So Much Happier Blog
Ready, Set, Groan!
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”
“Number one, like yourself. Number two, you have to eat healthy. And number three, you’ve got to squeeze your buns. That’s my formula.”
There's something that I don't think people talk about nearly enough about the first two weeks to a month of starting a new exercise regime: It's going to suck.
How 'bout them apples? I bet you didn't expect me to write a statement like that! But I find that this uncomfortable early period derails a lot of people who get started on renewing fitness goals with the best of intentions, and even great feelings of commitment. We're told that exercise boosts endorphins, which produce euphoria, and can reduce stress and even clinical depression. And yet I know from personal experience as well as from the experiences of my friends and clients that those first few weeks are a challenge like no other. You'll be tired, you'll be grumpy, you'll resent the loss of time you're used to having for other things, you'll have sore muscles, and you may come up against a whole host of body-related beliefs and issues that have the potential to derail you until you've built up some momentum.
Several important things can go wrong during this period:
1. If you don't know your body really well, it's very likely that in your initial enthusiasm, you will overestimate what you can and should do to get started. You have probably taken on, on some level, the "no pain, no gain" mentality, and the belief that you need to buckle down and "just do it." You have been made to feel that your lack of fitness is the result of your being too soft and wussing out on a disciplined approach throughout your life. You think that forcing yourself to power through pain and discomfort through sheer will power is the answer, so you ignore your body's signals and plough ahead with a plan that is perhaps overambitious. You then spend days or weeks hobbling around in agony until you decide that this exercise thing is for the birds.
· In the first few weeks of activity, you are likely to have some muscle soreness or stiffness. Starting slowly helps keep this manageable, but many of us shy away from anything that feels like pain, and will start finding reasons to discontinue the effort. Epsom salt baths can be helpful here, and it’s also important to make sure you’re stretching appropriately for your chosen exercise. Keep in mind that your body will get used to moving if you stick with it. A life that includes a rewarding level of fitness need not include a lot of pain, but you may need to move through some in the beginning. Give yourself credit for being willing to go through this adjustment phase for your long-term good.
· Seriously addressing your nutritional needs is a great idea, particularly when you’re about to make greater demands on your body’s energy output and general functioning. There’s a lot of great information available out there for free from your local library and online, and I encourage you to use it to educate yourself. Sorting through it can be overwhelming, though, so don’t be afraid to consult an expert. A nutritionist can help you figure out what your body needs in order to function at high levels.
2. If you do know your body well and make (or work with a professional to make) a plan that is more realistic and sustainable/scaleable, you're still going to be dealing with the ups and downs that accompany the process for building and solidifying a new habit.
· For some of us, the problem is going to be that it's hard to stay inspired when we're at the beginning of a new road, and all we can see is a daunting upward climb ahead. The ability to keep putting one foot in front of the other when the goal seems so far away can be a huge challenge. Planning ahead by putting some support structures in place to help you get through this time is an excellent. You might want to find an exercise buddy to at least check in with on a daily basis so you know someone else is by your side having a similar experience. You could also tell a few positive people what you're doing so that they will be rooting for you, and can offer you encouragement and pep talks when you need them. It might be helpful to make sure you have something fun to look forward to every week that will help buoy your mood if things feel difficult, something that you really enjoy. In short, plan to support yourself now in any way that you know works for you. You’re taking on a worthy challenge. When you succeed in establishing a habit of healthy movement, it supports your entire life in ways that are more than the sum of the apparent parts.
· For others, the opinions of others may be a danger zone. If you have naysayers around you, you're going to have to find ways to escort the voice of their negativity out of the building, whether figuratively or literally, in order to stay focused. You may also need to do your own internal work to replace that voice with a more positive one, and to create a strong vision of the new self you're becoming to whom this new fitness habit is natural. You may find yourself asking, who will I be if I create a habit of fitness? Here you may encounter some beliefs about who you are that need to change. There are many gentle modalities that can assist you here, from journaling and affirmations to hypnosis and EFT.
· If exercise has never been fun for you, you’ll need to find ways to choose activities that you’ll will dread doing the least, and add elements that boost your enjoyment of time spent moving. Maybe working out in a group will change your dynamic for the better. Groups also offer an immediate support network that can offer encouragement and solidarity, and for many, this is a game changer. Maybe listening to upbeat music you love will really get you going, or watching a T.V. program that really engages you (only do this if you're doing activities that don't demand your focus to avoid injury, though). And make sure the program is positive—you don't want to start associating your active time with sad, frightening, or otherwise upsetting experiences, even if they're imaginative. This will likely sabotage your enthusiasm over time, which is the last thing you want. I will acknowledge that we’re all different, though, and it's important to know what works for you; for instance, I do have one friend who, along with her family, thinks that horror movies are hilarious, and they get together and laugh themselves silly watching them. For most people, that probably isn't the case, so watching horror while exercising is probably not a winning strategy for the rest of us! For some, the idea of doing something repetitive like walking or stair climbing seems way too boring. It's important to start with something gentle like walking or swimming if your current fitness level is low, but as you gain experience with exercise, you can try new things and see if there are other activities you enjoy more, or as part of a rotation of several choices that keeps things interesting for you over time.
Next week we’ll look at another, more subtle category of challenge you may need to address. For now, keep in mind that despite the difficulties inherent in starting something new, exercise is an essential ingredient in the recipe for creating a balanced, happy, healthy life. Celebrate the ways in which you’ve already built it into your life, and remember that it’s supposed to be fun to move your body. Physical activity is a pathway to a great deal of the joy of being alive. If you’re currently working on creating this habit, hang in there! I’ve been where you are, and I know that your work will pay off for you if you stick with it and remain responsive to your body’s changing needs.