And I'm not saying like we've talked about this, like we can't wait to just have a girls night and sip on a fun cocktail and get dressed up and go out or whatever it is, but that is like the fun extra things we get to do, it's like the prayers and the joy.
Speaker 2:Like I'm so excited to have a friendship like this where we get to experience kind of like the ups and downs of just personal life but also just of excitement and joy.
Speaker 2:And I think a lot of people are missing that in friendships and I think sometimes they're looking for it so much in their partnership with, like with a boy, yeah, which you should have that too in a healthy relationship but you miss out on it with your girlfriends, yeah, and it's like we have our whole lives to both be in love and to also be in love with our friendships. You know, and I think that's changed for me drastically the past three years I've just had so much fun getting to know girlfriends past college and past high school. You know, like, as we get older in life, it's a whole different like have you seen those instagrams where they're like the girlfriends you meet after after um, like into adulthood? And it's so true, it's so drastically like. They inspire you, like they make you want to go out there and do something different with your life, and I feel like you're one of those people who's really, really impacted me more than you know, so it's been so fun to like talk and get to know you, like Like we're just getting started.
Speaker 1:We are Okay, so wait, I do have a question for people. I'm going to be honest.
Speaker 2:This is so weird to talk about myself for this long. I feel so bad. I'm like I want to ask you a million questions.
Speaker 1:It feels so weird.
Speaker 2:I know it is weird on podcasts and it's weird because you're trying to squish your whole life into like five minutes. So I feel like I miss a ton of stuff, but I'm trying not to like talk too much.
Speaker 1:Yeah, isn't that weird, though, cause, like you care so much about other people, you're like no, let me ask about you. That's like when you go into therapy. I'm like asking a therapist. So how are you? How was your week?
Speaker 2:I could so see you doing that. Like you sit down and she's like tell me about how you, how are you?
Speaker 1:doing this how? One time I had a therapy appointment and we spent 10 minutes talking about her and I'm like no. Okay, I love this, but I'm paying. That was a hundred dollars talking Like this is a really healthy investment but I should stop asking my therapist how she's doing today.
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 1:It's like talking about her kids what is this?
Speaker 2:Do you ever catch? I catch myself doing that all the time, all the time. I'm like, wait a second, like we got to come back to, like what the purpose of this.
Speaker 1:But we're so ADHD, you and.
Speaker 2:I. It's real, by the way. We both get so distracted, so it's just fun. Yeah, it makes it fun. That's why we laugh so much.
Speaker 1:That's why I have so many smile lines on my eyes Literally.
Speaker 2:I'm like my, like cheeks, cheeks hurt. I love it so good for the soul.
Speaker 1:Sorry, you're gonna ask something and we totally went off topic yeah, so teaching a fitness coach back to you. Give us a quick um, give us a quick kind of or doesn't have to be quick. Yeah, no, like talk for 30 minutes if you want. Tell us how do you prioritize your fitness and your health with having a full-time job teaching?
Speaker 2:well, I think that's the biggest question I get asked, which I'm so glad you asked it, because that's the reason I ended up becoming a health and fitness coach, right, you know? Um, I'm gonna like break it down to like three basic things that I always think about, okay, um, one-time management is everything. Especially for chaotic people like me, my brain wants to do 15 things at once, so if I don't manage my time, I will get half of everything done instead of five of everything done. I don't know if that made any sense. Yes, okay.
Speaker 1:So I know you're probably related to me, so you have like a lot of little half projects, yes, so.
Speaker 2:I'll start like five. I'll start like five. I'll be cleaning my room. I'll organize my closet. I'll pull out five different things. I'll write down all my to do's, you know. I'll start journaling. It's like been 15 minutes. I've done like four different half projects, you know, and that's great. I don't think that's always like my mom's always like use your, you know, use your strengths to your advantage, but my weakness is not being able to follow through then.
Speaker 2:So I learned that probably five years ago and I realized when I was home from teaching I was teaching online. I was like, wait, court, let's go set that timer 30 minutes, pick up the dumbbells. I started with 15 pounds. You know, I started following an app. I didn't know how to work out. I was like, oh, this is kind of cool. And every day I started going, okay, I could do this for 30 minutes, I could do this and then teach Wait, like I'm losing weight, I'm walking. It was like this progress of like I'm feeling good. Every day I'm feeling better, you know, and it made me want to do more, and it made me want to get outside more. It made me want to walk more. It was this beautiful cycle of starting by saying I have 30 minutes.
