Fitness with Outlaw Fitcamp

WORKING OUT WITH CONSISTENCY

by Jesse J. Leyva, Owner of Jesse James Fit & Outlaw Fitcamp

To accomplish your fitness goals, consistency is arguably one of the most important components. Making a commitment to a regular workout routine increases your fitness level, improves your overall health, and offers a greater sense of mental well-being. But what are the tricks to staying consistent?

Step One: Create a Workout Plan.

Committing to a fitness plan, regardless of your goals, means mapping out and physically writing (or typing!) an actual plan. Whether it’s for a single activity or a series of activities, they are a written commitment to put your fitness goals into action. Without a long-term physical plan in place, there’s often a drop-off in enthusiasm and action.

Programs keep you on track. You won’t have to think about what you’re going to do that day – it’s already written out. Depending on what your end goals are, each program or part of your program can have a different focus – endurance, strength, cardio, etc. Be realistic. Each day should be designed with your goals in mind – follow your plan consistently!

Step Two: Adapt.

If you have a program and don’t follow it, your body can’t adapt because there isn’t an opportunity for progressive overload (we want this!), which is when the amount of stress on your body is gradually increased over time, leading to increased strength and performance.

A lot of things happen inside of your body during exercise. Over time, your body changes, becoming stronger, growing, or running more efficiently. Different factors affect adaptations in everyone, and there’s no way to know when changes will occur. However, being consistent with training will increase the likelihood of seeing adaptations sooner!

Check out this report “Physiologic Responses and Long-Term Adaptations to Exercise” from the CDC for more examples, including:

Improved ability of muscles to use fat as energy

Stronger ligaments and tendons

Increased VO2 max and lactate threshold

Increased number of capillaries in muscles Cardiac muscle hypertrophy

Increased force production

Step Three: Create Habits.

We’re all creatures of habit. The more we practice, the more natural it becomes. Think about babies learning to walk, or when we learned to drive – it’s the same with exercise. It’s completely normal to feel out of your element if you’re trying a workout, fitness regime, class, etc., for the first time. But the more you do it – the more comfortable you’ll feel.

Research suggests that to make something a “habit,” it needs to be performed for 68 consecutive days. The idea of sticking with something for 68 days can feel overwhelming. Focus on taking it day to day. Once you’re comfortable with one small change, add another, and then another.

Outlaw FitCamp CAN and WILL help – on all fronts. We’re here to help you create a plan. We’ll help you gradually adapt to exercise and work with you on the consistency to help you reach your goals. Walk in to one of our Outlaw FitCamp locations. Take our “Find your Fit” quiz at OutlawFitcamp.com. Become an Outlaw family member today!

972.355.2639 • JESSEJAMESFIT.COM | 940.497.6002 • OUTLAWFITCAMP.COM

MY NEW Hobby Nutshell IN A

by Jean Eisenmann | photo courtesy of Jean Eisenmann

Ihave a new hobby. Ever since Covid-19 forced us to become semi-homebound, I’ve had more time to be, well, bored. Yes, I’ve worked remotely, experimented with new recipes, and increased my housecleaning regimen (is my nose growing?). But I’ve lacked having a passion — such intense interest in something that I want to learn everything about it to escape the stresses of pandemic life. Quite by accident, I found it — squirrel watching.

It began innocently enough, with me believe this critter was a male, and if you idling on the couch one day, staring out wonder how I came to that conclusion, the window at the many varieties of birds please consult the internet. Anyway, I that our feeder and birdbath attract. Over became captivated by his manners, for he the next several days, I set aside time didn’t disturb the birds as they picked the to observe how ground for dropped seed interesting birds are, from the feeder above. and how they all THE ENSUING WEEKS He waited his turn, and have personalities akin to their species. FOUND MY PASSION FOR with a nod to the flock as they flew away, ate the Of course, I made THE SQUIRREL WORLD spoils. What a gentleman! sure the intense daily housecleaning INTENSIFIED. I WORE A I was hooked. Bye-bye, birdies. was completed first. LOT OF BROWN. I’ve met a few squirrelly Then, at 2 p.m. on guys in my time, but this a Friday, to be exact, it appeared. No, not four-legged variety quickly became the Sasquatch. And not a UFO. A squirrel new object of my affection. The ensuing bounded into the yard. It was brownish weeks found my passion for the squirrel rust with big brown eyes and a fluffy tail, world intensified. I wore a lot of brown. which are very unusual characteristics for They had such endearing mannerisms: a squirrel. Of course, I had seen squirrels holding food with their little hands and in the yard before, but my focus had been menacing claws, hanging upside down as on the feathered friends. All those five they wrapped their feet around the bird hours wasted that I’ll never get back. I feeder like Godzilla on the Empire State Building, gently picking gnats, ticks, or some such whatnots from their coats. Adorable.

