Do you Feel Like Exercise is Too Hard?

If you are new to exercise do you ever feel like fit people don't have to work hard to look good and be fit? I mean look at them - they are amazing.  It can be difficult for you sometimes because like a lot of us you've been working really hard and they have already met some really good goals and keep making progress. I know that sometimes it might feel like that to you. I know when I started that I thought to myself, "Oh my gosh, I'll never get to that level," or, "Ah, they must just look fit. I don't know how they do it." So I want to address something with you. I had a friend of mine, a really good friend of mine who I've known for a long time, over 20 years. She actually is turning 65 tomorrow. She called me a week or two ago and said that she just started CrossFit. I was proud and shocked at the same time. She wanted to ask my advice because it was SO HARD.

I asked her, "How long have you been doing CrossFit?" "Four weeks." I said, "Well, first of all, thanks for reaching out, but I've been doing CrossFit for seven years and it's still hard." I shared with her that actually just that morning I had my butt handed to me in a workout. I was dead last, wasn't able to breathe really well, was having a really tough time. I didn't give up though and did my best. That happens a lot. It's not just because of who shows up that day, or if I'm having a bad day. It could be anything. My body is different every day, and I shared with her to just take it one day at a time. I know we're not perfect and we're going to have days that are great, and you're like, "Yes, that was the best workout ever. I crushed it," and other days where it just crushes you and it makes you want to cry and it's hard.

And I think we need to be more forgiving and easier on ourselves. Our bodies are different every day. Some days I feel really strong and other days I do not. Sometimes I feel like I want to throw up or cry, and sometimes I do cry. I come home and I don't let myself stay in that very long where if I start to have that, "Oh, I did really bad today, and what's wrong with me?" No. I think of the things that I have accomplished and just move on to the next day, because I went to the gym. There was a time when I didn't go to the gym at all. So any day that I go is a great day, no matter how hard it is. I just wanted to share this with you because I'm sure some of you are feeling like, "Oh, I went and it was so hard I don't know if I can go back." I just want to encourage you, please keep going. You don't have to go every day. Your body needs rest too.

When I started, I went every other day, and that worked for me. And then I moved up to my goal which was getting one to three times in a week. So what if I went one time? That happened. Oh well, next week I focused again and worked on getting my three days. But I kept going back. The key to stay consistent. I know you can do this. Add a comment or share with a friend who needs to hear this.