Speaker 2:Today, what can I do with my 30 minutes. So that was when I was technically online teaching right, because we were in COVID and then my students went back pretty quick. We have children with learning differences, so we wanted to get them back in the classroom. So we did and that was one of the most stressful times of my life and thank God. I mean I wore masks and double masks and they made me test every week. It was an insane time of anxiety, you know, and the it was an insane time of anxiety, you know, and the world was all at home. But I was in the classroom with 10 kids and it was just a weird time.
Speaker 2:And thank God for working out, because when you have, when you can manage your time like that, you start going. I could drive. I drove 40 minutes to work. I drove 40 minutes home. I worked out at 6am in my garage for 35 minutes. I would get ready. I learned how to like get ready really quick, you know. I would finish my makeup in the car. I'd pack my lunch the night before. So things like that.
Speaker 2:Like I always say time management lay out your clothes, set three alarms, put a time like an actual timer on your workout, have a workout plan ready to go whether that's an app or a strength training program and honestly, a silly one about like making sure that you actually have, um, like your lunch packed and ready, like for my working girlies. If you are packing a lunch that morning, you just waste another 20 minutes, when your brain will thank you when you have those six things in order, like making sure every night you do that. It builds habits, it builds discipline, it builds joy and follow through, and I honestly started doing that monday through fr Friday. I was in love with it and by the time I went from the girl who never touched a weight, never touched a foot and like never stepped a foot into a gym, to literally looking forward to every day of my life and I haven't stopped since. So there's something about that right like it sends those happy hormones to your brain and that is what gets you registering going. I could do this again tomorrow.
Speaker 2:I can do this again Thursday, you know, and so I always tell people like you have to manage your time and that is what gets you registering going. I could do this again tomorrow. I can do this again Thursday, and so I always tell people you have to manage your time and that is hard for a lot of us and I'm sure you hear this all the time as a health and fitness coach I don't have time, I don't have the time to work out, and I will challenge you, I will challenge every client and say I've been there and I used to say the same thing, but it is actually a lie. We all have the time and I know, even if you're a mom with four kids at home, let's start getting you to work out at home. Let's have the kids running around. Guess what you can do it Like. We can do this together and I think that's my goal.
Speaker 2:Like in life, I want to be the mom with four kids managing my workouts at home still, you know, and following through and teaching them. You know what does follow through look like it looks like the joy that comes after it. So I don't know. I think for me that's been the true driving force of like time. It has to do with time management. That has to be it. If you don't do that, there's nothing else that can like think about it. Like, if you do wake up every day and just like, aimlessly, throw things at the wall and think what am I going to do today?
Speaker 1:You have a plan. You have a plan, yeah.
Speaker 2:Right. Whether it's a nine to five or an online job, you have to have a strategy and a structure, and that is what I lacked most of my life was strategy and structure. So that is like the number one thing I say, and just have to set yourself for success, Like set your three alarms. Set five alarms if you need it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I I'm glad that you said too that you just started out with 35 minutes, because I mean even, and so I tell clients I'm like set an alarm or set a timer for 20 minutes, choose four exercises yes. Body weight. Just repeat them as many times, because I do think everyone, I do think people have time.
Speaker 2:I do too, and I know there's going to be people who are like well, you're not a mom yet, courtney, just wait until you're a mom.
Speaker 2:Yes, just wait until you're a mom. And I challenge them by saying I can't wait to be a mom one day and I can't wait to follow through with this, because I've already been on the other side before. I've been 40 pounds overweight, I've neglected my health, I've neglected my body. I'm sorry, but there does come, says no, I don't ever want to turn around and go back to that place ever again. That has to be a driving force every single day when you do not want to feel like working out. You know and that's something my dad actually taught me a lot of you know, um, have you heard? Like the gift of prudence?
Speaker 2:no like one of the seven gifts I might be messing that up, but that comes from like the holy spirit, right? So prudence is actually having the ability. I believe I could be messing this up with fortitude a little bit, but the ability to kind of put your emotions aside and think with logic oh, reagan, you and I should pray about that every day, seriously it's something I pray for every day, or also just think of my emotions all day long, so that's something we could start. What did you wait? What'd you see?
