Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 10k

Over Thanksgiving Courtney and I had the chance to run together in our own Turkey Trot 10k. It was the first time we had actually seen each other in person since we started the FIT671 challenge, so being able to run 6 miles together was an amazing feeling. The run was extremely difficult because it was the day after Thanksgiving and our bodies were probably recovering from the food coma. Although, we both did a really good job with eating responsibly on Thanksgiving. I still think I ate way more than normal, and it just made me feel lazy and lethargic. Courtney and I started the run at her house and we ran all the way to our old high school track. We made several laps around the track and then we headed back towards Courtney's house, while hitting a few side neighborhoods on the way. I'll admit, we did have to take a couple walking breaks, but I am proud that we finished 6 miles! Here are a few pics that we took during the run….

Courtney had these AMAZING FIT671 t-shirts made for us with our logo. 

I took this as we were getting to the track. 

6 miles! 1 hour and 11 minutes. 

We finished!! :) 

-Emilie

Top 6 Reasons Why Running is the BEST.

I love running! I've recently challenged myself and upped my mileage from 3 miles to 6 miles. During my run today I started thinking of a few of my favorite things about running. Here's my list!

6. Feeling like a Champion, Gladiator, Superhero, etc... You get the picture. The feeling you get after finishing a long run is AMAZING. I literally feel like I could go to war and fight for my life. It's a great feeling. The runner's high is REAL and it's legit.

5. Saying hello to fellow runners/walkers during a run. This really pushes me through a run. I LOVE passing people and sharing a little kindness. I have a secret dream of one day starting a conversation with a fellow runner and then finishing the run together. Silly... but I still think it would be awesome.

4. Wearing LSU or LA Tech gear during a run in the UT bubble. This REALLY gets people saying hello! I even got a a honk, a couple waves, & a few LSU comments during my run today!

3. Enjoying nature.I love being outside & running. (I'm not really a fan of running on a treadmill) My favorite place to run is a running track on the edge of a lake in TN... I love it. It's a beautiful place to run.

2. Clearing my mind. Running relieves stress and helps me sort out all of the crazy thoughts going through my head. I also love to talk to God during my runs. Sometimes it's hard to remind myself to pray during a run, but when I do it makes the run 100% better. 

1. During a run something always causes me to smile and really look back on how far I've come. It's a great feeling and I love to savor that moment. Nothing beats a during the run smile... it pushes me so far!

So my reasons are kind of silly and not at all technical... but they all really do make a difference in a run for me!

What are your favorite things about running?

-Court

5k Fever!

It has been WAY too long since FIT671 has posted on here... so we have a lot of catching up to do! So here we go!

My favorite way to get fit is to run. I started running earlier this year as part of my new years resolution to run a 5k. I accomplished that goal and now I've successfully ran 5 5k's. I love the camaraderie of a race day. It's such a great feeling to wake up and go to a 5k and run those 3.1 miles with people cheering you on. It's such a feeling of accomplishment! When I moved to Tennessee I knew I HAD to run a TN 5k. I also knew it was going to be much more of a challenge, because... well, Louisiana is NOT hilly... AT ALL. So running in Tennessee has taken some getting use to... but it is very rewarding.

On October 22nd, my Aunt Becky, cousin Rodney, and I ran the Susan G. Komen Race for The Cure in Knoxville. We woke up early, stretched (not nearly enough), tried to warm up (barely did after 2 miles in), saw some sweet friends, ran our hearts out, enjoyed the music during the race, crossed the finish line, hugged our cheerleaders (Grammy, Paw-Paw, & Granny), & headed to IHOP for our post-race breakfast. And all for a great cause.

My grandmother, Virginia Darbonne, passed away when I was in 4th grade. She battled breast cancer for about 12 years of her life. I ran this race with her memory heavy on my heart. Every time those hills made me second guess myself, feel insecure, and unsure about finishing, I thought of her battle and the grueling pain she went through. I kept running. I miss her, but I know that she was smiling down on me.

After the race I was on cloud 9. Literally. I finished the race in 29 minutes and 4 seconds. I was extremely proud of that time! Here are some of our pic's of the amazing day. 

Before the race! It was early but we were excited! 

We saw our sweet friend Rachel and baby Grant before the race started! 

Right after finishing the race... Our cheerleaders: Granny, Paw-Paw, & Grammy. 

