4 ways to make the gym a habit
Today I’m talking about my gym habit and a great product from Febreze that is making me so much fresher post-gym
Three years ago I could count the number of times I had been to a gym on my fingers. There were a few times a friend talked me into going during college and a time or two I’d gone with a friend to a class. And we did yoga or aerobics whenever we visited Ben’s parents. But I did not go to the gym.
(In college I danced and then with Ben we always rock climbed. Sometimes I’d try to get into running outside but it never lasted more than a week or two. I exercised, kind of. I did not go to the gym).
And then I had kids.
And I started to understand what they meant by exercise being therapy.
Mostly, though, because it meant someone else was watching my child for an hour and a half at no expense to me (other than a highly subsidized gym membership).
When I got pregnant with Adelaide (and Lincoln was 8 months old), we started going to the gym 5 days a week. Some mornings we’d stop by the Panera drive through for a bagel (one of four things that sounded good that pregnancy) and I’d sit and eat it in the locker room while Lincoln played in the kids area. I took to showering only at the gym so I could use Lincoln’s nap time for sleep myself. And if those two things didn’t take up my hour and a half, I’d watch a netflix show while stretching on the yoga mats.
Once I got out of the rough first trimester I kept up the habit and started adding back in some real exercise. A gym buddy and I lifted weights and I was squatting + lifting the day before going into labor (a couple days past my due date).
One of the first thing we did here in Boston was find a gym with daycare. I am not so great at pushing myself hard during workouts, but I am great at getting to the gym so we’re making progress.
Now its a regular part of our routine and my kids look forward to the chance to play with friends, use new toys, and get out the door each morning.
We usually stop by the grocery store or the park on the way home and  since I am often times running around after the gym (instead of having time to shower right after) I am loving using Febreze Fabric Refresher to freshen up before leaving. It means gym odors stay at the gym and I don’t have to worry about stinking and running into friends at Trader Joe’s (and I’m not alone, did you know 84% of gym goers admit to running errands within two hours of working out?  time for all of us to #FebrezeYourGear).
If it’s fabric, whether your workout tank or your sneakers, you can Febreze it. (side note: I’m super pumped about this for Ben’s rock climbing shoes which are the biggest offender!).
Here are a few tips to make the gym a more regular part of your routine:
- Make it a habit. We go everyday. Unless a fun outing with friends comes up or I have a big work deadline and the babysitter can only come in the morning, we go everyday. If I’m not feeling it, I’ll walk on the treadmill and just stretch and pick the kids up after 40 minutes. I find that they are more comfortable going when we go regularly and we all do better when I’ve had 45 minutes to myself and a good shot of endorphins.
- Find a class you love. While I spend most of my gym days working out on my own, the best exercise I get is when I take a class. I love barre classes, but find something that works for you. If dance is your thing, try zumba. If you hate the choreographed dancing, try a HIIT class. Finding something you like (even better if it’s with friends!) will make you more likely to actually show up.
- Minimize the downside (aka: tame the stank). The biggest downside of the gym is the stinky gym bag. While this applies more to Ben (who pushes himself a lot harder than I do while working out), there are few things I dislike more than a stinky gym bag sitting on the floor of our bedroom. Whether you’re running errands in your gym clothes after your workout or packing them away into your gym bag, using Febreze Fabric Refresher with OdorClear Technology cleans away odors by deactivating and replacing them with a light, fresh scent (way better than just masking your stink with some deodorant until you can shower). Thank goodness.
- Recognize the benefits. I make it a point to recognize how I feel after I go to the gym (and how I feel on days when I skip). It has reinforced the importance of making exercise a priority because I am happier, kinder, more patient, and more energetic!
