Sign up for our free newsletter:

 1 of 2

It's been six years since I joined the gym in an effort to get my post-baby flab whipped into shape. Of course, I almost didn't come back after the first day, so mortifying was my experience.

Let me back up a little smidgen. I was never what one would refer to as "sporty." So joining a gym wasn't exactly a natural thing for me to do.

My first day was to be spent with a personal trainer type to assess my "bod," evaluating exactly what needed to happen for it to get buff. Of course, I had on the wrong shoes right off the bat. They were suede, if you really want to know how patently "uncool" I was that day.

"Hi, I'm Mike. I'm going to be doing your fitness evaluation today."

Gulp. Before me stood one of God's gifts to womankind, a guy so dazzling I could barely speak. (Even a contented matron such as me would have been unhinged by this person's attractiveness. You know Brad Pitt? Getting warmer.)

"Oh," I managed, peeking again at my ridiculous footwear and decidedly unhip clothing. It was going to take all my poise to get through the next hour with Mr. Perfection.

Mike was, in addition to his physical attributes, a warm and friendly guy. He was patient with my fumbling attempts to maneuver the weight and cardio machines. "What are the problem areas you'd like to work on here at the gym?" he asked, sincerity oozing out of his every perfect pore.

"Oh. Um. Well." Problem areas! Like I was going to discuss the size of my posterior with this man! Not a chance.

"I guess just overall toning," I said, hoping he would leave it at that.

"Of course, of course. But I mean specific areas of your body that concern you."

My entire body concerned me, actually.

My mind raced, trying to conjure up a limb on my physique that I actually felt comfortable discussing. My worst fear was that I would blurt out the true, serious area of concern and have him measure it or pinch it with those barbarian fat tongs.

It was no use. Mike looked so, so genuine, so deeply concerned about my fitness welfare. I got the feeling that somehow, this stunning person actually cared that my pear shape be reduced to more of an asparagus silhouette in the interests of good health.

"My thighs, I guess, maybe," I stammered.

"Your thighs? OK, let's work on your thighs."

Though he agreed, rather quickly for my taste, we did in fact begin "work" on my thighs, and I have been working—off and on, you understand—on those same thighs for six years now. OK, so I quit the gym two years ago. But really, even the most exercise-phobic mom can take the plunge and start moving a little more. Even when she has to converse with a hottie about embarrassing topics such as her backside.

next page... |  1 of 2

share this page

	We'd really like to know what you think about this article!
	Is this the kind of article you'd like to see more of? Is there a topic you'd like us to cover? Please send your response to

				Try 3 Issues of Christianity Today Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.

FREE MomSense Newsletter Subscribe to the MomSense Newsletter    RSS Feed   RSS Help