Kelly’s Fitness Journey
Hello, Happy New Year! At the start of the new year, I want to share with you my fitness journey and how I stay fit. My routine has changed a lot over time, especially in the last decade. I have gone from hating to work out, to loving it, to being ambivalent and back to loving it again. It’s been quite a journey indeed!
The Summary
Today: Kelly's Fitness Journey, and how she stays fit
Plus, a sample workout schedule
Check out boards with her favorite equipment, props and products
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My Fitness Journey
I used to run
Ten years ago, I was a runner. An old friend in San Francisco asked me to run a 5k with her. So I trained for a couple months and ran the race with her. I did really well. I competed in track and field in junior high school and I forgot how much I enjoyed running short distance races. And so I was hooked.
My friend and I signed up for 5k races all over the Bay Area, we even did one in Los Angeles! To stay fit and improve my performance, I ran every morning before work. I did yoga and strength training every week. I always came in the top 10 in my age group, and I came in first in several races. Winning was such a great feeling; running in races and training was such a fun way to be engaged in my health and fitness.
And then, chronic low back pain meant I had to stop running. It turned out that I have a condition called Spondylolisthesis. “Spondy'' for short, is when one of your vertebrae slips forward. It’s usually in the low back area and it’s often the result of a fracture, or in my case two fractures, one on either side of my spine, typically the result of a sports injury. Since I have never experienced a sports-related or other injury, I was likely born with Spondy.
This changed everything.
I have done yoga since my early 20’s. So after I had to stop running, I took more yoga classes. I added Pilates to my routine. I switched from running to walking.
But, I was so very sad to give up running. It was tough at first to get motivated to change my fitness routine to low-impact. During my running days I had participated in the Whole Life Challenge, which taught me how to eat more thoughtfully; the program also helped me to make daily movement a habit. While I exacerbated my Spondy symptoms with running, this is a condition I will have forever and I had to start paying attention to it. This meant taking seriously mobility, stability, and core strength. I joined another round of The Whole Life Challenge, and it was a great motivating force for me to move forward in a new way.
My Current Fitness Routine
When Alex and I moved to Georgia we invested in a Peloton Bike, which I love for the low impact cardio workouts. I also love all of the other classes they offer. I have always disliked going to a gym and the Peloton subscription covers all my fitness bases and solves my gym-issues.
Here is a sample of what my weekly fitness routine looks like:
Of course there are days I miss a workout, yoga, or stretching session. And I don’t beat myself over it, but my body notices it. Even just 10-15 minutes of stretching daily makes a difference.
Typically the day after I miss even a 15 minute bike ride, or a 20 minute stretching class, my back is stiff and sore. So even on days when exercising is the last thing I want to do, I do at least 10 minutes of stretching. The 10 minutes of stretching often leads to 10 more minutes of stretching, and before I know it I have spent 20-30 minutes moving my body, getting my blood flowing and increasing mobility.
My Spondy condition has made me realize how debilitating living with chronic pain is; how important it is to establish and maintain stability, mobility, core strength and flexibility. You’re never too old or young to establish a habit of regular exercise and mobility.
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My favorite workout gear
Nutrition
You all probably know I am a food blogger. This means I cook just about everyday. So how do I avoid overdoing it? I have a few strategies. I practice intermittent fasting, so I have structured my cooking/eating/working schedule accordingly. Here is a very general sample of what a typical day looks like:
A few more of my strategies for maintaining health and fitness:
I structure my blog writing and other computer-related activity in short blocks throughout the day. I try not to sit at my computer for more than 45 minutes at a time. Frequently, I get up to tackle a chore or two which keeps me from sitting too long.
I avoid drinking alcohol when I am at home. I limit my intake to when I am out for dinner, which is about once per week. This one single change in my lifestyle has been the biggest game changer in my day-to-day, and in my ability to keep off the chub (because, well…being a food blogger involves a lot of of food).
While I limit my sugar intake, I eat some of everything I make for the blog, this includes cakes, cookies, pizza, pasta, all the things! Moderation is key. I don’t count calories or macros. I don’t deprive myself, but I am thoughtful about how much I eat, and when I eat during the day.
My favorite supplements
Most importantly, none of this is carved in stone. These are guidelines I have set for myself but if a day leads me down a different path, I leave room for spontaneity. I don’t beat myself up when things don’t go 100%. If you beat yourself up for living your life, you will never find a fitness or nutrition plan that you will be happy and excited to do. This is key. If you can’t get excited or feel motivated to eat well and be active, it’s going to be an uphill battle to make those healthy habits your lifestyle.
In Case You Missed It
Yesterday, Beth shared 5 ways she relieves stress. Click the title or image below to read the article.
Thank you for sharing your fitness and eating routine, Kelly. This was so helpful and instructive. Even if we can’t do everything you’re doing, what I take away from it is moderation in eating and consistency in exercising. There’s no getting around that if we want good health, especially as we age. I always enjoy your posts. Thanks for reminding us not to beat ourselves up if we don’t always get it right! Happy new year.
Hi Marie, Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. You got it exactly right; moderation in eating and consistency in exercising – and not getting hung up on perfection. Thanks again, Happy New Year! xo Kelly
Kelly, I’ve often wondered how a foodie, such as yourself could remain so tiny and fit. Thanks for sharing what you do. I like that you set the guidelines for yourself, and feeling better through stretching, activities, and nutrition helps keep the “spondy” to a more mimimum state. Your food always looks so good, and the recipes I’ve tried certainly have been delish, so I’m glad you eat some of everything.
Hi Betsy! I am so glad you enjoyed the post and that I was able to shed some light on how I balance my food-centric work and my health and fitness. Thanks so much for stopping by and joining the conversation! xo Kelly
Hi Kelly—
I’m sorry to hear about your chronic pain condition, but glad you’ve found healthy ways to manage it. Thank you for posting actual schedules for exercise (and what ones) and eating (what and when). Very helpful info!!
Hello Gai, I am really happy you found the exercise and eating schedules helpful. When I got serious about outlining a routine for myself I didn’t know where to start! Thank you so much for stopping by and joining the conversation! xo Kelly
This was interesting and informative.- thanks! I have ordered some think bars and look forward to trying them. Protein is the hardest macro for me to reach because I get tired of eating meat.
It might be a challenge for me to eat such a small amount in a day but I will definitely be more mindful of portions for sure. Do you have suggestions for someone new to herbal tea?
Hi Susan! Thank you for your question. I really love the Think! Bars. Such a great protein boost. I go for teas from The Republic of Tea. I trust that brand and I have never been disappointed with the flavor and quality. I keep a wide variety of tea on hand and I have collected many of my favorites at Beth’s Amazon storefront, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/bethdjalali/list/26CJLHFDAGA0M?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d
I was never a tea drinker, but when I stopped drinking wine at home, tea was a perfect substitute, with so many great flavors and benefits, it’s really a wonderful routine to get into. Hope that helps! xo Kelly