One squirrel, in particular, was my favorite and could be identified by a dark brown ring around his nose and mouth, much like a COVID-19 face mask. I named him Corona. He dug up the flowers that surrounded our birdbath and would lie prostrate on the cool soil for what seemed like an hour. Then, Corona would bury some edible treasure reserved for a latenight snack in the very same soil, right where his buttocks had been. Tears filled my eyes.

I asked my husband, Van, if we could put together a play area for them with a tiny slide, sandbox, and trampoline. If not, how about a teeny-tiny bounce house? Van slept in the guest room that night and called me “Rodent Mom.”

Rodent? Then it dawned on me. My thoughts traveled back to fifth grade, where I learned that squirrels were part of the – gulp – RODENT family. Corona’s cousin could be a field mouse!

Let the squirrels live their lives. I’m getting back to concentrating on my housecleaning regimen before I go nuts.

It Ain’t Just About PEPPER AT MRS. LIVELY’S!

by Diane M. Ciarloni | photo of Kevin and Edith Lively by WHAT’S THAT GUY’S NAME? | Photography by Guy T

We’ve all been in a Cajun restaurant. We walk in and think Bourbon Street and New Orleans. Our imagination smells the gumbo, the étouffée, and the blackened fish. We actually feel the sense of celebration that comes with New Orleans, including the contagious beat of foot-moving Cajun/Zydeka music.

Our food comes, and we deflate like a pricked balloon as soon as we taste it. It’s coated in cayenne pepper; so hot we want to raise a white flag of surrender. And we can’t even remember what that blackened lump was before it was blackened. Fish? Chicken?

None of that disappointment is part of the experience waiting for diners at Mrs. Lively’s Cajun Konnection in Lake Dallas. The first difference is you won’t see Mrs. Lively’s by accident, which is why owner Kevin Lively refers to it as a “destination restaurant.”

“Very few people just ‘happen’ to find us,” he says. “We’re completely off the beaten path, which means you get driving directions and then you intentionally seek us out.”

Mrs. Lively’s is 24/7/365 Mardi Gras, in spirit and in decor. And the food? The food is mouth-watering, belly-filling, country Cajun. Crisp okra. Red beans, simmered and seasoned, with rice. The grits are to die for, as is the beautiful, golden catfish.

Anything and everything “food” comes under Kevin’s passionate obsession with the focus on quality, freshness, authenticity, and total customer satisfaction.

Kevin, with his grandmother, Edith Lively, began “cooking” when he was three years old. It was in a tiny kitchen in a modest trailer in Vidalia, Louisiana, where he, his grandmother and his mom, Judy, all lived. The dishes that came off the stove and out of the oven were Edith’s recipes, and Kevin still uses many of them today.

“Listen,” says Kevin, “we were about as poor as snakes. My mother was widowed young, and we were responsible for ourselves. I mowed lawns and had other odd jobs until I went to work for Burger King at 15.”

He moved up the BK hierarchy, relocating with the company to DFW in 1998 and switching to Tom Thumb a short while later. It was always about food for Kevin, always stoking the thirsty fire Edith lit in him years ago.

Kevin launched a traveling concession business before opening the doors to Mrs. Lively’s. He concentrates on festivals/ special events across the country, such as the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque.

Dubbed Mrs. Lively’s Southern Cuisine, Kevin holds his “traveling food” to the same standards as the restaurant.

“People experience our unique tastes at the fairs and always ask where is our restaurant. Mother wanted me to have a restaurant but things didn’t line up until 2 ½-years ago when this place came up for lease.”

The location was occupied for many years by Neal’s Italian Restaurant. A rapid succession of several turnovers followed Neal’s. Mrs. Lively’s will mark its three-year anniversary May 8, 2021, longer than anyone except Neal’s.

