Written by Sydney Putnam, member for 1.5 years
Growing up, I had been very active and was involved in sports year-round.
I wanted to keep the momentum of my active lifestyle rolling even after college, and I didn’t want to fall into a sedentary lifestyle once my chapter of sports ended.
I had worked hard to be in shape for sports, and although I definitely still had lots of room for growth, I wanted to nurture the bit of athleticism I had already cultivated.
As a junior in college, I left to study abroad in Madrid, Spain for the Fall ‘21 semester. On my 5th day there, I got the call that my dad lost his battle with cancer at the age of 52.
I came home for a few weeks to be with family, help take care of his services, and allowed myself time and space to grieve.
Losing a parent is an incredibly hard and life changing experience for anyone to go through, and I understand everyone copes with things differently. However, instead of allowing this experience to shut me down and send me on a negative path, I chose to pick myself up and use this to propel me into a lifestyle of self growth. I learned that tomorrow is really never guaranteed, and that if you can make something happen, don’t wait to do it. You might not get the chance again.
A friend had previously mentioned Railroad to me, and everything about it sounded amazing.
So, when I got back to Spain to finish out the rest of the semester, I emailed Shawn inquiring about pricing and the startup process at Railroad.
Beginning to take my physical health seriously was definitely an important component of this new self growth journey, and exercise is great for mental health too, making it a great outlet and method of coping.
I didnt want to watch any more of my life go by without really prioritizing health and fitness like I had been wanting to.
I began my on ramp sessions with Peter as soon as I finished my semester in Spain, and I was hooked.
I was able to stay pretty consistent getting to the gym 3-5 days a week, and nailed it pretty well,
…until this past school year.
My school is 3 hours away near Boston, MA, so Railroad isn’t an option when Im away and I struggle going to other CrossFit gyms – they just aren’t the same.
The coaches aren’t as invested, the communities aren’t as tight-knit and supportive, and the environments aren’t as positive and nurturing.
Although I wasn’t as consistent in the gym, a positive was I was able to really zero in on my nutrition, cooking and meal prep.
Before I left for school back at Railroad, Nutrition coaching sessions with Abby gave me the necessary tools to set me up for success in doing this.
As well as the other coaches and members at Railroad are always willing to offer their own tips and tricks.
When I got home from college for this summer, I had pieced together both puzzle pieces of gym consistency and proper nutrition.
In the past two months I’ve been home combining these two puzzle pieces and I’ve lost almost 4lbs of body fat while maintaining my muscle mass.
Overall since starting at Railroad,
I’ve lost 13.5lbs of body fat and gained about 3lbs of muscle!
I feel much happier and empowered both in and out of the gym.
I’ve accomplished so many things I thought were near impossible, and it’s given me confidence to try other things that appear difficult at first.
I’ve gotten a lot more accustomed to working outside of my comfort zone, and dealing with being uncomfortable – which is where growth happens.
It’s so rewarding to see how capable I am and how far I’ve come with Railroad’s support system, and I’m so excited to see where I can go from here. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my coaches and Railroad family
Do you need help in your nutrition and or fitness?
Book a free consult HERE.
