I have always been physically active my whole life. When I was young I danced, was on swim team, played basketball, soccer, ran track, was a cheerleader. Then I started wake boarding and competed for 10 years. I never thought too hard about what all the physical activity was doing for my mind and body. I just did it because I liked it. It was fun and pushing myself to be better was exciting to me! It was just my lifestyle.
Then I got married, started coaching wake boarding, and had two kids back to back. I barely worked out during that time. For two years I was pregnant and teaching wake boarding so by the time I got out of the boat everyday I was too tired to put in a good workout for myself. I didn't realize what it was doing to my mind and body until after I had JD. I didn't realize what I was missing.
That was when I decided I needed a gym membership. I had two kids under two years old and I had recently decided to go full blown stay at home mom status. I was struggling with how I looked, I was struggling being home all day with two kids. I needed adult interaction and I needed take care of myself. I also really needed to not feel guilty about it!
I started at one gym which was ok but they didn't have great kid care so I switched to my local YMCA because I had heard great things about their kid program and in particular there kid care director Tara. I also had some good friends that were members as well. So it seemed like a good fit.
I started going everyday. The kids would go to their classes and I would go to mine. At our Y they have a new activity for the kids every 15 minutes like play dough, crafts, songs, etc. and they have cardio kids classes for them so I would work out guilt free knowing they were getting something out of that time as well.
In the beginning I would check the kids in for one hour even though they allow you two hours. I was way out of shape and there was no way I could work out that long. One day, I was on my way to pick up the kids when my friend who has 8 children and runs marathons, she grabs me and says, where are you going?!? I tell her to pick up the kids. She lets me know I have another hour left until I have to go get them. I was dripping sweat and exhausted and was like there is no way I can work out any longer. She hands me a magazine and says there is a comfy couch in the locker room go sit and read a magazine. "This is your time! You need this time. You will be a better mom! I promise you!" I took her advice, I mean I would be a fool to not to listen to the marathon mom of 8! Side note, her kids are mostly grown. Two of her kids have sweet babies of their own and she is a mom I totally respect and love. So I took her advice and made it part of my regular everyday!
About that same time my friend Leah and I started working out together. We never really officially said it but we basically became workout partners. We started showing up together and holding each other accountable and have now for 4 years.
Leah and I show up most days. If we can't be there for some reason we text each other. We aren't perfect. Some days we work harder than others. We still indulge in margaritas, wine, and Donut King! Only Donut King sometimes, right Leah!!
There have been days where one of us is going through something and we just walk next to each other on the treadmill and talk it out, encourage each other, be with each other in hard stuff. Parenting, marriage, illness, life is just hard sometimes. We have laughed and cried together countless times in the middle of that gym!
Our goal was originally to change our bodies, which has totally happened. I think it has been so much more than that. We could go to a nicer, fancier gym but we have made really great relationships.
It has changed now. I no longer check my kids into the kid care unless it is summer because they are now both in school in the mornings. Although I still go by and say hello to Ms. Tara. I feel like I wouldn't have survived the young years of my kids lives without her! She saved me so many days! I hope she knows what she does everyday really does change peoples lives for the better! My kids still run to hug her every time they see her and always ask if I think Ms. Tara misses them!!
Leah and I take classes together and run. But we have friends we have made in those classes too! We take a strength class, a high intensity interval class, and Zumba. We used to spin a lot and haven't as much recently. We have changed and adapted our workouts as we have changed or the schedules have changed but we haven't stopped showing up!
I think the thing about working out is you have to find a workout you enjoy or someone you enjoy working out with. I think if you do that it can make all the difference and you are much more likely to stick in through!
I feel the same way about working out as my husband does about tattoos. He says it is nice for someone to like or appreciate the art you put on your body but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter what they think because the tattoo is for you. He says I love it and enjoy it so I don't really care if they like the tattoo or not. To me working out is similar. It is really admirable to run a marathon but if you hate every step and never want to run again after then was it really for you?!? At the end of the day, it is for you, so you need to really love and enjoy what you are doing regardless if anyone else does or not! If you want to prove to yourself you can run a marathon do it, but don't prove it to anyone else.
For me, I feel best in lots of areas of my life when I am moving in some way. Sometimes I get tired of working out indoors...so I have started surfing when I can, I run outside, or ride bikes with my kids outside. You just gotta find what works for you. I don't think their is really a cookie cutter way to do it, this is just what has worked for me!
So in light of that I thought it would be fun to give you a glimpse of the classes I usually take as well as check out different ways to workout around town and let you know what I thought of it. Let you know what to wear. What is the time investment? What is it gonna cost you?? Then you can decide for yourself if you wanna try it!
I am calling it Workout Around Town!
Stay posted!
Much Workout Love,
Lauren
