"It became too much of a hassle juggling their routine to fit into mine," the MBS mom says. "There always seemed to be something that came up to prevent my workouts."

Kathy noticed that her patience was wearing thin, but chalked it up to the demands of small children. She also felt tired--again, said her friends, the result of chasing toddlers day in, day out.

"The final straw came when I put my old ski stuff on for our winter vacation," Kathy says. "Everything was too tight and I felt like a stuffed animal. I made up my mind to get back into shape no matter what it takes."

Kathy dearly missed the camaraderie of the MBS classes. Once she rejoined the gym, she felt all her symptoms slowly disappearing.

"I felt less isolated, my energy level increased and I looked forward to each day," she says. "It sounds dramatic, but that's exactly what happened. And in getting back into the gym, I met other young mothers who went through the same dilemma as I had. We swapped stories and I learned a few tricks on how to stay on track even with youngsters under foot."

Kathy now works out at least five days a week.

"On Sunday, I check my calendar and tick off the classes I'd like to attend," she explains. "I make sure that I either have a sitter available or I bring the kids to the nursery so that there is no excuse."

Amy, the calm and easy going mother of three year old triplets, says that coming to MBS is what keeps her "sanity."

"When I have given this time to myself, it doesn't matter how much time I give to the girls," she says. "At first they weren't crazy about coming to the nursery, but I stuck by my guns and now they're fine.

"Working out makes me a better mother," Amy says.

If these aren't enough reasons to get you motivated, you may want to hire a personal trainer to help get you started.

"Most of us like to know there is someone there for us when we go to the gym," says Fotis. "Personal trainers can also get you motivated by giving you a fitness evaluation that targets the areas you need to develop. For example the FitnessAge test, which only costs $30, measures your cardiovascular endurance, body fat composition, flexibility and strength levels. You have a clearer picture where your strengths and weaknesses are and can create a fitness program accordingly."

"Give yourself a three month target to change your numbers and work toward them," he says. "When you reach your goal, set another one to keep you motivated."

Cross training is another factor that helps keep you exercising.

"Doing the same thing--like spinning five times a week--can get boring," Fotis says. "You're muscles also get used to the same pattern so you're no longer working as effectively as when you first started. Again, a trainer can help you vary your routine for maximum efficiency and to reduce burnout."

In the weight room, make use of the variety of equipment.

And don't forget to rest, say experts.

"It's pretty hard to stay motivated if you are working out seven days a week," says Fotis. "Not only are you putting yourself at risk for overuse injuries, you're also headed for big time burnout."

Once you get back into the saddles, you'll find that applying these tips to your workout routine will actually make exercising desirable.