Eliminating The Extra

The Husband and I have decided to join a gym. Again.

Now, before those of you who know me decide to jump on the bandwagon and give me hell for doing this I have two things to say: 1. We did not sign any contracts this time. 2. We have given this much thought and consideration for several months and decided that it is what's best for our family. Period.

Three pregnancies in three years has lent itself to exponential growth of our family, our joy, and our waistlines. I have an incurable obsession with chocolate chip cookies and red wine. The Husband has a love affair with lattes. We have supported one another's infidelity with food and the time has come that we must now make our marriage monogamous and closed. I assure you, Starbucks will not be happy. I think we're going to just stop calling and hope they take the hint.

We decided it was time for a lifestyle change. We slimmed down and eliminated the excess fat from our budget (really, I promise that was not a lame attempt at humor). I've been diligently cutting coupons and watching our grocery bill, and we have removed the extra cable tv services and phone service that we don't use. It all adds up to exactly what we need to join the gym without costing us any additional out of pocket expense.

What's more, Mommy gets eight hours a week of uninterrupted workout time while the kids are safely being looked after at the onsite kids gym. To be perfectly frank, I truly believe that the mental health benefits alone are enough to justify joining this place. Logistically, it will take some work as we figure out schedules that will fit our family. But during the weeks that The Husband is travelling, I think that this will help keep me a little bit further back from the edge.

Why don't I just go to the park or walk in the neighborhood, you ask? Well, first of all, I'm kind of spoiled. I like air conditioning. Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoy a nice stroll on the beach or a light hike through some woods. But when it comes to working out, I want to control the elements of my environment. Maybe it's from all of those years of sweating in a dance studio with the air conditioner cranked down to 50 degrees. I'm not sure, but whatever the reason, if I can manage the incline of my terrain and the temperature of my environment, I'm a very happy camper.

Second of all, have you ever tried to walk - as in, just plain walk - downwind from a chicken farm? Forget about exercising, let alone just walking to the end of the driveway without wanting to puke! Oh. My. Gosh. Let me just tell you, there are three smells that I will never, ever be able to forget, and the first on that list is chicken coop poop. I'm honestly surprised that the FDA has not identified some serious health risks associated with the passive inhalation of chicken crap. And why in God's name anyone decided to build a neighborhood at the east end of a chicken farm is absolutely beyond my comprehension. I only wish it had been windy the day we came to see the house.

So, back to my original point. We've joined a gym. Today was the first day that The Husband tried to take the kids. L stayed home with me, and he took I and N to get them adjusted to the kid's play area. At last update, N was in his 15th minute of a full-on freak out session about being left without Mommy or Daddy. I seriously need to get that kid out in public more.

I'll keep you posted about our progress and committment. I'm in the process of setting some goals for myself including the 3 Day in October, which I've already registered for, and finding a 5K that I can run in sometime over the next couple of months (yes, I know 5K's are outside, thank you very much). If you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Love, hugs, and blessings,
The Mama