Last week was great for my workouts. I progressed in weights and added mileage. I finished Friday feeling strong and ready for my planned 18 mile run. So of course when I woke up Saturday I was sick as a dog. Whether it was something I picked up from classes restarting, or my body was trying to tell me to slow down, I have no idea. I listened though, and spent the weekend on my couch watching Netflix and drinking lots of water.
Against the advice of friends and my significant other, I crawled my way to the gym yesterday for an easy workout. This was partly because I was going stir crazy and partly because I thought it would be good for me to get moving again. The experience got me thinking about how relative exercise is to people. What to me was a very reasonable, easy workout was cringe worthy to some of my friends, especially considering that I was probably not entirely well yet.
This isn’t to say that I think I am some kind of Amazonian warrior or badass, only that it (exercise) does work. When I began working out a few years ago what I now consider a warm-up would have been my entire time at the gym. If you are there right now, that is perfectly ok! It is expected really. As we continue to progress we increase weights, reps, or intensity in order to challenge ourselves. The result is that with time that which once seemed insurmountable becomes easy, and then we set new goals. I find this to be one of the most exciting things about health and fitness. With time, effort, and knowledge it is possible to make yourself into what you want to be. Some days luck might bitch-slap you with a cold, an accident, or a loss but if you keep trying and are willing to see the positives like the progress you have made…you can keep moving forward and bettering yourself.