Speaker 1:well, I just know. I just saw something this week on someone's story and I was like I need to repost that, but it was. It was talking about not doing things with your emotions, but like doing them yes, like objectively yeah, I can't.
Speaker 2:I cannot remember the word well, but I think you're right.
Speaker 2:It's like doing things, decision like, making decisions, not with your emotions, always, which we can learn from a lot of our male mentors and a lot of my guys in my life. You know that I'm like. I really value that because, as a woman, I love my emotion. My emotions are my strength, those are our strengths, but if I'm going to dictate the way I feel, I did not feel like working out this morning. I woke up, I'm like, oh, my body's crampy, I'm exhausted, I'm fatigued. I have two decisions. One decision is lay in bed and let my day be confined by the way I did not follow through.
Speaker 2:Number two follow through. Wake up, go, hit your little workout, Even if it's less than I had to lower the weights on like three different exercises I had to pivot, but I followed through and that sends a signal to my brain that says you did it, you're done. Go home and make your iced latte, girl, and I'm proud of you. And guess what? It's internal. It is internal confidence. I just no one else knew that, like I just told you, but no one else knew that my brain battled that this morning. I didn't want to go. I sat in the car for five minutes just waiting. You know like will it. Will this motivation come to me? No, it probably won't.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Again, put your shoes on, walk outside the door and follow through. And that's like the tough love in me.
Speaker 1:I'm like, well, no, that's real Cause. I'm like, if you can't commit to yourself, you're not going to be confident. You're not, you're not and like no one else, no one else really cares.
Speaker 2:Right, like really care you, someone worked out today. You know, obviously I do right, but it's not gonna.
Speaker 1:It's not gonna affect your day. You're not gonna be like, oh, courtney, didn't work out today. Like, man, man, maybe I just won't work out either, yeah, but like I'm gonna ruminate it all day if I don't, if I'm like I need to go on a walk today. I need to work out today yeah, and I don't do it. I'm gonna think about it all day, like like I could have already been done with it.
Speaker 2:You just said something so real, ruminating that word, by the way. I don't know how I missed out on it my whole life.
Speaker 2:I've been told that a lot this year to say it every day, um, but the idea of sitting on a thought and feeling it over and over and I'm like, absolutely not, like this is where I think the Lord for fitness. Okay, and this is why I will always come back to health and fitness. You know my body. I always tell my clients my body isn't going to change if I decide to do my workout today or not. Now, if I decide not to do it for five days, my body might start to change, right, but today's workout is not going to affect my body, right. What it is going to affect is my brain.
Speaker 2:And I think, like when people, you know how you said like, did your fitness and health journey start off with, like body image? Right, it did. I want to lose weight, I want to be skinny, I want to be smaller, I didn't want to be the bigger girl in the room anymore. Well, all of that happened, okay, to an extreme, and that didn't satisfy me, right, like that doesn't satisfy me. What satisfies me is me going. I finished what I started, I followed through, I said yes when I wanted to say no and I shut off my feelings and my thoughts and I just powered through and that is okay. Like, that is good, I think. You know some people are like you can't use this therapy. I'm like, but I can because, guess what, I'm not numbing my thoughts, I'm just pushing through a hard time right now yeah, and you feel so much better on the other side.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and lifting weights actually so many studies show that right strength training the serotonin that happens in your body when you move into your brain. It's incredible, it's science. I mean. It's like okay, if we use that's coming back down to logic again, you know, just using the logical, rational, scientific understanding of what happens when we work out. That's enough for me. And like I don't, yeah, and for two emotional girls Okay, guys, that's saying a lot. So, like we are are emotional, you and I, yeah, like we could probably cry. I could cry watching an ant get stepped on like that. I couldn't make myself cry.
Speaker 1:I mean, how bad is that? I can sit and think about. I heard something that girls. I heard something that girls, when, like you, think about something that made you sad, like whether it's in a relationship or something, yeah, if you think about it, it takes you back to those feelings of when you.
Speaker 2:Because, and that's what holds us back, yeah Right, ruminating.
Speaker 1:Literally.
