Why I don’t need a gym membership: Interval Training

There are many different ways to get in shape. Some people run, others power walk, and then there are the gym members. We used to have a membership to the local YMCA, but I found myself not attending enough to pay the fees. And so, I decided to look at things a different way. Who needs a gym, you can workout like this?

Interval training is a fast burst of activity followed by slower, easier pace of activity. (Attention health nuts, I know this isn’t the perfect definition, but it will do.) We are potty training Daughter. And so, my day goes along with a nice easy pace, but when I hear the word, “Potty!” shouted out, it is time to kick it into high gear. I sprint, pick up the package and deliver her into the bathroom as fast as I can. False alarm? I go back to the pace of my day.

I really like to step up the intensity of the training by putting it all out on the line. I take Daughter out of the house sans diaper and with her “big girl panties” on. The game has changed. When you hear the code word, “Potty” you must now pick up the package (along with Son who is tagging along and getting a huge kick out of all of this) abandon your cart (if you are in a store – which I usually am) and run around frantically until you find a bathroom. You dodge other customers, slip through isles and jog in place while you ask the cashier (who has absolutely no pity for your situation) where the nearest restroom is. When you do find the bathroom, it is not the time to drop back to a lower pace. You push forward, helping daughter on the potty while keeping an eye on Son to ensure that he touches nothing.

At this point, I find myself with two options. If Daughter is successful, the “potty dance” takes place. This is a combination of jumping up and down while frantically clapping. Also, you can’t be out of breath for this one, because you have to be singing the praises of the potty child. If the attempt is unsuccessful, you get a small break to gather yourself and the little ones around you and head back out to find the cart. In this case, the workout has returned to its normal pace.