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I know it isn’t New Year’s resolution time or anything like that, but in the midst of the summer haze I began to think about the first trip to the gym.

I don’t mean the first time you ever stepped foot in a gym as a kid, but the first time you go to the gym with the intention of making it a habit.

For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been working mornings at the YMCA for the last two years and I’ve seen plenty of first trips. People often enter the Fit Floor with a wide gaze as they take a look at all of the different machines and objects in front of them. Amongst those machines are well-trained and well conditioned community members who have been coming in to workout for decades.

The sight can be intimidating and it’s OK if newcomers feel that way.

But once they get over the fear, I find that most newcomers are welcomed with open arms. Nobody is too out of shape or too far removed from an active lifestyle to get back in the swing of things. 

Also, I promise that the atmosphere is one of support and many people in the gym will go out of their way to help you if you need it.

I speak from personal experience as I put on more than a few extra pounds when I chasing after my children in their young ages. I was often out of energy and often too mentally drained to go for the jogs I used to take before I had kids. There was also the problem of not being able to justify the cost of daycare, just so I could exercise.

But instead of giving up, I made a vow to myself. I promised to get back into motion as soon as the kids started school. It’s a vow I kept and I’ve done it without doing anything crazy or extreme.

I simply make sure I get on the treadmill or rowing machine at least four or five days a week and I take long walks whenever I get the chance. 

I’m certainly not in the best shape of my life, and I have had minor slip-ups over the years but I lost some of those extra pounds and I have stayed active.

The hardest part about changing your lifestyle is not so much the exercise itself, it’s creating a new routine and holding yourself accountable. Choose an activity that you enjoy and start small. As it gets easier, add a little more to the workout each day.

Pretty soon you’ll see improvements and not long after that, you’ll embrace the challenges of pushing yourself. Eventually, you’ll be so busy reaching goals that you won’t even notice how much weight you’ve lost or muscle you’ve gained.

Then one day you’ll come across an old friend and they’ll tell you how much better you look. That’s when you’ll smile to yourself and cherish what it took to get to that point.

Maybe I’ll see some of you at the YMCA in the near future, or maybe I’ll see you out on the paths in Austin. Either way I hope everyone finds a way to mix some activity in their lives.

It is well worth it.