One of the best things I’ve done since becoming a stay at home mom is join a gym with child care. I’ve never had quite such great incentive to go work out. No time for yourself? Kid driving you crazy and you need to recharge? Maybe all you really want is a hot shower? Go to the gym for a stress-relieving hour and a half break!

I’ve never really been a gym person. I prefer to workout at home, in private. But now that privacy is a something I’ve given up in favor of motherhood, I have to go out and seek ways to find me-time. Some days that “me-time” comes in the form of slowly peddling a recumbent bike while checking my e-mail.

And while I may often take advantage of the child care just to get a much needed break, just being at the gym so much has inspired me to start working out for real. Some days I surprise myself and actually get sweaty. Within my first few months of going I lost a stubborn 7 lbs. of baby weight that I’d been fighting with for a while and now I’m working on the last five. I think some parts of me are permanently changed in shape just due to housing a child for ten months in there, but I’m excited to now be fitting back into some of my favorite clothes.

And now that it has become a habit and a welcome break, I actually miss it when I don’t go. I even went on a Sunday last week! Normally I don’t even hit my FitBit step goal on a Sunday so this is quite a change for me. I even signed up for some fitness challenge apps, but am saving that for a future blog after I get some results!

Discovering the gym was a real sanity-saver. And the big bonus is I look better, feel better and am happier for the little break every time I go. I highly recommend giving it a try even if you aren’t into working out. You may surprise yourself. I know I did!