Speaker 2:Ruminating. It's like when, oh my gosh, again we have girls, we have so many things to talk about, so just stay tuned for what's coming, because we can't even go into breakups and relationships and all that. We'll save that. But let me tell you, yes, like if I pull up a sad picture, a picture I can take back to that moment so quickly and it's like no brain, you're not bringing me down today. Like this is why we talk about healthy coping skills. Like the brain is so powerful, it is so powerful and it has to be exercised. Mean, oh my gosh. I mean I think you and I both talked about this but truly the journaling for us, affirmations like putting words into your brain that you believe in, like putting truth into your brain rather than negative thoughts, has all the power yeah it can change.
Speaker 2:It truly changes the trajectory of your day. Every day, like the moment, I feel an anxious thought. I felt it yesterday. I felt it after work. I was on my little post walk, you know post sunset walk, and I felt like, oh, the sun's going down, I have all these progress reports to do for my students.
Speaker 2:Um, I didn't get this done today and like I started going into like three negative thoughts, I stopped, I put my running shoes on. I was like absolutely not Courtney. Like I'm gonna ask for strength right now, god, and I'm gonna walk outside. I'm gonna romanticize this night. I will literally romanticize the heck out of a night. I was like Hallmark movie on cuddles fireplace. Um, sunset, like I'm going to make everything magical hot cocoa. I literally made hot cocoa like the Kaizo's cocoa, the healthy cocoa, with whipped cream on it, and I had myself a little night and it was wonderful, you know. So I just think your brain is so powerful like we have to treat it with joy and love. It can't just sit in its negative thoughts or else we you and I would probably sit inside of an apartment all day and cry oh, for sure I.
Speaker 1:I've done that before.
Speaker 2:I'm like I can't have a moment. Right, it's okay to have days, but, man, can we? We cannot live in those, we just can't. I feel like that's something. We are so excited to help other girls push through and um, I don't know find their outlet in that, because we both feel so passionate about it. It's like we're sitting there going. We're emotionless, we are so opposite of that, but we want to help people get out of their own feelings, you know, into the gym. Maybe you'll talk about this at another time. Yeah, so many, so many nuggets, so many nuggets.
Speaker 1:We have thousands of nuggets, I think so kind of wrapping up what is one thing that you want to leave the people with?
Speaker 2:uh, I would say well one. Just thank you for having me on. I love talking with you. You're such a Um I would say, just dig deep into your own feelings, right, but do not let them control your life.
Speaker 2:I mean, whatever you want to change, you are capable of changing. You are not stuck. You are never alone. There's always resources and people to run into. Um, and wherever you are in life right now you are not don't have to stay there like enjoy where you're at, but you don't have to stay there Like.
Speaker 2:You can open so many doors, you know, by the grace of God, and say I want something different for my life.
Speaker 2:I mean, I have changed so many aspects of my career, the last, and my personal life, and now I'm in such a healthy, beautiful, joyful relationship. I have the most sweet friendships, I have family that encourages and loves, and it doesn't mean every day is great, you know, but and I have career that I'm passionate about and I'm excited to see how it develops Let things that you're excited about drive you every day, you know. Let them let the ice latte in the morning drive you, you know. Let that workout session drive you. Let these things just honestly build joy in you so that you can be a joy for others and bless others' lives. And just remember, like, no matter where you're at, it does get so much better because it gets so good and life is just so sweet. And I just hope that people can kind of get out of their comfort zone and enjoy where you're at, you know so I don't know, that's kind of my that was like a bunch of spaz ADHD thoughts but just remember it gets so good, yeah.
Speaker 1:It does get so good.
Speaker 2:It does, doesn't it?
Speaker 1:Cheers, cheers. Thank you for being on the podcast today. Love you, this was so fun. Thank you, love you. I'm so excited for this friendship. Me too, probably, probably not guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you might get sick of us. Yeah, you might get really sick of us actually, but it gets so good, it gets so good.
Speaker 1:Thanks for coming on today. Court.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me girl. Also, where can people find you on social media? Court Wicked Fit on Instagram and honestly it's the same on TikTok Not really a user of TikTok, yet Probably should be.
Speaker 1:You're going to click on Courtney's page and understand the like as soon as you see her post. You're gonna get like thank you.
Speaker 2:I love it. It's so fun to spread joy on there and, um, yeah, court, wake a fit. That's pretty much all I have right now, but I think we have some things in the works coming for for our people. We'll see.
Speaker 1:We'll circle back, but thank you guys, I'm so excited.
Speaker 2:For listening today. We're so giddy.
Speaker 1:We love you and we will catch you next time. Thanks, Girlie.
