Pictured: Me visiting the opening celebration of the new 9Round Santa Clara on Winchester Blvd. See more here.

Have you ever gotten off track from your fitness? Have you had surgery, a major life stress event, moved, or had another major reason for falling off the fitness wagon? We have all been there, in fact, I was just there!

When there are major events in our lives that can throw us off track, one of the hardest things to do is to get back on track! After my surgery in late August, I was on bed rest for almost a month. When I got off bedrest, it was really difficult for me to get myself back to the gym. I had other things going on in my life at the same time, so I started to stress eat. When I am stressed out, food gives me comfort. The cycle of over-eating, and not working out, spiraled out of control.

It has been a difficult ride these past few months. I have gained over twenty pounds, and my spring clothing from last year doesn’t fit. When your favorite pair of shorts won’t go above your knees, it’s a wake-up call. I knew I had to get back on track, but getting back on track was one of the hardest things I had to do.

In early spring, there was a series of unfortunate events in my life which led me to be extremely stressed out. Just when I needed to get my fitness and nutrition routine back on track, I was finding comfort in food. I was so thankful when 9round in Santa Clara opened, I had a new motivation to get back on track.

When 9Round opened, I started scheduling my workouts for the week. In order to ensure I got myself back on track, I scheduled five workouts per week, alternating the 9round circuit, with medium cardio workouts at my gym. This helped me get back into my routine. The important thing is to get the routine going, then start worrying about calories after the routine feels natural.

The mistake I made last fall, when I tried to get back on track after my surgery, was counting calories and working out all at the same time. By trying to do it all, all at once, I was overwhelmed due to all the other stresses in my life. It was easy to toss my workouts off my schedule, and continue to find comfort in food.

This time, I know getting my fitness routine back on track will work, because I am adding one thing at a time; without overwhelming myself. I feel so much healthier, and by focusing on my fitness routine, I feel less stressed with everything going on. This is a great way to get back on track, and to start losing those extra pounds I gained so quickly!

It’s hard enough to stay on track under normal life circumstances, but when added stress comes into play, or unexpected life events, keeping up with your fitness routine, and eating right, can be really hard. I know! I find so much comfort in food; and it’s so easy to make an excused to skip the gym.

If you are trying to start a fitness routine, or get back into one after a few months, try this! Add back your workouts, and schedule them into your weekly routine. Don’t worry about calories or diet yet. Get your fitness routine into your schedule and make sure it feels like a natural part of your day, and your week. Once your fitness routine is established, and natural part of your weekly schedule, you can start thinking about calories and diet.

If you don’t already have a diet plan that works, talk to your doctor, or a nutritionist. This is the best way to safely adjust your caloric intake. Please, stay away from fad diets; they  won’t help you maintain your healthy lifestyle in the long-run. A nutritionist or doctor can help you adjust your diet in a healthy manner, and help you maintain it!

I use the MyFitnessPal app to count my calories, track my fitness, track my progress, and watch what I eat. Feel free to friend me on the app, that way we can help each reach our goals!

Let’s stay on track together, get fit, and lose this weight!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy