One of the first things I did when we moved to Kansas was join a local gym. As a SAH mom I crave some kind of routine, so getting in a morning work out is necessary for me to start our day off on the right foot!
I picked a big local gym about two miles away because they have a great childcare set up for an additional $25 per month for unlimited visits. Sweet! I met all the workers, and they are wonderful! Hadley loves them so much too, which obviously makes this momma’s heart really happy! I love that if we have nothing going on the rest of the day, she’s at least gotten in some social play time with other kids in the morning.
With my membership came a free 30 minute personal training session. I was super nervous to go the first time because I’ve never worked with a trainer before, but he kicked my butt and I loved it! Of course the purpose of the free training is to convince clients to sign up for more sessions, but there was definitely no room in the budget for steep personal training fees. I wasn’t too bummed not to sign up for more because I usually just stick to cardio anyway.
Over the course of the next few weeks, my trainer Chase would see me dabbling with dumbbells or squatting with a weighted bar and would casually come over and correct my form. Every time he did I immediately felt a huge difference in the areas I was trying to strengthen. He would always laugh at me and say “See! This is why I want you to sign up for a few sessions with me – so that I can teach you what to do correctly on your own!”. I knew he was right; I definitely had a few lightbulb moments.
So I talked to Jamie about it, bit the bullet, and signed up for a package of six 30-minute sessions. While all of this was going on, my sister was living with us and also decided to sign up for six sessions! She’ll be the first to tell you that she was a nervous wreck going in there for the first time, but by her second session she was Miss Confident and totally kicking butt!
My birthday was a couple weeks ago, and when my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday I told her another package of personal training sessions. Before she got me the gift, she asked me a couple times if I was sure I didn’t want a gift card to go get a new pair of shoes or just to go shopping, but I quickly told her no because I love how good I feel during and after my workouts. The way I look at it, how I feel physically will leave me feeling much happier currently and in the long run than a new pair of booties or a new rug ever would!
Would you believe that even Jamie got on board with his own trainer?! We DeSpains are hooked! A few weeks after I started working out at the gym, Jamie had a small ear surgery which put him out of work on convalescent leave for a week. Since he wouldn’t be working out on post, he signed up for the free 10 day pass at my gym which also included one free personal training session. Even though he’s incredibly fit, he decided to be teachable and learned so much from his trainer! He was immediately hooked and wanted more sessions, but he also knew that just wasn’t something we could do right now.
Since our family members came to me asking what Jamie wanted for Christmas, I told them personal training gift certificates. He ended up receiving enough for 16 sessions! He’s been going once or twice a week ever since, and he’s totally hooked. Even though he is super knowledgable about how to get the best bang for his buck in the gym, he’s loving the fact that he can walk in and have somebody push him harder than he would probably push himself. He’s also learned a lot of new routines that he can knock out when he’s working by himself.
The best take-away from the training is the knowledge I’m gaining. After every session I jot down in my notes on my iPhone what work outs Chase had me do, and when I work out alone I just pull out my phone and pick a few routines that he taught me how to do. Like many women, I used to feel so insecure in the weights section of the gym, but now I feel confident every day to do whatever I want to do in the gym without looking like a fool.
Money well spent! If you need a shake up in your fitness routine, I’d highly suggest signing up for a small personal training package! Of course the prices are steep, but a couple months of sessions will teach you so much that you can then do on your own without a trainer.
I love the way my sister describes why she loves training so much. “It’s the perfect solution for the person who doesn’t like to work out! You sign up (so you have to go!), and you walk in and do whatever they tell you to do! You don’t even have to think about it!”
Give it a go! If you live in Manhattan, Kansas, I highly suggest Chase or Benton at Max Fitness West! Tell them I sent you!
Hi! I’m Erica, and I absolutely adore sharing my life on this website with you! I come here almost daily to blab about all of the things related to being a regular wife and mother in today’s ever-evolving society. I share about our new home, what’s on our kitchen table, what we’re hanging in our closets, where we’re traveling to next, my crazy 5 a.m. work outs, how I make time for girlfriends, our faith, and much more. We always have a lot of balls in the air and somewhat thrive on the chaos. I believe in the power of story-telling as a form of inspiration and entertainment, so I’m here to do both! I was born and raised in north Alabama and recently re-planted roots here again after my husband transitioned out of the Army (he is now in the Reserve and it’s going so well!) I’m a super proud mom to three little girls (ages 7, 4, and 1) who seem to be the stars of the show around here (for good reason – they’re pretty great!) I’m so glad you found me and are here reading! I hope we can get to know each other here on the blog as well as Facebook and/or Instagram. xoxo