Stacy Patterson has generally been an active and healthy person for most of her life, but her fitness has waned over the past few years as her life as a mother of three became more and more busy.
“I was in the gym regularly and staying active, but then life became more hectic as my three kids became more and more busy,” Patterson said. “And one of the things that I let go away to make room for running around dropping my kids off at practices and other things was my time in the gym.”
Patterson had been a member at 9 Round Fitness, and she neglected that part of her life, and it began to show as she gained 70 pounds.
“I was tired all the time and had no energy, but I really started to pay attention when I started having headaches frequently,” Patterson said. “It was to the point that I had an MRI done to make sure I had nothing wrong in my head causing the headaches.”
The MRI revealed nothing out of the ordinary in Patterson’s brain, so another possible cause of her headaches was her fitness, diet and lack of activity.
So she talked herself into getting back into training, which she returned to 9 Round.
“At first I didn’t want to because I felt embarrassed because of how much I’d let myself go, if that makes sense,” Patterson said. “But I called Lindsey (Ferrell) and talked to her about coming back, and she met me here and put me through a workout.
“And after that first workout, I thought, ‘OK. I know I need to get back into this, and now I feel like I can get back into it.’ Even though the next day I had a hard time moving because I was sore. But I knew that would get better.”
Patterson has returned to an overall healthier lifestyle, and it’s paid off. In six months, she’s nearly lost all the 70 pounds she’d gained.
“I feel so much better now,” Patterson said. “The headaches are gone. I’ve got a lot more energy, which helps as I try to balance being a mother of three athletes in three different sports, plus working and running the home with my husband.
“Like is noticeably easier when I’m not having to deal with the extra actual weight I was dealing with.”
Working out at 9 Round is a big part of that health improvement, but it’s not all. Patterson did make slight tweaks to her diet.
“I never planned to go all fruit and vegetables and nothing I enjoy eating,” Patterson said. “I approached it wanting to eat healthier but doing something more sustainable.
“So when my family goes out for Mexican, I still go out and enjoy that, but I’m making healthier decisions on the menu and not eating a million chips and salsa before the food comes out.”
She said she didn’t worry much about eating the wrong things during the holidays.
“The holidays are the holidays, and you want to enjoy that time,” Patterson said. “I didn’t want to spend all my time thinking ‘Should I have this or should I pass on that?’
“So I enjoyed different parties and celebrations, but I’m able to do that without feeling guilty about it because I put in the work at 9 Round and I try to maintain discipline with my day-to-day diet to enjoy those special times.”
The work at 9 Round is good for her, Patterson said. The setup of the gym, whose ownership has transferred to Shelby Matthis from Ferrell in the past six months, is designed for every member to go through a 30-minute full body workout each day with a trainer. Nine stations are situated throughout the gym with a set schedule for three-minute rounds at each station with a 30-second working break between each round.
“It’s fast-paced, energizing and never boring because it’s a different workout every day with a trainer,” Patterson said. “And I can show up at any time during their hours for my workout, and I’m out in 30 minutes.
“I usually come by after work. And I aim each week to be here each of the six days a week they’re open. But if I miss a day or two, it’s not something I’m going to beat myself up about. I just try to get it the next week.”
