I stared at my phone one last time before hitting send on the payment. Four hundred dollars were gone in a blink, but my finger didn’t hesitate. This was for me. Strength. Confidence. A new start.

The first session was scheduled for Monday morning, before the kids woke up for school. I dropped them at the sitter’s, heart pounding the whole drive to the gym. I’d chosen workout clothes carefully—black leggings that hugged my hips and thighs, a loose tank top that dipped just low enough ...