Amber McCourtney 9

week /wēk/
Noun
1. A period of seven days.
2. The last seven days of a life changing 16 week roller coaster..

One week from today I'll be back stage, insanely dark tan set, jewelry on, suit glued, hair and makeup completed and heart racing. I can hardly believe I've made it. By "made it" I mean completed the grueling 16 weeks of diet and training that go into show prep. I know in one week I will step on stage calm and composed knowing that no matter what package I have to present the battle has been won. And I will exit that stage a changed person.

This process was so much more than a competition for me and that's where the tremendous feeling of accomplishment comes from. This process has changed my life completely. I will emerge a competitor, a divorce survivor lol, a mother, a NON smoker, a healthier more informed and empowered woman. I can look past the chaos and insanity of life and know I am blessed, lucky, fortunate. However you choose to define it, that's what I am. There are a handful of people that have stood behind me every step of the way. They've been there to help me (my grandparents), encourage me (my team), push me (my people; you know who you are), kick my ass in the gym (Debbie), and in the kitchen (Roger). They endured the mood swings the schedule the exhaustion and distraction. I am truly blessed.

Every person standing on that stage is more than a body, a competitor, or your opponent. Each and every one is a person apart from this life, separate from this world of competition. Each has overcome obstacles, trials, and tribulations and still climbed this mountain to stand here today. We stand here proud not of our bodies so much as the work it took to create them. The dedication it takes to do Cardio EVERY morning before you can have that first meal, and the hours spent preparing meal after meal packing and snacking everywhere you go. The sacrifices made to be a better stronger, healthier, person. That's what this is about.

week /wēk/
Synonyms: sennight - hebdomad

Amber McCourtney 8

Meat, Eggs, and Mountain-Climbers!

     If someone would have told me a few weeks ago that I would he feeling this good so close to my competition I would think they had lost it.. life is crazy enough as it is without adding in a diet like this.

   As of a few weeks ago I've been on a high fat low carb diet. The total opposite of what I was doing before. I feel like I live on meat and eggs. Well, cause I do lol! The more I do the more I see just how your food can effect your everyday life. Not just in the time it takes to eat or make it or the energy you may or may not have but in the overall way your brain works.

    Week one was difficult just getting adjusted but the little bit of dairy that I was now allowed gave me something to look forward to. However as my body adjusted I could feel my mind adjusting two after a full week I was irritable adjusting to the lack of strength and energy, I began to notice that my outlook was a much less sunny one and before week two was over I just about had an all out meltdown. THANK GOD I have such amazing support from friends / team mates and Roger and Debbie. I NEVER realized the HUGE effects that such a change can have on you.

    I stuck with the new diet and once I made it through my mini melt down it seems things were (and still are) on the up and up again. I feel fantastic!! I have that sluggishness from time to time but I have a feeling that this high-energy two year-old of mine may have a little to do with that. :) Now that my focus has been redirected more on the leaning out than the building I get to do more of the interval style training than I did before. I may be moving less weight but i'm moving it further these days and it feels fabulous! Here's a little taste of one of my mid-day work outs this week... Just having fun!

Lifted shoulders then...
                                         Round one: 3X

*Walk down hill and run up w/ 30lb barbell 5x
*100 jump ropes
*25 overhead lunges down hill / 25 up hill.
*100 jump ropes

Round 2: 3X

*Medicine ball bounce
*V sit holds
*Incline pushup
*mountain climbers
*plank
*10lb dumbell rear delt plank thingys

Amber McCourtney 7

SIX WEEKS!

Holy cow have things been busy! SIX WEEKS!! This whole show prep is such an interesting and exciting experience. But to say it's challenging is an understatement. I'm more and more certain every week that the biggest challenge is your mind. It's the make or break factor. 

With the holiday this week  I've realized how much I miss the girls when I don't have my Saturday team time! It's my weekly pick-me-up. Keeps me on track and renews my spirit. I don't know what I would do without such amazing support! 

