Ah snow days. As a kid, I remember crossing my fingers and toes at even the hint of a snowflake floating down from the sky that we would get that inevitable phone call. Every child’s dream. And, I’m not gonna lie, at this point in the school year, every teacher’s dream as well. So when the news came down the line that we’d be buried under snow today AND we wouldn’t have to trudge into work, I couldn’t help but channel that inner child and metaphorically jump for joy.

This snow day, though, has also got me thinking about just how difficult it has been lately to get back into my normal routine, pre-children. After my first baby, I got back on that workout tip as soon as I got the go ahead from the doc. But this time around, I’m finding my motivation waning and this “snowpocalypse” [trust me…it was definitely not as bad as they predicted, but I’ll take it!] is only adding fuel to my inner couch potato. Heading out to run or to yoga is the last thing I want to do right now and I’m riding that slippery slope into blobville.

And don’t get me wrong, working out will never be the focus for me that it was before I had kids, but I know myself and I know that my mental health benefits just as much as my physical health does when I pony up and sweat it out. So this winter, I’m trying something different. Yeah, I still have my yoga membership [once a week at least], but I’m turning my favorite room in my house into my personal gym.  The bedroom. All you need is a couple simple workout items and a cute pair of leggings [or not! you can totally rock your pjs, like I do most nights] and you’re all set to go.

I’m cutting out the middle man. No trudging through the snow to the gym when I can get a quick 30 minute session in after the kids go to sleep. You know that sweet spot, when you get both kids to bed and you think you’re going to settle in and watch a show but you inevitably fall asleep in your clothes before you can make it past the credits? I’m turning that into my workout time. I throw on “This is Us” or “Rachel Maddow” and get the blood flowing. Sit-ups, lunges, core work. The basics.

I’m by no means a fitness guru and I know I probably don’t always have the best form, but getting my physical body in motion makes me happy and in a small way a better mom. And there’s really no excuse. It costs me nothing. It takes no time to get there. And I can catch up on my shows at the same time!