Me with the best grandparents in the world.

Running buddies! We trained hard!! Aunt Becky & I after the race... finish line behind us!

Aunt Becky, Rodney, & I with Grammy & Paw-Paw. Did I mention that they stayed in TN a few extra days just to see us race?!? How awesome!

Runners after the race! We were proud!

After the Race for the Cure 5k, I knew I had to run another. I wanted to improve my time. So I signed up for the Roane County Schools Run for your Health 5k. I was really excited about running this 5k because I actually run this route all the time. I felt very sure that I would be able to cut down some of my time. Wrong. It was freezing cold on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. I took off and immediately knew it was going to be a run that I had to work hard at every single step. Just putting one foot in front of the other was the goal for the race. I finished in 30 minutes and 4 seconds. My worst time EVER. The craziest thing about it all was that I actually got 3rd place in my division. CRAZY. I was shocked... but I am pretty proud of that medal. haha Here's a pic of me after the race. (Notice the LSU hat... this was the day LSU beat Alabama!! Geaux Tigers!)

Now on to bigger and better things. I am going home in about 10 days to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. Emilie will also be in DeRidder, so we have decided that we are going to run together while we are home. How far you ask? a 5k?... No, we have decided to run the "FIT671 Turkey Trot 10k" Did you catch the end of that? 10k! I'm so pumped up and cannot wait to run WITH Emilie!!! We've been working so hard these past few months and we FINALLY get to run TOGETHER!! We are going to run and push each other all 6 miles. I am so excited!!!

We'd love to hear how you plan on staying FIT over the holidays and if you are planning to run any races?

Stay FIT!

-Court

Inspiration

Inspiration is a very important part of getting fit... at least for me it is. I am very motivated by seeing how far other people have come and trying to get there myself. I've never been inspired by girls with the typical "model" body. I've always been inspired by everyday people who work hard and change their lifestyles for the better. I guess that's why I'm so drawn to NBC's The Biggest Loser. (If you're not familiar with the show... check it out NOW!)

I LOVE this show. I'm not going to write a description of the show or try to make you love it... which you SHOULD. haha. But, seeing the amazing transformation of past Biggest Loser contestants and seeing where they are now is nothing short of unbelievable. I'm so excited to watch this season's contestants completely change their lives.(Check out last season's winner and runner up, sisters, Olivia and Hannah on their blog. AMAZING women)

I could talk about The Biggest Loser for days and days and never get tired of it... however, that's not the point of the post. Find your own inspiration, make some goals, and work your butt off... literally. The Biggest Loser is one of my many inspirations and now every Tuesday night at 8:00.... I'll be getting a fresh new dose of inspiration thanks to NBC. And that makes me very happy.

By the way... In case you are following Season 12 of The Biggest Loser. I LOVE BOB HARPER. I have for some time now... but I'm excited about how he is going to help his team accomplish their goals.
I also love the new trainer Dolvett. He is a great motivator instead of constantly tearing down his teammates.
I'm not sure how I feel about Anna K. yet... so I'll wait a few more episodes.
Some of my favorite contestants are: Antone (former NFL player... TENNESSEE BOY), Vinny (Hilarious, country music singer, also from TENNESSEE), and Courtney (How can you not love a girl with a name like that?... but seriously... she is gorgeous and I can't wait to see her transformation).

I'm ready for Tuesday night, so I can laugh, cry, cringe, get chill bumps, jump up and down, scream, and cheer on the contestants! The Biggest Loser is my inspiration. What's yours?

-Court

WEEK 7!

I'm really excited about Week 7! I need so motivation and I think this plan is just what I needed! I'm pretty pumped about not having very many "circuit" workouts on the schedule! I'm not a fan! haha... But I'm ready to SWEAT IT OUT t his week!!!!! 
Let us know if you try any of our workouts!!! :) 
-Court