I can hardly believe how close we are to show time! Changes are really beginning now and my Cardio is up to 11 hours... Not the most fun but I love the satisfaction of working so hard at something. I can't wait to see what's in store for this next week! :)

Amber McCourtney 6

I often hear people say things such as “I just don’t have the time.”, “Man I wish I had your energy.”, “I just don’t have your enthusiasm.” Well my friends I’m here today to bring you this breaking news… I don’t always have it either lol!! I love what I do but not every day can be fantastic. I don’t jump out of bet at 5am every morning and say “YES! CARDIO AND OATMEAL HERE I COME!” BUT I do make the choice to better myself and in doing so you have to push through the times that may not be so fun to live a happy healthy life. It’s a choice. I made the decision to push myself to be better and do better and try my hardest to better the people around me and in doing so I’m committed to standing by my decision and doing whatever it takes. This week I’ve decided to take a minute to go over a few common misconceptions and/or obstacles and ways to either lessen or resolve them.

TOO TIRED:

                Diet:

Step back and look at all the toxins you’re putting into your system. Your body has to filter all that out. Does your air conditioner run exceptionally well when the filter is caked with dirt and junk? CUT THE CRAP! You and your body are better without it. I promise you’ll feel better.

                Journal:

 Try a food log to make sure you are holding yourself accountable.

                Sleep:

 I know it’s your favorite show but it can wait till the weekend. Sleep is going to make you more efficient all day long so rather than cut too deeply into your rest time to get things done. Rest up and you’ll likely do them better and more efficiently when you’ve had some good quality sleep. If you struggle with sleeping it could go right back to diet and exercise. Hmm, are you seeing a connection here?

TIME MANAGEMENT:

I AM THE WORST! I have been notorious all of my life for mismanaging my time. So, naturally that was always one of my excuses. “I just don’t have the time.” That may ring true for some of us but for the majority of us we are simply not paying attention to where our time goes…  How much time do you spend watching television, surfing the web, chatting on the phone, texting, FACBOOKING!?  I’m all for all of these activities but only if they don’t interfere with the life you live in the real world.

                Time Log:

Start a time log. Write down what you spend your time doing for one whole week even just a few days and you can easily see where you lack time and where you could easily draw a few minutes from. Be honest with yourself!  You may be amazed.

                Get organized:

This is another way I mismanage my time and a way that I am still learning to save myself one minute at a time till TaDa I have an extra hour every day! “If you don’t have the time to do it right when will you ever have time to do it over?” John Wooden.

                Bulk up:

One of the things that really drives me batty is when people tell me you don’t have the time to eat better. If you have the time to stroll through all the center isles of your local grocer, wait for your food at a sit down joint, or even better sit through the long lines at a drive through during any one of the meal time rushes you could have had a delicious and nutritious meal already in your tummy. There are so many tools to help us save time these days utilize them! Crock pots, ovens, steamers.. you know “Set it and forget it” kind of stuff. Make extra and then all you have to do is portion it out for the rest of the week and you have no more lines no more $10 lunch specials and NO MORE CRAP! Hey you can even watch that show while you prep for your week! :)

ENTHUSIASM:

LAST BUT MOST DEFINITELY NOT THE LEAST. It’s not easy to stay positive, you’re not always going to want to get up and get going day in and day out. Your head is going to get the best of you at times but this is where you must be strongest because its your thoughts that determine what you can do and ultimately what you will do. Think of your thoughts as your children it’s easy to let them get worked up or carried away but you are in charge of your mind and how your think. You choose which side to spend your time on, the half full side or the half empty one.

                Get inspired:

Find a way to inspire yourself every single day. Be it a person you follow,  and photo you have, a quote, a thought, The Book, make a conscious effort to get inspired every single day. Some days my inspiration comes from simply having done what I set out to do. I may not have wanted to get on the treadmill but I did and I’m now one step closer to my goals.

                Set Goals:

How do you eat an elephant?? One bite at a time… you’ll get there give yourself small reasonable goals to meet. It may be as short term as finishing all twelve reps. Whatever keeps you going.

                Stay Positive:

As my grandmother always said to me as a child, “Amber, you mind is a beautiful garden. Don’t let the pigs in.” It’s not an easy task and I likely will never fully master it but after several years I’ve learned not to dwell on the negative any more than I have to I allow myself a reasonable amount of time to handle any situation and then I move on back to the bright side. Try to surround yourself with only positive encouraging people. Every week I get to see my coach and my team up at Powerhouse and that alone can be my saving grace sometimes. We spend so much of our time harboring these negative stresses it weighs us down and adds to the pollution we are putting into our bodies.  Make the decision to be positive and stay positive.. You are in charge!

LIVE, LOVE, AND TRAIN YOUR ASS OFF!

