Good morning friends and happy Wednesday! I had a different post planned to go out today but I just wasn't really feeling it. I started unpacking my gym bag from heading to the gym this morning and thought "our gym, gym childcare, etc. is such a big part of my life... why don't I write about that?" Also, at the end of last year I did a survey asking what types of posts you all would like to read here and fitness was one of the top ranked categories on the survey. This fits that category, so I decided to switch it up!
We are members of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, which is wonderful because it gives us access to all of the branches in our area. This means we can use all the pools, take classes at different gyms, and the kids can go to the different child care locations-- all of which have been great (at least the ones we have tried).
During a typical week my workout schedule looks like this:
Monday- strength training or yoga at the gym before the kids wake up
Tuesday- take the kids to the Y and run, then shower
Wednesday- strength training or yoga at the gym before the kids wake up
Thursday- take the kids to the Y and run, then shower
Friday- take a walk, hike, or play outside with the kids (this definitely counts as exercise 😉)
Saturday- run
Sunday- usually a day off
I have taken both kids to the child care at our favorite Y since they were 6 weeks old. My kids honestly love it. Liam runs into the building and last week when Lily Grace was at summer camp she kept telling me "I miss Miss Kim and Miss Rhonda" (the childcare ladies).
Here is Liam on his way to one of his first visits to the Y.. he was 2 months old.😍
Now, that being said, both kids haven't always loved it. LG went through a little phase when she was about 9 months old where she would cry when I left her, and Liam really struggled with separation anxiety post-pandemic shutdown. In both situations the women who work there kept saying "bring them back, they'll realize Mommy always comes back and they'll be having so much fun they won't even notice you leave". They were right, thank goodness. Both kids' fussy stages didn't last long. I love our gym childcare so much because:
- the women are all great with children and I honestly feel like they love my kiddos
- my kids get a chance to play with toys/do activities I didn't have to plan
- my kids are getting a chance to play with other kids their age without me having to supervise (I do plenty of that during our regular playdates, trust me!).
- I get a chance to do something healthy for my body without needing to be out the door before 5:00 am
- I get a chance to shower in peace!! No interruptions!
Now since I shower there twice a week I have my gym bag packing routine pretty much down to an art. First let me show you my bag:
See those initials? Those are my maiden name initials. I have had this bag since high school and it is still in great shape!! It's L.L. Bean, and I swear by L.L. Bean (link here for bag). Their bags last forever. When I unpack my bag, I take everything out and then immediately pack it again for the following time I'll use it. Then I have one less excuse to not make it to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
In my bag I pack:
- shower shoes (basic $3 Old Navy flip flops)
- a fresh towel
- fresh clothes
- sandals (in the warmer months), Toms (in the cooler months)
- a quart size Ziploc bag of all my shower items (shampoo, conditioner, face wash, etc.). I wrote about the Garnier shampoo bar a couple weeks ago and friends I like that thing even more every time I use it. I don't have to worry about refilling my shampoo or buying new little plastic containers from the travel section at Target.
- a gallon size Ziploc to hold my hair spray, styling products, deodorant, styling comb, etc.
- hair dryer (they have them at the gym but I prefer mine from home)
- hair brush
- straightener
- makeup bag
- an empty Target plastic bag to keep my sweaty clothes
Here it is all laid out on my bed after unpacking (minus the sweaty clothes and dirty towel):
What a great idea for a post.
ReplyDeleteI used to work (run) a playroom at a YMCA. I was a young 20s at the time and used to get so frustrated that the parents would take so much time (aka shower) before picking up their children. (Summer was CRAZY!!!) But as a mom now, I TOTALLY understand the shower! I wish I could go back to those parents and apologize for my crappy attitude. (hahahah) Anyway, glad everyone is having a good experience at the Y.
Oh my gosh yes!! It's so nice to be able to wash AND dry my hair in peace!
DeleteYou are so organized! I love the idea of immediately re- packing. You definitely have a great system and routine & I bet your kids do love going there for fun. Win win for everyone
ReplyDeleteThanks!! They really do love it!
DeleteJust found your blog and love it! I had been looking for some gym bag tips because I just started at a gym with a shower and this was so helpful! First time I did NOT bring all the right things lol.
ReplyDeleteHahaha same! The first time I showered there I was not prepared at all!
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ReplyDeleteHi! I was looking for someone to post what they bring to they Y and I found you! So glad😊😊I wanted to ask if you can elaborate on the kids bags too. Especially when you take them swimming. What does that routine look like? I just got a YMCA membership and I am trying yo figure out how to take them swimming, change and workout/childcare. Please let me know any thoughts or insights. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi! So it depends on what time we are going/how long we plan to be there. When they were little I would pack them a change of clothes, diapers/wipes, a snack, and a water bottle. If we were swimming, I would keep all the swim stuff separate. I would typically workout/childcare first, then grab the swim bag from the car and pick up the kids at childcare. We would change in the locker room and go swim! I hope that helps :)
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