Kourtney Thomas

Oh hi! Still existing as a coach over here. Still trying to do it a lil different. Still over here asking you to vote for me in weird internet contests. Because why not? I may be a little older and a little wider (yes, I said wider, though I’m def wiser too), but I can still bring it - the muscles and the motivation 💪💥

You know where to find the link 😘 (Also here: https://mshealthandfit.com/2024/kourtney-thomas)

I turned 40 last week.

Celebrated big time.

Got myself a huge, perfect cake, of course.

And mostly, reflected on just how truly happy, content, excited, comfortable, genuinely myself I am these days.

It’s taken a long time, but what a gift this hard work, time, thought, and care for myself, my life, my body, my loves has been.

What a gift it will be for the next 40 years.

Life itself, everything I have, everything to come - just wow. 40 feels incredible and if it feels this good, gimme more of this aging stuff anytime.

I’m by no means an authority, but I can suggest this if you’ve recently been stressing about aging or stuff that comes with it: take marketing and other people (the ones who really don’t matter) out of it.

It’s your life. Your time. Your body. Figure out what makes the most of it. I can pretty much guarantee it’s not hating yourself or chasing the past or some unrealistic or inauthentic-to-you future.

Settle into yourself, not what society or social media is saying you should or shouldn’t be. Then stretch into all the things you actually want or don’t want for yourself.

Don’t hold back. Don’t make yourself small.

We may have time, we may not. I don’t know about you, but I’m here to make it count either way. As Dolly says, find out who you are and do it on purpose. I’m still trying daily, but it’s so, so worth it for every day to feel like this and more. 💕

#40

Last week, I was on a kickoff call with a new customer. I was going through my little intro I always do - I live in Denver, love hiking, have a labradoodle, drive a Subaru, etc., and out of nowhere he goes:

And you stay in the gym too. I can tell by your face.

We proceeded to talk about my background in training and lifting and such for a few minutes, but wow, took me by total surprise.

I have been so in my head lately about my body (even wrote about it on my blog recently), it was just such a great reminder that what’s inside isn’t always what’s outside.

An even better reminder that my gauge is off. A whole career in the fitness industry. A lifetime of grandmas and moms not eating. A changing body and a thousand influencers influencing me. (Yes, me too.)

But like, a total stranger can tell I work out from the neck up on a Zoom meeting? I think I’m ok.

And if you’ve been up in your head about your body lately? You’re ok too. Promise. Check your gauge. Check your stories.

Check your cute ass in those jeans. We’re all ok.

Surround yourself with people who know how to say yes. And no.

The ones who know themselves well enough. Or are working toward figuring that out with more solid yeses and nos.

Learn your own yeses and nos.

Trust them. Trust yourself.

Trust me…it’s the way.

Went to the beach. Was not lean or jacked. Did not die.

Y’all. Cannot stress this enough.

I didn’t even think about it.

No one did.

And my love told me I had the best butt on the beach. Which was really all that mattered to me.

Plus the absolute killer time we had.

Oh, I definitely stressed before the trip that this is the “worst” I’ve ever looked. And the “worst” shape I’ve ever been in. And the most “jiggle” I’ve ever jiggled.

And then, I let it go.

I look good. I feel incredible. I’m actually in the best overall mental, emotional, and physical shape I’ve ever been in. And as my guy continually tells me, I still have visible abs, so what am I worried about? (Haha. He’s cute, and obviously not a woman who has A LOT to worry about. I digress.)

But really, the silly details and minutiae of the difference between 15 or 20 or even 25% body fat (gasp!). Or size 4 or 8 or 12. Or dieting and beating yourself up all the time. Or never thinking you’re good enough until or unless.

Just.

Not worth it.

Because thinking any of that affects how much you’ll enjoy yourself on a trip or at an event or what the heck ever is a mistake.

We don’t have to make life harder and so much less enjoyable for ourselves. We don’t have to make ourselves feel bad because of outdated societal and/or sh*tty social media ideals.

That’s a choice.

It’s not always an easy choice, I know from experience. Took me about two years to get here.

But I also know from experience it’s by far the superior choice.

More and more I’m certain I wasn’t put here to obsess and waste precious time and life on this ideal body BS. If I’ve got 40 or 50 years left on this earth, by golly I’m going to keep myself healthy enough to live every one of them to the fullest.

And then, I’ll let go of the rest.

I’m going to be 40 this year, and finally, finally, I know what’s worthwhile, what my priorities are, what matters. Who matters. That’s how I live, more than ever before.

Do you?

It’s no secret I LOVE Christmas and this entire holiday season.

Yes, I love lights. And I love ornaments. And I love holiday markets. And I love baking cookies.

But what I love the most is and will always be the love, joy, and kindness that comes along with all of that.

Yes, there is sometimes a lot of pain associated with the holidays or family. Yes, the world is burning a little bit.

Yes, and.

That’s a good reminder we can make choices to take care of ourselves and the ones we love. Give what we can for what we believe in. Take time to rest. Prioritize our chosen family and hold them close AF.

However that looks for you today, I see you and I’m sending love. I know it took me a damn long time to make my choices and get here, and Christmas will forever be my reminder to push myself to hold onto this feeling and act like my best Christmas self year round.