Amber McCourtney

Diana Pitts 5

My show Experiences with Team Powerhouse

My First Show

I participated in my first bodybuilding show in the spring of 2010.  I entered in the INBF beginner figure class.  As I arrived early for the mandatory competitors meeting, I joined all the other competitors waiting out in front of the venue on the stairs.  I recognized a few competitors I met at posing classes in earlier months, but 

I was pretty much there by myself. 

 I had an experienced helper lined up and was anticipating her arrival at any time.  As the time arrived to enter the venue and attend the competitors meeting, I contacted my diet coach and asked him if he knew where my helper was.  At that time I was informed that my helper was not going to be in attendance today due to a family emergency.  If I wasn’t nervous already, now I had no help.  I decided I had to go thru with the competition and wasn’t sure how I was going to apply my own bikini bite or spray myself w/ Pam!  I laugh now, but on that day it was far from funny. 

Upon entering the venue, I followed the other female competitors back stage to the prep room.  I had so many thoughts racing through my head.  When do I go on?  How will I know when it’s my turn?  Is there anyone around that might be able to help me?  It seemed quite tense in the prep room.  Women were doing last minute touch ups to their tan, hair, suits, makeup.  I reached into my bag and took out my brand new bottle of bikini bite.  I opened the lid and realized that I couldn't get it to work.  The roller ball was stuck!  I looked around to see if anyone seemed to appear willing to help me.  Nearby there was another competitor and a helper.  They seemed to know what they were doing and they very friendly (not quite like most of the people in that room).  I told them that this was my first show and my helper was a no-show.  I asked them if they new how I could get my bikini bite to work.  They immediately offered to help and I was so relieved.  Thanks to them, I was stage ready when my class was called. 

My first stage experience was terrifying.  I had so many thoughts in my head.  I was nervous about being on stage in front of a large crowd.  I was angry that my helper didn't show up.  I was fearful of messing up my routine.  I was thinking I was crazy for even being here and told myself I was never going to do this again.  My pride forced me on stage.  I was at least going to go through with the competition and then that would be the end of it. 

I stepped on stage with the other beginner competitors.  I was shaking like a leaf through the entire quarter turn routine.  My movements were jerky; my face was tense w/ short episodes of smiling when I remembered to.  I had the classic “scare crow” fingers.  The harder I tried not to shake, the worse it seemed to be.  I was so relieved to exit the stage only to go back out all by myself for the T-walk.  My T-walk was not much different than my quarter turn experience. 

When the prejudging was complete, I met w/ my diet coach.  He suggested what I should have for my meal in between prejudging and the finals later that evening.  He also suggested that I get a spray tan backstage because my tan wasn’t dark enough.  By that time I was just done with trying to “fix” anything else.  I don’t think he realized that the previous day I spent eight hours applying around 8 coats of what I thought was the right shade of tan for the show.  My diet coach kept telling me I wasn’t dark enough when I would send him pictures of my tan.  My friends diligently helped apply all these layers of tan.  At that time, I felt more than dark enough.  I felt freakishly tan.  My kids were even asking me why I was so brown.  I decided I wasn’t going to spend the extra $100 to get the spray tan and headed out to lunch. 

I returned for the evening show.  I was required to do my T-walk again that evening.  Surprisingly, I was less nervous.  I actually felt quite confident and smiled with ease during my routine.  
As I stepped off stage, I started to have an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.  I did it and I didn't quit!  To my surprise, I ended up placing third in the beginner class.  I was quite pleased.  As I left the show that evening, I started to think that I wanted to do this again.  I started to think that there had to be a better way to “do this”.  This was the beginning of my journey to pursue a smarter way to prep for my next contest. 

I went on to compete in two shows in 2011.  I also went to local shows as a spectator to try to learn more about the sport.  As I have mentioned in a previous blog, I noticed Debbie Portell and Team Powerhouse.  I thought it must be nice to have that team support at a show.

Joining Team Powerhouse

I joined Team Powerhouse in the fall of 2011.  I competed in three shows so far this year (2012).  Having the support of a dedicated trainer and team members sure makes all the difference.  Teammates have attended all the shows that I have competed in this year, even one that was out of town in Liberty, Missouri.  Debbie has always been willing to be my backstage helper without question.  She takes time out from her busy client weekend schedule to ensure all my needs are met on the day of the show. 

