The Gym Is My Sanctuary...And Stress Reliever.

Nothing like not turning on the alarm clock to start the day off right!  My gym buddy and I had just had a conversation on Monday regarding the fact that we are both so good about committing to, and actually showing up, at the gym each morning.  Then wouldn't you know it on Monday night I set my alarm for the usual time of 4:45am, but never flipped it to "On."  I woke up on Tuesday morning at 5:45 (when I told her I would be there at 5:00) when my son started crying (and he normally doesn't get up until around 7:00).  What a great way to start the day!

So proceed through the day of the usual work craziness, then pick up my son at the end of the day to find out that he is in super-whiney mode.  Which, by the way, can grate on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.  So by now I haven't worked out yet, I'm stressed out, I'm trying to make dinner, the little one is hanging on my leg crying, and my husband is home on his break hanging out on Facebook.  Needless to say I felt like someone had plugged me into an outlet, turned me to high, then dropped me in water.  Good times! 

My husband gets home from work at about 7:00pm and I pretty much immediately walk out the door to head to gym, and I instantly start to feel better.  I know that when I walk into the fitness center that time is 100% totally mine...no phone, no e-mail, no husband, no child, just me and my time to kick some serious arse. I crank up the iPod, sweat out all of the crud that has built up in my system, work my muscles to the point of serious exhaustion, then collapse on the mats in a pool of sweat to stretch my now taxed body.  But I LOVE it!  I know that what I put into it, I get out of it, and nobody else can do it for me.  It is something that only I can accomplish for myself and when I'm done I know that I have done all that I can.  I ALWAYS feel 100% better when I'm finished, whether it is 6:15am or 8:30pm when I'm done. 

Keep in mind that I didn't always have this mindset...the gym scared me to death at first.  But the more I learned and the better in shape I got, the more I began to crave going to the gym.  So if you're just starting out and you feel like you don't have a clue of what to do, just go and do something, anything.  You can learn as you go.  I promise, it gets better!!