Courtney's health and fitness journey

Before we met in person, Courtney and I ran in similar fitness and nutrition circles on Facebook because, well, we’re both fitchicks living in Chelan county. She is beautiful and blonde and posts happy, inspiring and fitness based statuses that often encourage me. Courtney is also a lovely local Beach Body coach and personal trainer and all of that was fine and good, but when she posted her ‘before & after’ pictures, she became a real-life person of interest to me.

The pictures were stunning, on the left a smiley, bubbly chubby lady stood with hand on hip teasing the camera. On the right, a blonde force to be reckoned with; arms flexed, muscles popping, and still that same smiley, bubbly woman staring at me. Courtney Postelwait graciously accepted my invitation to interview and learn how she’s lost nearly one hundred pounds over the course of the last several years.

This is Courtney’s story:

“Before I started my journey of health and fitness I was a very insecure person, I used my extrovertedness to hide my insecurities. My dad passed away in 2010, about nine months after I got married. I had already gained the ‘get married, gain 20lbs’ weight and then got depressed through grief and anger and ended up gaining 35 to 40 more. Before I knew it, my size 20 pants were really tight. That shocked me back into reality and I started going to fitness classes at the gym the next week.

I started going to classes, I lost some weight and eventually that lead to being a personal trainer; but that only covered the fitness side of things, I was still struggling to get my body to really change. I decided to delve into online nutrition coaching and learn how to fuel my body and still enjoy all the things I like. I got off of the roller coaster diet cycle. I focused on doing it the right way. I lose a little bit and then maintain, making sure I also keep my weights/resistance heavy enough through my workouts. I try to exercise daily; three days a week, classes; two or three days a week, digital workouts; one or two days a week, exploration exercise, like hiking. When it comes to food choices, I don't say no to most anything unless I just don't like it. I mostly eat portion based and use a daily protein superfood vitamin mineral blend because it is difficult to give your body all of the nutrients that it needs; even when we are eating perfectly.

It wasn't until I really focused on the types of foods I was putting in my body and making sure I was giving my body everything that I needed that it really started to change. A typical day looks something like this for me:
For breakfast: my shake (strawberry or vanilla) with kale, fruit and water all blended up and a cup of coffee.
Snack: a piece of whole-grain toast with an egg and turkey bacon.
Lunch: grilled chicken with carrots onions peppers all mixed.
Snack: fruit choice with cheese crumbles; lately it has been plums or pluots.
Dinner: turkey tacos with homemade taco seasoning, corn tortillas, hot sauce, lettuce, onion tomato.
A couple times a week I'll have wine and a little dessert like a banana with peanut butter and chocolate chips, just depends on my mood, how hungry I am, how active I was that day, etc. I just really strive for balance.”

Courtney’s physical goal is to hit 140 pounds, which is a full one hundred pounds less than where she was when she started her new healthy lifestyle. She’s about twelve pounds away and wears around a size eight now… but she’s more concerned with maintaining a healthy lifestyle and trajectory than hitting a number on the scale fast. In fact, she says, “Personal development has really, truly helped me change! I think my biggest accomplishment, and the one I am also most proud of, is how I have changed myself inside. I'm so much more secure … I totally love myself and think that I'm freaking awesome! I would say it might also be the most difficult part of maintaining a balanced lifestyle. I have to remember to keep doing it even when I'm like, “Yeah I'm a rockstar!” Because if I skip for a few days, thoughts of doubt and insecurities start to is creep in. Writing daily affirmations or mantras really helps me stay on top of it. I write daily affirmations or mantras and I have one book that is specifically just for them that I fill out every day. I listen to or read personal development books.

I try to inspire others to be their best selves, which is different for everyone.” I know her story sure inspired me, hope it gave you some encouragement too! You can follow Courtney at: @pnwcoachcoco (Instagram) or Courtney Kraus Postelwait (Facebook)

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