Mrs. Lively’s did not escape COVID-19 but, as Kevin describes it, “It was hard on the kitchen but great for the cash register.

“It’s impossible to describe how our customers rallied to support us. They put out the call on social media and word of mouth. They were very vocal. They came in their pickups with tables and chairs in the back. I put up a canopy with tables and chairs, but they did it first. I also got music to the outside. They celebrated birthdays and anniversaries. Sometimes they even put cloths and flowers on the tables.

“Our kitchen is small. We had to figure out a new way to physically operate. It’s incredible how much space is needed for a row of 9x9 boxes with lids. That part was hard.”

Kevin still has the concession business, and three or four towns/cities are after him to open a Mrs. Lively’s. He hasn’t decided but, “My customers have proven to me that our food is worthy.” Pictures of grandmother Edith and mother Judy hang in the foyer of Mrs. Lively’s, and Kevin is represented by the “K” in Konnection. It’s all about family.

The made-from-scratch cooking, the home-blended spices and the stringent quality control are strong drawing cards for Mrs. Lively’s. If the kitchen gets super busy, you may wait a bit longer than usual for your food. “I’ll feed a trash can before I serve something that’s not fresh or is below par in quality,” Kevin says.

His other drawing card is Judy Lively, referred to as “Mama” by the guests. She’s a gracious, straight-walkin, Louisiana-talkin woman who’s very, very proud of her son. Together, they’re the perfect host and hostess for their delicious bayou experience.

TRACK AND FIELD:

GUYER’S BRYNN BROWN COMMITS TO

NORTH CAROLINA

by Steve Gamel

Guyer senior Brynn Brown is in the news again. Arguably one of the top runners in the country, Brown announced on August 24 that she has committed to North Carolina. The big announcement comes two months after Brown was named the Gatorade Texas Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

“I didn’t really expect to make a decision As of press time, Brown was one of three this early,” Brown told the Denton Record- more prep distance runners to choose Chronicle. “I just felt something click. I Chapel Hill. And many people would say really felt like that’s where I wanted to be. she is the centerpiece. Brown broke the Why wait? I got the offer and accepted. tape in the outdoor 3,200-meter run at And here I am the Coppell Relays now. It’s been an exciting past “EVERY ACCOMPLISHMENT in 9:58.58 in late February, which 48 hours.” Brown’s decision makes perfect IS GREAT, AND I’M SUPER GRATEFUL AND BLESSED.” ranked as the fastest girls time in state history and as the sense. The Tar nation’s No. 12 Heels already boast one of the top cross performance of country and track programs in the nation, all-time in the event. She also recorded a but coach Chris Miltenberg has been time trial of 9:39.38 in the 3,200, which, dead set on becoming a national power had it been official, would have shattered while also building for the future. Just the national record by eight seconds. As last year, his strong women’s signing a sophomore, Brown won the Class 6A class included Taryn Parks of Greencastle 3,200 title in 10:09.91. Antrim in Pennsylvania, Sasha Neglia She also won state in the 1,600 with a time of Dobyns-Bennett in Tennessee, Ava of 4:48.37. Dobson of St. Joseph’s Catholic School in South Carolina, Sarah Trainor of Franklin Brown’s rise to notoriety hasn’t come D. Roosevelt in New York, and Kelsey without adversity. As a freshman, she Harrington of Virginia High. suffered an injury that could have ended her career much too early. Clearly, she has found a way to overcome those setbacks and is now on track for a huge final push to her high school career.

“Brynn is no stranger to adversity. She has endured multiple season-ending injuries, unfortunate falls, and most recently, the loss of an outdoor track season to the pandemic,” Guyer coach Megan Sprabeary told Gatorade after Brown won that award. “However, she has handled it all with dignity and grace. She uses each disappointment as motivation toward her next goal.”

Brown agreed, adding that she wouldn’t be the runner she is today without her coaches at Guyer.

“Every accomplishment is great, and I’m super grateful and blessed,” Brown told the DRC. “I wouldn’t trade my experiences at Guyer for the world. The coaches are amazing. There is an expectation every day that you’re going to put in the work and get better, not just for yourself, but to build a program, culture, and team.”