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Cardio & Arms	Cardio & Legs	Cardio, CORE, & Stretch	Sprint Circuit	Cardio & Legs	5K (outside)
Warm up 5 min walk	Warm up 5 min walk	Warm up 5 min walk	Warm up 10 min walk	Warm up 5 min walk	Warm up 3 min
35 minutes on Elliptical	Run 35 min at 5.5 mph	40 minutes on upright bicycle	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	35 minutes on Elliptical	Run 5K for time improvement!
Cool down 5 min walk	Cool down 5 min walk	Stretch for cool down (hold for at least 30 seconds)	12 push ups	Cool down 5 min walk	Cool down 5 min
		Stretch quads x2	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph
Bench flies 4x10 (10 lb weight)	Goblet squats 4x12 (20 lb weights)	Stretch hamstring x2	10 lunges/each leg	Sumo squats to push press 3x10 (10 lb weight)
Standing rows 3x12 (5 lb weight)	Single leg dead lifts 4x10 (15 lb weights)	Stretch groin x2	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	Tricep Dips 3x12
Arm curls 3x12 (10 lb weight)	Reverse lunges 3x10 (5lbs in each arm)	Stretch hip x2	Bicycle crunches (50 total)	Dumbbell Trinity 7-7-7 x2 (5 lb weight MAX)
		(HOLD EACH STRETCH FOR 30 SECONDS)	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	Hanging knee raises 3x10 straight, 10 side
			10 wide push ups (on knees)	Calf raises 4x20
		Reverse crunches 3x25	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph
		Planks 3 x45 seconds	Skater jumps 10 each leg
		Side planks 3 x30 seconds	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph
		Supermans 3x30 seconds	Reverse crunches (20 total)
		Bicycle crunches 3x50	REPEAT!
		Jungle sit ups 3x20	At least 5 min cool down (3 mph)
			STRETCH AFTER!!

Week 6

This week (as well as the past few weeks) has been a little crazy so I was only able to get in 3 good workouts..but I definitely made them count! I thought I'd share what I did in case you wanna try it out! I'm planning on getting at least one more workout in this weekend, and then we should have a whole new plan for next week! :)


Day 1: Circuit Workout
-5 min warm up
-Run 1 min
-12 pushups
-Run 1 min
-12 lunges (each leg)
-Run 1 min
-10 sit ups/20 crunches
-Run 1 min
-12 side lunges (each leg)
-Run 1 min
-10 Tricep Pushups (15 if you have to use your knees)
-Run 1 min
-20 reverse crunches
REPEAT!!!!!!!!
-3-5 minute cooldown

Day 2: 30 minute Run
-5min warm up
-Run 30 min
-5min cool down

Day 3: Strength Training
-3min warm up
-15min Run at 6mph
-Bicep Curls 4x20 (with 5 lb weight)
-Lateral Raises 4x12 (with 5 lb weight)
-Standing Side Crunches 3x20 (with 20 lb weight)
-Reverse Crunches 3x20
-Single Leg Dead Lift 3x10 (with 10 lb weight)
-Squats 3x10 (with 20 lb weight)
-Hanging Leg Raises 2x10 straight, 10 twist
-Planks 3x30 seconds
-Pushups 3x12


Let me know if any of you decide to try these workouts! I'd love to hear what you think!!

-Emilie

My life. My Story.

I have been so unmotivated to work out the past couple of weeks. You would think that this blog would have been enough to keep me going... but nevertheless, I've been stuck in a rut. Add lack of time into that equation and you get one lazy girl. Now that football season (my cousin Ray is a senior in high school and  plays for his school...we are hardcore Bobcats fans!!)  has started it seems like my life has been extremely busy... every single day. However, I've decided to not let my busy schedule control my life and my efforts to get fit. It's a goal that I want to achieve, so it's something that I will have to work at every single day. Of course there will  be obstacles along the way. My first obstacle is time management. I have to figure out a schedule that works for me and work as hard as I can when I can.

I've been extremely lucky to have some amazing women motivating me lately. My FIT671 partner, Emilie posted some very motivational quotes and pictures on my Facebook wall. They were awesome! My favorite quote was "Someone who is busier than you is running right now." Thanks Em. I'm back in the game now!

My sweet Aunt Nelwyn also encouraged me through a text message a couple of weeks ago. When I told her that getting fit is hard work she said, "You'll do great. When you make up your mind, it's done." I love it. I guess I hadn't made up my mind yet.... But now... I'm ready to get it done! Thank you Aunt Nelwyn!! :) I love you!

