Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Rushing.
Courtney, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a food blogger with an undergrad in Journalism and am currently studying for a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition to become a registered dietitian. I am a self-taught home cook, who grew up watching cooking shows rather than cartoons. I like competing on TV food competitions like ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael, where I placed second in the nation in their search for America’s New Grill Star. Most recently, I competed on Master Chef. If I can teach you one thing, it wouldn’t be a recipe, but it’d be about balance. Fitness and nutrition go hand in hand and I’d like to spend my life helping people realize the importance of what they are putting into their body and what they are doing with their body. That’s also where macros come in. Macros saved my life. Prior to macros, I thought I was doing everything right. I was intermittent fasting, cooking all my meals, eating plenty of healthy, whole foods, running every day paired with intense workouts, yet my weight had been steadily increasing for almost a year and I couldn’t figure out why. What I didn’t know is that I was eating too little. Intermittent fasting has loads of benefits, but it also has its cons. For me, fasting a majority of the day ruined my appetite and I was no longer hungry. I couldn’t fit it enough calories for my body accompanied by my training in the allotted time frame “feeding window.” Unintentionally, I was starving my body and didn’t even know it. I eat clean, whole foods, so trying to fit in 1600-1800 calories within a small eating window was difficult for me. I just wasn’t hungry. As someone who is studying for a Master’s in Nutrition, let me just tell you, your body is much smarter than you. It’s not always calories in versus calories out. I was under-eating and overtraining, causing my body to hold on to any calorie it got and store it as fat. I was maybe getting in 900 calories a day at best and still doing my daily runs and intense workouts (again, I didn’t realize this until I started tracking my calories). I knew I had to stop fasting, start tracking and start eating more. And that’s what I did and the weight started falling off. Believe it or not, I’m almost eating double the amount of calories I was before and weight is continuing to go down. I’m finally seeing my muscle definition again and not feeling or looking “soft”. I train like an athlete, and now I feel my body shows it. I put in the work day in and day out. I never miss a workout, I never missed a meal, and I manage this all while running a food blog, working a job, AND attending school full time. I want to spend my life educating people on the importance of EATING MORE, NOT LESS and that macros matter. I also want to be an inspiration to people who aim to better their health but do not know where to start. My food blog consists of hundreds of healthy recipes that are easy and delicious. Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. Diets don’t have to suck. As a personal trainer at my gym and a health and macro coach, I help people better themselves for themselves, not for anyone else. I hope to inspire and promote healthy relationships with food, your body, your loved ones, and God. I hope to teach you to try to be a better person than the person you were yesterday. Plain & simple. I want to motivate you and inspire you not to be like me, but to be the best you. That’s my purpose with my platform.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have been multiple times where I want to give up, turn off my phone, quit school and move back to Maui, but I realized very quickly that challenges are what change you. Challenges are what helps you grow, to become better than you were. Regardless of anything, I want to be a better person than the one I was yesterday. I want to keep inspiring people to chase after their goals, no matter how unachievable they may seem. My goal my entire life was to work for the Food Network. When they didn’t come calling after my stint on television, I was down. I forgot my purpose and wanted to give up cooking entirely. But what does quitting do? Nothing. We are only as good as our efforts. I refuse to fail or fall short, so I will work on myself every day I can be better.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Rushing to the Kitchen – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My company, Rushing to the Kitchen is a recipe and fitness resource. I provide nutrition and macro coaching to clients who are looking to take control of their eating patterns and see a change in their bodies. I have an ebook, Crushing It, that teaches clients about macros, carb cycling and it’s benefits. It’s 4 weeks of coaching, meaning I check in with every client about twice a week and am available for any questions/concerns they may have. I set macronutrient numbers for my clients and teach them the fundamentals of nutrition simply.
I am known for my healthy recipes on my Instagram, ranging from protein pancakes to salmon tacos. I have been pescatarian for over 12 years, so a lot of my content focuses on lean sources of protein such as shrimp, white fish, tuna, healthy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, oats, fruit, and quinoa and healthy fats such as almond butter, avocados, seeds, and nuts.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am most looking forward to graduating with my Master’s in Clinical Nutrition from Life University in Marietta. Once graduated, I plan to continue to work with people looking to make a lifestyle change with their eating. Macros are not a diet, its a better way to understand food. Knowledge is power and by helping people understand the basics of nutrition, I hope to help better lives. Whether I am working in a hospital in a clinical setting or continuing to run my own business, I want to make a difference.
Pricing:
- Crushing It Ebook $55.00
- Macro Count $20.00
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rushingtothekitchen.com
- Phone: 7705985941
- Email: courtneydrushing@gmail.com
- Instagram: rushingtothekitchen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=608256365
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