HALLOWEEN MOVIES YOU MUST SEE AGAIN

by Steve Gamel movie posters photos courtesy of IMDB (https://www.imdb.com/)

Halloween is almost here. To get you geared up for the big night, we compiled this list of must-see scary movies that have managed to stand the test of time. Some are the type you’d be OK with having the kids watch while others are cult classics that are definitely on the adult side. Either way, why wait until Halloween when you can grab some popcorn, turn the lights off, and start a chilling movie marathon throughout the month of October?

Edward Scissorhands

A scientist with good intentions creates an animated human being (Edward) but dies before he can finish. This leaves poor Edward with scissors for hands as he tries to live in an average suburban neighborhood. Another mustwatch classic by Tim Burton that is great for the entire family.

Halloweentown

If you’re looking for something light for your small kiddos to watch, Halloweentown is a great choice courtesy of the Disney Channel. The series consists of four films that ran between 1998 and 2006.

Hocus Pocus

This is a funny tale starring the hilarious and odd trio of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. A curious youngster moves to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century. Just like Beetlejuice, word on the street is there’s a sequel brewing.

Gremlins

Never feed a Gremlin after midnight. If you do, they may just take over your entire town. Kids and adults will definitely get a kick out of this 1980s masterpiece directed by the great Steven Spielberg.

Scream (all of them)

“What’s your favorite scary movie?” — Ghostface. Say what you want about Scream, but there’s something about this series of four slasher films that are funny, clever, and scary. The films follow Sidney Prescott and her war against murderers who adopt the guise of Ghostface.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Everyone loves a great movie about Count Dracula, and this is perhaps the best one out there. This is a perfect movie to watch on Halloween after the kiddos have finally gone to bed.

Poltergeist

Another Steven Spielberg flick that became an instant classic. There’s just something about that small, blonde-haired girl that will instantly creep you out for weeks. “This house … is clean.”

Exorcist

Out of all the scary movies you could watch this Halloween, this is one you must fit into your movie marathon. The Exorcist (1973) is one of the most profitable horror movies ever made and is based loosely on actual events.

Rusty Beagle: Foodie Friday DFW Rusty

BEAGLE

by Jay Marks | photos courtesy of Foodie Friday DFW

If you’re looking for a place where “everybody knows your name” and where you can get some of the best wings and burgers in town, then look no further than the Rusty Beagle located off FM 407 on the Lewisville and Highland Village border.

Husband-and-wife team Charles and Jackie Carlock took over running the restaurant in 2015 after Charles’ dad, Rusty, passed away from cancer. The two have continued Charles’ father’s legacy and have created a beautiful environment where everyone feels welcome from the customers to the staff.

The Rusty Beagle is, by definition, a sports bar, but it’s also a gathering place for Little League Teams, a family dinner spot, a Super Bowl party venue, a great place to grab some lunch, and so much more.

We did mention that these guys have some of the best wings and burgers in town - in fact, they recently won Best Wings from Best of Denton County 2020! They have a wide range of sauces for their wings ranging from Mild to Asian Sesame to Mango Habanero, and you can order them naked or breaded.

Two of their crowd-favorite burgers are the Rajun Cajun made with blackened seasoning, sauteed mushrooms, pepper jack cheese, bacon, and a creole aioli; and their namesake burger - The Rusty - which is topped with tender smoked (in-house) brisket, shredded cheddar cheese, red onion, chipotle BBQ sauce, and two halved bacon-wrapped jalapenos. Yes, that’s real life. That sucker is about 2 feet tall and it’s delicious.

The Rusty Beagle also has some killer sandwiches on their menu like their Triple Stack Clubhouse Sandwich and their Reuben made with house-made corned beef, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing.

And, of course, at the center of the Rusty Beagle is their bar which has 24 taps with craft beers that rotate through seasonally, cocktails, whiskeys, wines, freezer shots, and more. They have Happy Hour every day of the week with different daily specials, and on the weekends you can find live music on the patio.

All in all, between the food, the environment, the people, and the sports, you’ve got to make the Rusty Beagle your new hangout. You’ll love getting to meet Charles and Jackie and the whole team and you’ve got to try out The Rusty Burger while you’re there!

972.724.2540 | JayMarksRealEstate.com

jay@jaymarksrealestate.com 1013 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 102 | Flower Mound, TX 75022