The Gym Daycare Dilemma

Sure, this week was the first week of dropping off Elliott at the gym daycare, but it just wasn't sitting right with me. I even posted on message boards and felt temporarily reassured when people would put things in perspective and tell me that it's only one hour out of the day, so I should just enjoy my workout and not worry about the childcare being less than stellar.

I kind of believed them and quieted my inner mommy instinct. Then I went to visit Lifetime Fitness today and knew that my instinct was right. Even if it's just a couple hours a week, my son deserved to be in an environment that made him feel welcome and cared for, not just plopped in front of a tv as an afterthought. Ugh, the thought of that makes me cringe now.

Here are some things that I did not like about the first gym, maybe some people can relate?

• The whole childcare room is a complete afterthought. There are toys and there are two sitters, but it just feels like a room to put your kid while you workout with the added bonus of two adults on hand.
• They only allow one hour to workout. Which part of the one hour classes that you offer should I skip? The warmup or the cooldown?
• You need to make an appointment for infants under 1 and not walking. That's fair. Then why do I feel like he is not getting any individual attention and is instead put in a ball pit, exersaucer, in front of a video or walked around in his stroller while you read a magazine?
• I have been in the childcare room 3-4 times now and I have never seen any of the women actually playing with the kids. You only work a 4 hour shift in the morning, maybe show a little interest in kids? Hmm?
• Once fall rolls around one of the childcare rooms will be right off the main entrance to the community center. This just feels wrong to me on so many levels.

Now onto the positive side of things. What I like about Lifetime Fitness after just one day:

• Separate infant space so the bigger kids don't hit or trample the little ones. They do this for dog parks, it's nice to see the same consideration being given to children.
• Individual cubbies for baby's diaper bag and a board for notes for the caregivers and from the caregivers about naps, bottles, time crying, etc.
• Wow, people looking like they enjoy being around kids and playing with them!
• Two hours of childcare per day included in the $6/mo. fee for the child. Where can you find childcare at such an affordable price and in such a great facility?
• Real security measures, you have to be buzzed out of the room so you don't just take off with a kid or a kid doesn't just wander off.

There is a lot more, but my first impression was that a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I can take care of myself while knowing that Elliott is being well cared for as well. Win, win!

Here is an article with a checklist of things to look for in a gym daycare. I wholeheartedly agree with her points and wish I read it before leaving Elliott somewhere I didn't feel 100% about. I really need to get over second-guessing myself with this whole mothering thing!

21 Day Fitness Challenge: Day 10

Well, I went with my gut and took the plunge and changed gyms today. It was an unexpected decision since I was perfectly content with our current gym until this week when I took Elliott to the childcare there.

I'm loving the new gym already and feel 100% comfortable with the childcare, so that is huge. We joined Lifetime Fitness this afternoon and did our first workouts there as well. I did a 30 min. mix of elliptical and treadmill. I really need to up my running time, my mind is hitting a big wall when it comes to getting past 10 consecutive minutes. Why?

Did well with the eating side of things as well. We got salads from the cafe at the gym and had homemade eggdrop soup for dinner and strawberries and blueberries for dessert.

I can't believe I'm 1/2 way through my challenge already! Not too shabby.

21 Day Fitness Challenge: Day 9

Hooray, I have finally caught up on my daily posts!

Today was another gym day and day 2 of leaving Elliott at the gym daycare. I only did a little over a mile on the treadmill even though I planned on doing a 20 min. jog, but my mind was on my little boy. When I dropped him off there were three crying kids in the room so I didn't know if he would succumb to the peer pressure and join in the crying festivites or if he would be ignored and crack open his skull because the crying kids were too distracting for the sitters. I think I am better off doing elliptical or lifting weights instead of trying to squeeze in actual training runs while Elliott (or myself) is transitioning into the daycare setting. I picked him up after only 30 min. and he was all smiles for me, so I hope this trend continues!

Eating, hmmm. Not too shabby, but George made a coleslaw salad with bacon and I just couldn't stop. He actually had to say "Um Kim, I think you're having a little too much of that salad" and I agreed and finished the heap that I just put on my plate. Oops! I'm starting to see that I need more structure with my eating since it is too easy for me to slowly slip into junky eating without it.

21 Day Fitness Challenge: Day 8

Day "Ate" is right! Why is it that I can't step foot in Target without heading over to the Jelly Belly section and getting a bag of sour balls? It all started when I was pregnant and now the Target symbol is my Pavlovian bell for these fine candies! I vow that next time I step foot in Target I will have more will power and break that connection in my brain.

It was a sleepy kind of day and I didn't get to the gym for my run either, I just did a 30 min. walk around the neighborhood. While it's great that I'm keeping up with at least walking, I know it's not enough and I can't continue to use it as my crutch instead of doing a "real" workout.

21 Day Fitness Challenge: Day 7

Well I made it through one week of the challenge and it hasn't been that hard (yet)!

This morning I went to the gym and did 30 min. on the elliptical. It was also the first day that I dropped off Elliott at the gym's daycare. Not a complete failure, but it definitely could have gone better. I will touch on this in a separate post.

Once again Chef George kept me eating healthy with Chicken Tortilla Soup and pasta with tomatoes and basil for dinner. Yum!

21 Day Fitness Challenge: Day 6

Today was a new day after my disappointing 5k. We spent the morning walking around the local arboretum and it was beautiful and recharged my spirit. A very pleasant way to meet my 30 min. activity requirement.

I really need to start cooking, but I have to thank George for helping me stay on track with healthy eating. He made a chicken and broccoli stir-fry that hit the spot. Whenever he eats like crap or decides to make crappy food, I happily join him and that needs to stop. We once lived apart for 5 months when I was going to go to law school and I really lost a lot of weight and had good momentum with my eating habits once we lived together again. I just need to get that eating independence back!

21 Day Fitness Challenge: Day 5

So....my 5k was a bit of a disappointment. I only ran 1/2 of it and let my mental hurdles get in the way of persevering and running the whole thing. The reasons/excuses I had were:

• My running watch died. It is kind of my security blanket on a run and I had no clue what my pace was by the time I hit the 1 mile marker.


• Elliott woke up 5 times to eat, I was near tears with exhaustion by morning.


• Horribly unorganized race. They didn't separate the runners and walkers at all, so the first mile was spent dodging walkers. Plus, having all those walkers around me did not help motivate me or give me that adreneline rush of a race.

Needless to say the mental challenge was much more harder to overcome than the physical challenge. I did feel the sting of tears when I decided to make it a walk instead of a run, but I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. However, I should not have had an all or nothing mentality about the race, that I know for sure.

We had a BBQ at a friend's house and I dipped a few too many dips, but overall I ate pretty good.