Strength + Self

Sharing a chat with a first-time competitor amiga.

Hitting a weight plateau during contest prep can trigger self-doubt, but the scale is only one data point in a much larger picture.

In this episode, I break down why the scale stops moving, how the "whoosh effect" works, and why trusting your coach and process is crucial for long-term progress. Learn how to silence brain noise, detach from instant gratification, and execute your plan with total confidence.

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From hosting The Fit Weekend Fest in Mérida to unexpectedly chatting with bodybuilding legend Kevin Levrone, this episode is a mix of behind-the-scenes moments, impulse decisions, and a lot of honest reflection. Oh ya, and my birthday too!

I talk about what it was like hosting the event, the surreal experience of hanging out with one of the icons of the sport, and the very real possibility that I might have impulsively signed myself up for a Hyrox... Because apparently I like challenges that make no sense in the moment.

We also get into body composition and training. What a full week off during travel actually did for my recovery, why I stripped my ego when stepping back into the gym, and why launching Rocket Protocol 2.0 feels different this time. Being lean and conditioned is cool, but right now the priority is simple: more muscle, more glutes, better recovery, and training that actually supports growth.

And finally… starting therapy. Not the traditional route, but more from a spiritual and introspective angle. Unexpected, a little uncomfortable, and already something I’m obsessed with.

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This episode is for anyone who’s ever swung between extremes in training, doubted their own knowledge, or felt stuck in their physique progress. The real story of how I went from doing everything myself… to giving up all control… to finally landing in the middle... I call it my Goldilocks in training.

After 15+ years of coaching, competing, programming, burning out, and rebuilding, (I think?!) I finally hit a breakthrough. Not from adding more, but from understanding why my body responds the way it does. With new guidance, clearer direction, and a fresh perspective, I’m blending what I know with what I’m learning, and so far it’s working. It's slow, it's snail process, but it's process. And the snail is going in the direction we need it to.

It’s been about trusting the process, fixing weak points, and finding the approach that feels 'just right,' with less extremes and more alignment.

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coachcourtneypro.com

For the ones who feel “I should have my life together” but also know they’re just getting started. Whether you’re in your 20s or reflecting back, I know at least a few of these will resonate for you.

I'm personally hitting self-trust, confidence, money, boundaries, dating yourself, friendships, failure, rejection, and becoming the kind of woman who shows up for herself.

These are the lessons that would’ve saved me money, heartbreak, and years of stress. The advice I ignored, but that shaped everything about who I am now... #noregrets

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coachcourtneypro.com

Change doesn’t happen by thinking about it. It happens when you finally decide to move. Because nothing changes if nothing changes.

Sharing some current feels (and shifts) while I navigate through the messy middle between who I’ve been and who I’m becoming… that space where things feel uncertain, uncomfortable, and raw, but all so necessary. Shift in coaching, health protocols, and some new projects I’m taking on.

Always raw, uncertain, and honest. Sharing this ‘therapy session’ because growth isn’t always glamorous, but it’s always worth it. Come FAFO with me :)

Basically, it's all just a personal self-led therapy session!

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coachcourtneypro.com

A vulnerable message shared from my amiga, inspired all of this. The pressure to perform (compete) and a common struggle many competitors feel/experience. It needed to be said. All with love in a safe space.

Website: ⁠coachcourtneypro.com⁠

IG: ⁠instagram.com/courtney_ifbbpro⁠ 

“Squirrel spirit” theme of this epi (more to come like this?)

• feeling familiar resistance > seeking new opportunities for growth and expansion
• update since last epi/competition > mindset 180°, new boundaries, giving up protocol control
• I’m the official/first/only ambassador for Evolve Gym in Mexico > what this means for me
• “useless souvenirs” from Korea
• shameless plug for coaching with me > let’s work together > lifestyle or competition prep!

Website: coachcourtneypro.com

IG: instagram.com/courtney_ifbbpro 

First competition of 2025 (hopefully not my last) and it was like a mini Olympia... this prep broke me, pushed me through my hardest challenges yet, reminded me why I 'get to' (not 'have to') do this. The good, the bad and the ugly, all spilled in this episode.

My 2025 Pro season is sponsored by: Canadian Protein

Join me on IG: instagram.com/courtney_ifbbpro

Join my PREP INSIDER broadcast channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbaZCIRlsedm3fZe/?igsh=MWVqMDBnZGt4Yzd1Yg==

The connection between the mind and the gut, and how this relationship impacts our mindset within bodybuilding.

A well-functioning gut supports the production of mood stabilizers, dopamine (think: reward-driven behaviours we experience in prep), and a more calm, focused mind.

I explain what a healthy gut entails (a checklist for you!),

supplements to support good gut health,

immediately actionable takeaways.

Order gut health supplements from Canadian Protein: canadianprotein.com/courtneyforlife_ and please use my code at checkout: courtneyforlife_

Coaching inquiries (lifestyle, competition prep, posing): ⁠⁠⁠www.courtneyforlife.com⁠⁠⁠

Join my IG broadcast channel, Prep Insider: https://ig.me/j/AbaZCIRlsedm3fZe/

Subscribe to my Self Made wellness app: ⁠⁠⁠https://selfmade.mvt.so/⁠⁠⁠ 

Join me on IG: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/courtney_ifbbpro⁠⁠⁠ 

Me and IFBB Pro Humberto Kauffmann (owner of Overcome & Become competition prep coaching, and my prep coach!) discuss all thing bodybuilding and the Canadian Physique Alliance (CPA) tier system for all bodybuilding divisions, both the open and natural streams, and how shows are usually run.

Coaching inquiries: ⁠⁠⁠www.courtneyforlife.com⁠⁠

Join me on IG: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/courtney_ifbbpro⁠⁠⁠ 

Humberto on IG: www.instagram.com/the.mexecutioner

Competitors & coaches on Overcome & Become: www.instagram.com/overcomeandbecome