Anyway, happy Christmas, happy every holiday, and happy with how freakin’ cute this holiday pic turned out 😘

Merry merry, my wonderful friends and chosen fam! 🤗❤️💚

If you’re feeling a little low, feel free to steal my 7-step feel better recipe.

Step 1: Be alone. (I know! Omg! But yes, just you. And then balance this with intentional social time too, of course.)

Step 2: Go outside and get some fresh air. No matter the weather. Anywhere. Doesn’t have to be someplace special.

Step 3: But if you can, make it quiet. Or at least somewhere you feel peaceful.

Because you have to have some quiet to quiet all the bu****it going on in your loud mind. (No phones! No earbuds or podcasts! Not even a journal! Omg!)

Step 4: Move your body. It helps move your brain, per Step 3.

Step 5: Take your time.

Step 6: Stay present.

Step 7: Make the trip long enough you can check off Steps 3-6. It’s easy to try to make this happen in an hour, but it won’t. Stop rushing.

Bonus: Bring a four-legged friend for smiles and play.

It’s not a perfect recipe. It won’t always turn out. (Didn’t really turn out for me today, I’ll be honest. But it did help some.) You may need to make some tweaks, add your own pinch of this or that to make it work for you. Repeat often to get the best results.

But it’s a good base recipe totally worth trying.

Cheers, my winter friends. I see you 🤍

This is me on a Smith machine. One of the only machines in the gym I avoided like the plague because why would I want/need this, like, ever?

Welp, it’s my only option at my apartment gym, so I must confront this beast. Now I do want and need it.

But…I have been struggling for WEEKS to figure out how to squat in this stupid thing. Nothing feels good, I’m not progressing, and the effort is way, way higher than it should be based on my strength and lifting level.

I’m limited by the machine fitting my body, and no matter what adjustments I make, we are apparently not much of a fit. Exactly why I always avoided it! 😑

But, I’m not giving up squats, so that’s not an option.

As much as I want it to work, today I gave up and switched to front squats. Which, oddly enough, I usually hate and struggle with a lot more with a barbell.

VOILA.

Much smoother. Effort felt right. I wasn’t fighting with the machine. I left feeling like I finally have a path to progress.

Ideal for my training goals long term? No, not really. I need and want back squats too.

But optimal for what I have and need right now? Yes, absolutely.

We often look at training and fitness as dogmatic. Like, hey, this is the *only* way to do XYZ thing, and you’re wrong or weak or whatever if you can’t do it.

Fun fact: Not true!

There is always another way to get to the goal. There is always an adjustment to be made.

And it is always going to get you a better result to make training work for you rather than the other way around.

Don’t get caught up in absolutes when it comes to training and fitness. Life is too short to try to wedge yourself into a box your body doesn’t fit in that makes you dread it and probably causes you actual pain.

Work with what you have, and then continually reevaluate, readjust, get a coach if you need (hi! 👋 happy to help!), and never be afraid of your options.

There are basics to hit, of course, but there are unlimited ways to accomplish them. No need to impose limits on yourself when…the limit does not exist ☺️

These sunsets are extra epic this year.

Or maybe it’s just life is extra epic?

All in what you look up and notice, and when.

There might be some extra insulation on the old girl, but damn good to know she can still sling some weight after a 3 month break 💪💪💥

No, but literally. My strength loss is almost completely negligible after 3 full months out of the gym and away from a bar with only quick, at-home dumbbell workouts 3 times a week.

Stop stop stop worrying about getting it perfect.

Start start start worrying about making it work for you, whatever that looks like in this season.

If you need an assist, you know where to find me 😘

Got this message randomly on LinkedIn of all places this morning and it 100% made my day.

The funny thing about living on the internet for more than a decade is that literally everything you’ve ever done on the internet for a decade is still around and never goes away.

But the other cool thing about that is that tried and true methodology and good coaching never, ever goes out of style.

I’m so proud of the work I’ve done in my fitness coaching career, and so happy to continue to get to help people year after year in a hundred little surprising ways.

And, um, also…just an FYI, I’m still doing it. I juuuust did a thing that allowed me to open up capacity for two coaching clients. If you like tried and true, I’m your gal. Hit me up anytime 💪💪

Welp. Today was one of those days that just doesn’t go how you wanted it to.

Today, we had to say goodbye to Boudreaux. Boo. Boo-boo bear. Nugget butt. Little lion man.

AKA The Best Boy, better than all the little boys.

He was a human dog forever, and his humans will forever remember all the joy and snuggles and love he brought us for 13+ years.

And the licks too. Jesus.

Never has there been a better boy who made everyone awwwww and smile, always got to sit at the front desk instead of the kennel, snuck his way into the bed with all his aunties (so many wonderful aunties! We love you all!), and even cracked open the heart of to let me wedge my way in and build a little family.

It’s never ever enough, but I’m so so grateful for the time I had with this perfect little pupper. I trust it was his time to say goodbye to us too, and I know he’s excited to see his big brother Brewer so they can lick faces and play and nap together forever and ever.

I’ll miss you, little dude. Thank you for being the best first dog a girl could ask for.