How Mama Got Her Fitness Groove Back {Review + Giveaway}

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{This post is sponsored by Crunch Live. Following my review, they have a great fitness giveaway for one lucky reader and a special offer for all of you!}

I remember the days before I had my gaggle of children. Back when I thought I knew what “busy” was. I paid a pretty penny to be a member of a nice gym that I visited almost every day. Oh, the luxury of it all! Back then I was pretty happy with my figure. I felt good. Clothes shopping was never torturous, and I was satisfied with what I saw in the mirror.

IMG_8307When I was pregnant with my first child I swore up and down that I wasn’t going to be one of those moms who “let themselves go.” I mean, anyone can make time to work out if they really want to! Now, I would love to laugh my smug, pre-children, pre-motherhood self in the face because, although it’s true that anyone can make the time to workout, it isn’t easy. In fact, I’ve found it near impossible.

Shortly after my first child I realized that I really needed to focus on keeping this tiny person alive and healthy, so one of the first things to go was my gym membership. For lack of a better phrase, “ain’t nobody got time for that.” The gym membership went and, not surprisingly, the pounds piled on due to lack of exercise and three pregnancies in six years. Add a full-time, demanding desk job on top of that and you’ve got the recipe for my fitness disaster.

I basically gave up on working out. I’d join a gym for a trial month or purchase a yoga Groupon. I would go once or twice and never again because I actually do enjoy kissing my children goodnight each night, and I simply cannot wake up at 5 a.m. since the baby still doesn’t sleep at night.

Crunch Live online workoutsClearly, the outside workout facilities just don’t work for my life as it is right now. That’s why the online workouts from Crunch Live are perfect for me. Crunch is the first gym brand to offer a digital extension. One of their taglines is, “Get fit on the fly.” And that is exactly what I need. Can I do it at 1 a.m. in my yoga pants and tank top when my entire family is asleep? Yes? Perfect!

When I first registered and logged in I didn’t know what to expect. Cheesy workout videos like Sweating To The Oldies or Jane Fonda circa 1985 rocking the leg warmers ? Definitely not! What I found was an easy to navigate website full of a huge variety of workout videos that range in style, workout type and length.

IMG_4020There are short ones for when you have less than half an hour to squeeze in a workout, like me before those wild kiddos wake up in the morning, or long ones for when they’ve gone to bed and your husband is fast asleep on the couch. There are your well-known group workouts like Hip Hop Dance, Yoga and Pilates. There are also ones I’ve never heard of before, like Bellatone, which is a dance fusion workout inspired by Latin and traditional belly dancing and Bare, a unique barefoot training workout designed to improve balance, posture and strength.

I loved the variety. I have the attention span of a flea and get bored easily, which has happened to me many a time before in workout routines. I stop because I just don’t know what else to do other than treadmill, stairs, elliptical. Lather, rinse, repeat. Those generic type of workouts always bored me, so there was no incentive to keep going. With Crunch Live there is always something new for me to try. If I don’t enjoy it I just move on to another video.

Another great feature of Crunch Live is the Favorites section, where you can drag and droIMG_4014p the workouts you enjoy the most for easy accessibility. Then there is also a Playlists section that suggests series of workouts based on your particular workout needs and tastes. I love dancing, but not necessarily in a group setting, because I love it but I’m not particularly good at it. I really enjoyed the Dance It Off  playlist. My girls, who are 4 and 6, love to do those videos with me, and we have a blast just being silly together.

I’ve had a great time trying out Crunch Live, and I now have myself in a routine of hopping onlinIMG_4036e 3-4 times a week and enjoying my “me time” in the form of a fun workout. I’ve also found my clothes fitting better, and I see myself making better choices on my food because I don’t want my workouts to go to waste. An added bonus is my children actually watch their mother doing something physical–sometimes looking silly doing it. I want them to know physical activity is important, and if you look silly…who cares? It’s all about taking care of yourself and having fun while  doing it. I feel like I’ve started to get my groove back. I just needed the right solution for my crazy busy life. Someday in the future I may join a gym again, but for now, being able to do my workouts at home and still have time to collapse on the couch and watch Outlander afterwards is just perfect!

Giveaway and 30-Day Free Trial Offer

If your fitness story sounds anything like mine, I’ve got good news! Crunch Live and Portland Moms Blog want to give you a chance to try it out free! One of our readers will win a one year annual membership to Crunch Live by entering below! Plus, you can ALL get an exclusive 30-day free trial using the discount code: CITYMOM30 (code valid until September 30). Let me know if you love it as much as I do!

Crunch Live Annual Membership

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