So yeah. Our family totally joined a gym. Here we are on our first day…
{Look close and you can see Jack in the reflection taking the photo!}
My husband and I haven’t been members of a gym since before we had Jack. We had lots of excuses. A gym is too expensive. We don’t have time. I can workout at home. We like being lazy.
You know. All the normal stuff.
But my #1 reason for not joining a gym was Mom Guilt.
After having someone else care for my kid all day while I work (preschool, school, before/aftercare, etc), I didn’t want to dump my kid for someone else to care for him at night while I work out.
It sounded awfully selfish to me.
So… for 7+ years, we didn’t belong to a gym.
And then about a month ago I realized that now is the perfect time to give it a try.
Reason 1: Jack is old enough that he actually LOVES the chance to play with other kids. Especially on weekends, when we typically just do family stuff. For him to have an hour of kid play time in the Kid’s Zone at the gym is FUN and not a bummer.
Reason 2: Travis needed a change of pace. He has been doing a ‘100 pushup a day’ challenge for a couple months and enjoying it (as much as you can enjoy doing 100 pushups). He’s also been eating healthier and was ready to take it up a notch.
Reason 3: I needed a change of pace too. I have my elliptical at home, some DVDs and I occasionally run. But it gets rather boring and repetitive.
Reason 4: It’s kind of a date night/togetherness thing for us both to go and support each other in our workouts.
Reason 5: The gym has a pool.
Reason 6: We want to show Jack that we put an importance on exercise and health.
We decided that we would join the gym and commit to going 3 – 4 days a week. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays will basically never work for me because my commute to work is about 1 ½ hours each way. But, on Mondays and Friday’s I work from home. So we decided that we would go to the gym as a family on Monday’s, Friday’s and at least one weekend day.
And we have!
And it’s been pretty great!
Jack’s been enjoying the Kid’s Zone. Travis and I have been breaking a sweat. And we ALL love hanging out at the pool afterwards. It’s kind of become our ‘family thing’ that we do and going to the pool on a weeknight feels like a total vacation.
So yeah, we joined a gym. Yay us.