My friend Grace Moore is absolutely INCREDIBLE. She is on an amazing weight loss journey. Her goal is to lose 100 pounds. She is AMAZING. She's already halfway there... and this girl is UNSTOPPABLE. She has a very motivational blog.... click here to check it out and get ready for awesomeness. Yesterday she blogged about how other people word's can actually have a negative effect on you. Why do people feel the need to share their negativity with you?

I was really inspired by her closing lines... She said, "You have to write your own story. Your handwriting may suck, you might not be a good speller, and your hand will probably get tired sometimes…but DON’T YOU DARE hand someone else the pen."

With that being said, I just picked up my pen again and I'm ready to start writing. My story won't read, "she tried really hard," it will read, "she worked really hard and accomplished her goal." Let's get FIT.

Circuit Training

If you have looked at the Week 3 Workout Plan, that Courtney so graciously posted last night, you will notice that we are doing a lot of circuit training this week. Cardio is wonderful, and necessary if you're planning on running a 5k, but if you're goal is to burn fat, Cardio can't be your only solution. Circuit workouts allow you to burn 30% more calories than a regular Cardio workout. Circuits can also be really fun because the exercises are constantly changing. It goes by so fast, and it doesn't give you time to get bored!  Here is a good link from Fitness Magazine that talks about strength circuit workouts. It even gives you a few workouts to try! We'll probably be adding some of these to next week's plan! 

Have you ever tried a circuit workout? If you haven't, I challenge you to do a circuit to get FIT this week! 

-Emilie 

Week 3 Workout Plan!

Here it is!  Courtesy of  The Gorman's! This week we are going to be doing some intense circuit training workout's! I'm not going to lie, I'm personally very nervous about them... but I'm ready to do it!! Let us know how you guys are getting FIT this week? Have you ever tried a circuit workout? What are your thoughts?

Monday-CIRCUIT	Tuesday- STRENGTH TRAINING (legs & abs)	Wednesday-SPRINT CIRCUIT	Thursday- STRENGTH TRAINING (arms & abs)	Friday-CIRCUIT	Weekend- 5K (outside)
Warm up 5 min Walk/3.5 mph	Warm up 3 min walk	Warm up 10 min walk	Warm up 3min Walk/3.5mph	Warm up 5 min Walk/3.5 mph	Warm up 3 min
Run 1 min/6 mph	15 min run/6 mph	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	Run 15 min/6mph	Run 1 min/6 mph	Run 25 min
12 push ups	3 min cool down	12 push ups	Dumbbell Arm Hugs 3x15	12 push ups	Cool Down 5 min
Run 1 min/6 mph	Sumo squat with Press (10 lb) x 15	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	Dumbbell Rows 4x12 each arm	Run 1 min/6 mph
12 lunges/each leg	Reverse crunches 2x25	10 lunges/each leg	Side Planks 3 sets of 30 sec	12 lunges/each leg
Run 1 min/6 mph	Single leg dead lift (don’t swing leg) 3x10 each	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	Bench Dips 3x8	Run 1 min/6 mph
10 situps/20 crunches (twist)	Side lunges with twist (10 lb wt)  10 each leg	Bicycle crunches (50 total)	Bicep Curls 4x20 (5lb-8lb wt)	10 situps/20 crunches (twist)
Run 1 min/6 mph	Hanging leg straight (10 straight, 10 each side)	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	Standing Side Crunch 3x20	Run 1 min/6 mph
12 side lunges	Abduction 3x12 (resistance band)	10 wide push ups (on knees)	Hanging Leg raises 2x 10 straight, 10 each side	12 side lunges
Run 1 min/6 mph	Adduction 3x12 (resistance band)	Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph	Lateral Raises 4x12 (5lb wt)	Run 1 min/6 mph
10 Tricep Pushups		Skater jumps 10 each leg	Bent Over Flys 4x12 (5lb wt)	10 Tricep Pushups
Run 1 min/6 mph		Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph		Run 1 min/6 mph
10 body squats		Reverse crunches 20		10 body squats
Run 1 min/6 mph		Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph		Run 1 min/6 mph
Bicycle crunches (50 total)		REPEAT!!		Bicycle crunches (50 total)
Run 1 min/6 mph		Run 30 seconds/7-8 mph		Run 1 min/6 mph
Cool Down 5 min Walk/3.5mph		At least 5 min cool down (3 mph)		Cool Down 5 min Walk/3.5mph
		Stretch after!