I came from a bad first show experience and know what it’s like to have minimal support with show prep and no help at my first show.  I try to convey to my teammates all the benefits of being part of Team Powerhouse and how valuable the support system is that we cultivate.  There’s nothing like a positive support system and the benefit of the knowledgeable team leaders/members.  I can’t thank the team enough for all their support.  There’s nothing like having all your team members hollering out your name in support when you’re on stage at a show.  

Amber McCourtney 5

Veggies Please! 

Never would I have thought I would be walking into my nutritionist’s office and asking him to take away my chips and begging for vegetables.. HOWEVER, that’s exactly what I did this past Saturday. When I first started getting to know Debbie I thought it was intense talking about eating 100% perfect 100% of the time. But the longer I’ve trained with her the more and more I see the benefits. I’ll never forget simply being told to throw away my uncontrollable foods. I thought to myself that I could handle it. All things in moderation I thought… WRONG. Deb was right. I’ve come to find that if I can’t control it I’m better off cutting it out altogether. And having my diet on spot just makes me feel so much better physically, mentally & even emotionally. It doesn’t happen overnight but once it does, it’s fantastic.

Over the last week everyone in my family has been passing around some ugly stomach bug. It finally caught up with me yesterday sending me home from work early with chills and fever. The difference is where everyone else sank deep into the sickness requiring several days to totally recover I was up and going again this morning. I never did get sick to the same degree. Now it may not be the diet but it’s a hard thought to just pass over.

In the weight room I’m feeling great. Over the last two months Debbie has tailored my workouts to better fit my needs. Coupled with my corrective exercises and foam rolling I love the results I’m seeing. As a matter of fact I put on an old shirt Monday only to find that it was tight around my delts… INSTANT SMILE!  Last we did arms and I’m so excited to try it on my own this week. Next session we hit legs...... I’m thinking I may need a few prayers on this one lol!

Happy training!

Amber McCourtney 4

"LEAN"

I was on the treadmill today trudging away at my daily uphill journey left alone with my thoughts in an empty Sunday gym. I got that déjà vu ish feeling when you suddenly remember a dream you had the night before. I remembered being at the gym and knocking out some reps. People stopped to turn and look, to watch me. For a fleeting moment I had my pat on the back. It was the silent nod of approval; the three seconds too long glance. It was a Saturday during bootcamp at Powerhouse. I had just busted out some dips and was finishing out the day. Lenn was pushing me through my push-ups and added a chain. I was nearly finished my arms were shaking and body dripped with sweat.

I thought back on my dream and step after step I began to smile I was beginning to better place the memory. It wasn’t a dream at all, it was real. It was showing… I had a long way to go yet but all my effort was finally beginning to be seen.

 Since I began this journey I’ve already had so many people take the time to stop and criticize. People look on in disapproval. My diet, my exercise, my skimpy attire… I say: my fuel, my strength, my suit. I eat too much or I eat too little, I’m too muscular or already too thin. I say yes. I do eat a lot and I do eat a little. I eat a lot of all the right things and I eat very little of the rest. I am muscular. And I am “lean”. Isn’t that what every workout DVD, diet pill, fad diet, home gym, “health food”, miracle method, promotes??

This is it; the real deal. This is the effort that goes into it. See these chains? They aren’t just for looks. This isn’t a show for your enjoyment. This is for me. This is not for my mother. This is not for my father. This is not for the boy in school who made fun of me. It’s not for my first love or my first heart break. It’s not for my X. It’s not for the envy, the pats on the back or second glances. This is all to be the best me I can be. The strongest individual I can create. If this is for anything else it would be to encourage, inspire, and uplift. To prove to MYSELF that I can and I will. It would be to set an example for my son. To lead by example and teach him dedication, to reach further, dream bigger, work harder.

I have an entire team of girls that do this same thing day in and day out; each for their own reasons. But I would be willing to bet that every single one of them can now stand independently and say “This is me. This is who I am.” They are strong and confident and every week they remind me why I do this. It’s FOR ME; to be confident in my will, my strength, and my abilities. I’m so thankful to have that support of these women. And I feel like I have the entire Powerhouse crew at my back to remind me every time my knees get weak or my will is breaking that I have it in me. And 12 weeks from now you will know it’s not about showing what I look like it’s about showing what I’ve done. “Look at all my hard work. Look at what I have created.” Can you say that??