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At 10:30 at night when the house is asleep and the bed is calling, why am I really working out? I'm not proud of some of these answers, but they are the truth.

1. Vanity. I'm not ashamed to admit it: Vanity is a great motivator. I like my old clothes and I like how I looked in them. When asked why she works out, a friend recently echoed what I hear (and think) time and time again, "I'd like to believe it's about health - but I think it's to look better."

2. Pride. I want to prove something to myself and to others. Squeezing an 8-lb., 11-oz. baby with a head size in the 100th percentile out of a small opening should have taken care of that. The strength we must call upon to give birth (or go through an adoption) should relinquish every mom of the need to ever have to prove herself again. But for me, at least, it's a reason.

3. Sex. Truly, I think the fact that I just gave him an offspring should trump how I look in a negligee for a while. If a man can wear beer goggles in his younger years, surely he can don postpartum goggles for at least 12 months as a small favor to the mother of his child.

4. Time. I want at least 30 minutes a day that belongs to me and only me. Sometimes, you just need to turn it off to tune it out. I am convinced this is the true reason they invented iPods - not for the young and hip 20-somethings featured in the ads, but for the old and hippy mommies who just need to turn it off. It was Calgon that took our moms away - now it is our "mojo-pods" and working out that bring our best escapes.

5. Friends. We are the ultimate multi-taskers and we love to be efficient. So, for me, meeting two goals at once is better than one. Goal No. 1: Workout. Goal No. 2: Build a social life and have meaningful connections with other women. Being part of something like a running program or Zumba class brings it all together for me in one sweaty little package. I can get a life and a tighter tush at the same time.

-- TRACY BUTLER - www.hybridmom.com