Kourtnay's Workout Plan

Like many gals before me, my weight has been all over the place in the past five years.  When I first moved to DC, I was so busy teaching and taking grad school classes at night that I added 15 pounds to the weight I had gained while in college (curse you Airliner pizza and beer!).  I'm not making excuses, but we got done teaching in Southeast DC at 4:15, had to be at class in Northwest DC at 5:00, and the only thing on the way was Burger King.  DC may only be 7 square miles, but it is a BITCH to drive through starting at 4:00pm.  Chelsea, Naima and I would barely make it into class with our grease-soaked bags of burgers, chicken sandwiches and extra sauces (the drive-thru guy always recognized my yellow Xterra and gave us extra sauces.  Nothing says "holy hell, start eating healthier" like getting hooked up by the BK drive-thru guy b/c you're a regular).  Two BK nights/week + stress + The Mug = Courtney started to gain some serious poundage.

The not-so Wonder Years

Brecka, my roomate, got me into running and those extra 15 pounds melted away after a little more effort, and a lot less BK.  The weight I put on in college, however, was a whole 'nuther battle that I could never seem to win.  I'd start working out harder, drop a few pounds, then snarf on some chicken nachos, slack on the diet and gained back any pound lost.  Once Elliot and I started dating, I had him cooking asteroid-sized portions of food for me, not doing my waistline any favors. 

When Elliot deployed and we had a wedding looming, we both lost a crap ton of weight.  He had nothing else to do but work and workout for a year, and I started coaching extra sports at work, eating smaller portions and stopped going out to happy hour as often.  I was also studying for the GRE and got my studying done while using the stationary bike at the gym.  We got crazy skinny (for us), and I finally was able to drop that college weight that had been a thorn (or a doughnut) in my side for years.

36-24-36?  Ha-only if she's 5'3''

After the wedding, El and I went on a fried food and beer bender that would make a deep-frier and brew masters proud.  Figuring that we'd be adopting a "Mediterranean Diet" when we got to Spain, we went buck-wild with chicken wings, waffle fries, cheese sticks and seasonal beers.  Everybody talks about how skinny Europeans are, so we had assumed that portions at restaurants would tiny and healthy, chock-full of veggies and laxatives.  We basically went off the food deep-end during our last few months in DC, figuring that we'd be back to normal BMI once we got to Spain.  The pounds were going to magically melt off our bodies once our toes touched Spanish soil, and Elliot would be competing in America's Next Top Model in no time.

Yeah, that didn't happen.  Apparently we missed the memo that southern Spanish food is heavy in cream sauces, french fries, lack of veggies at restaurants and white bread.  You can get amazing, locally-grown, fresh veggies and fruits at the markets and grocery stores, but restaurant food is a whole lot of meat and fried food.  Sure, it's fried in olive oil, but it's still fried.  Yes, it's tasty.  No, no one is shoving food down our throats.  Yes, we just really needed to buckle down and not completely inhale the table.  I tell ya though, it has NOT been easy living in Europe and keeping the weight down.  It seems like every country we've been to presents its own challenges with dieting; how can you possibly stay petite when all this is offered to you?????

Spain:  See above
England:  Fried fish 'n chips and beer  --> Courtney
Italy:  Cheesy, pasta goodness and Prosecco --> Courtney
France:  Cheese and butter --> Courtney
Germany:  Schnitzel, sausage, sauerkraut, potato salad and beer --> Courtney

I was once again getting into a rut and thinking that I wouldn't be able to drop the newly acquired Euro weight while living abroad, when a diet angel by the name of Gigi Ferreira fluttered her muscular wings and landed at Morón Air Base.  Gigi is a certified personal trainer and has graciously been offering FREE classes, motivation and nutrition advice to the spouses on base.  She's been leading the "Beachbody Bootcamp" for the past three weeks and has been subjecting the participants to all kinds of endurance and strength challenges.  She's having us doing all sorts of exercises that I never dreamed my ass could handle, like wall planks, kettlebell squats and this thing called TABATAS, which I'm pretty sure stands for This Absolutely Blows And (I'm) Thinking About Screaming.  The first week of bootcamp (started on a Monday), I was walking like Captain Peg Leg until Saturday but now my body is getting used to all the hard-core work.  Hell, I'm even starting to get GOOD at some of these exercises.  Although my body may be screaming at her during the workouts, Gigi has been fantastically amazing and wonderful; she's put up with our groaning, has been a source of inspiration when we feel like we're going to give up, keeps a positive attitude no matter how difficult the wall plank, and reminds us to get back on the horse when we fall off.  For me, the most important thing she's done is make suggestions for keeping on track when you travel, obviously something I needed to work on.  Since starting Gigi's class, I've dropped a few stubborn pounds and inches.  I've still got quite a ways to go before I'm Jane Fonda'ing my ass off in a spandex bodysuit, but at least I don't have to resort to this workout plan.

Thanks, Gigi.  You're great, and I appreciate everything you've done to help me live a healthier life in Europe.