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My lungs are on fire. I can’t even tell if my legs are getting tired because I am breathing so hard I can’t even close my mouth. I am suddenly working above my target rate and would fail the talk test… and if I did talk, it would be to curse the treadmill! I had to cool down and do some muscle machines and yoga with the rest of my hour at the gym.

This is a personal trainer after three months away from running. Because of medical issues, I had to stop my normal 5 mile runs several times a week and start from scratch. The scenario above was after only 15 minutes on the treadmill.

It made me think about how I always advise clients and readers to just get started with your daily workout and you will feel so good during and afterward that you will be more than happy you made the effort. But yesterday on the treadmill I was anything but happy.

I took home two lessons with my sweat drenched self…

1) For those struggling to get in shape for the first time: I know that, as a workout addict, it WILL get better and be worth the effort. But that is because I have seen the promise land of working out when you are in shape. I can’t wait to get back on the treadmill “horse” and get to an hour of running and feeling more energized, not less. But if you have never been athletic, and don’t really know how truly great it can make you feel, I sympathize. I finally remembered why so many people quit after just 2 weeks of trying to get into shape. It doesn’t feel good at first. For those of you struggling to get into shape for the first time, trust me, it does get better and won’t feel like lung and muscle torture forever!

2) Lets say you are in shape, but getting bored and lazy with your workout, and you think that a week or two off won’t matter. IT DOES. I still worked out in the end of my pregnancy and after 6 weeks even with my medical complications. The only thing I could not do was endurance cardio because of a numb foot from the epidural. Upon recovering, I was back at almost square-one after 3 months away. So DON’T take that vacation from healthy workouts, just challenge yourself and cross train. Find a way so that you won’t have an uphill battle gasping for air to fight bulge.

Soon you will turn the workout from hell into a hell of a workout!

Fitness, Fit it in. Nikki

Nikki Fitness DVD