Sometimes a Gym Is More Than a Gym

Being a stay at home parent is hard.  With three kids under the age of four and a husband who is deployed for four months at a time it can be overwhelming.  But Ariella Bell found the secret ingredient for making it work.

By taking time for herself and committing a portion of every day to her health, Bell found a support system she had not expected to find.

“My friend kept trying to talk me into joining Transformations,” Bell said, “but with the kids being so young and my husband away so much I was afraid of making the commitment. I wasn’t sure I could take the time away from my kids.”

Finally, realizing that the gym offered daycare and understanding that this meant a small period of time during her day where she could have a little breathing room, she signed up.

“Immediately I noticed this positive atmosphere I hadn’t expected to find,” Bell said.

Many moms are afraid of joining a gym, believing it will add a level of competition to their lives that they don’t want to add.  They assume that other women at the gym will be judging them, either on how they look or on how they are able to perform fitness-wise.

Bell didn’t find this.  Instead she found that the gym breathed new life into her everyday routine.  By taking care of her health, giving herself a break from her children for a small period of time each day and most importantly making friends with other women, Bell found that her days were a little easier. 

“This gym has become my family, helping me through numerous deployments,” Bell said, “at times I think it was the only thing keeping me afloat.”

Shortly after her fourth child was born, Bell was back in the gym working towards the goal of getting back into her pre-pregnancy clothes when she was approached about teaching some of the classes she had been taking.  With the seed planted, the idea began to grow and Bell took the plunge.

Currently she teaches at both the Pasadena and Odenton Transformations locations and while she enjoys helping people get fit, she loves being part of the process for other women like herself.

“Most of the women I know who go to Transformations feel a sense of community there,” Bell said, “It's not just a place to workout. It's a place to hang out.  The women bond quickly.  As an instructor and former member, I've seen so many relationships form over the years.”

It is these relationships that she points out to moms who are on the fence about joining a gym or fitness club.  She likes to remind them that it isn’t just about fitting into those skinny jeans, it is about giving yourself something more than being just a mom.  It is about expanding your horizons and finding friends who are your own and not just the parents of your kids’ friends.  It is about finding a community.