Exercise: myths and truths (according to my experience)

It’s common sense that anyone who wants to be successful in a weight loss program needs to exercise, no question about it.

What I take issue with is those DVD workouts or TV shows where  instructors talk about  “that adrenaline rush” or even worse, are doing exercise with smiles on their faces like it’s the ultimate pleasure to do push ups or crunches with a 10 lbs barbell to increase resistance.

One thing is true:   when you are in good shape and you are doing exercise regularly, you do get excited and feel good about yourself after you finish a work out (I experienced that 6 years ago when I was in good shape).

However, when you are out of shape and overweight there is no pleasure at all in exercising because you get tired very easily, you’re sore, you feel pain in your joints, muscles, bones you name it.

That doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do it, quite the opposite, you should start ASAP but with the awareness that that common sense notion of feeling good when you exercise is bogus….at least at this stage.  You have to be aware that it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be hard, it’s going to challenge your body, your mind, your expectations and you have to be mentally prepared to face the challenges that you are going to come up against.

Just to let you know I have been doing exercise 5 days per week for the past 3 weeks and I’m not feeling any pleasure and there’s no smile on my face, but I’m sure that if I continue it will get less hard and when I’m in better shape I will at least have fun with it.