Is it supposed to be this hard?

Tunastamper,

If you choose to exercise it can be difficult if you are out of shape. I would suggest not pushing yourself really hard at first. I would suggest riding your bike on level terrain for awhile for short distances and work up to those long hill rides you want to take. Be patient, tolerant, and kind to yourself.

It can feel so hard. But every time you finish you can say "Damn, I did that!" and that feeling is worth the pain. And each time you do a little bit more and before you know it a few months go by and you look back and are amazed at how far you've come.

Yes, what you experienced can be normal for one who is new to exercise. The good news is that if you stay consistent you will most likely make quick progress. Try to find a balance between challenging yourself and not overdoing it, otherwise you may get frustrated and quit. Walking is great too.

At first...Probably yes....3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years...probably not so much. Keep a work out journal....and record it in weekly....you will start seeing huge changes not only physically but overall your stamina and strength will grow and you will laugh at that first journal entry. The worse thing you do is quit....make small goals for yourself and get support from family/friends that can continue to encourage you! You will sore after each new exercise...don't quit...keep going!

It can feel so hard. But every time you finish you can say "Damn, I did that!" and that feeling is worth the pain. And each time you do a little bit more and before you know it a few months go by and you look back and are amazed at how far you've come.

^^^THIS!!! 3 months ago I could barely run for 30 seconds straight....today I ran 3 miles outside and I feel so proud!!! My advice is start small and stick with it and you can do anything!!!! Good luck!!! :flowerforyou:

yes, yes it is. But you get better. Normally quickly at first. - one block, two blocks. One km. One mile. 2 miles. etc.

And for what is worth, cycling is much easier (if properly set up) than jogging or even walking - on the joints. Get a good saddle and good cycling shorts. They make a world of difference.

The first thing I did when I realized I weighed almost 300lbs was buy a bike. I made it two blocks in the heat of a summer day and then I PUKED...in front of a family with small children in the park and several of my fitter friends. 4 months later in the early autumn I rode 24 miles and the ride included some massive hills. One of the proudest days of my life. The great thing about starting out with not so great results is the awesome story it makes when you get to somewhat successful and people are saying "You are crazy! No way I could bike that far."

I'm a month in to another reboot, and yes, your experience sounds pretty much like my first week or so. I'm doing some things differently than I ever have before, and have found that this past month has gone *exceptionally* well, without a lot of angst, and with a lot of progress, so I'll share. Take it with a grain of salt, of course, but it has worked for me.

The biggest thing I did, the foundation of everything, was to pick something that I could stand to do for 15 minutes every day. I am/was mostly sedentary, and am in my late 40's. The other thing was that I was going to use what resources I already have. Now, I happen to have a nice elliptical that's been doubling as a coat hanger for a few years, so I picked that as my daily, no matter what, exercise. This particular one works for me because I have the equipment already, and I don't have to leave the house to do the exercise. Hell, I don't even have to change out of my pajamas. Being an introvert, those two points are key to sustainability, I really hate exercising in general, and I super hate having to get out of my comfort zone to do something I hate :-)

15 minutes is not a lot of time. BUT - when you have been doing 0 minutes, it's a lot. So, I talked back to the hatey voice that was mocking me for being lame, and stuck to my 15 minutes. The first few days were MURDER. But I kept telling myself to just get through the 15 minutes, slowly if needed, but just do. the. time.

I noticed that once I got into the groove of exercising first thing in the AM, it started getting easier. I also tricked myself into doing it by making the rule that I am not allowed on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and news sites unless I have my tablet with me on the elliptical and I'm in motion. It works very well to keep me focused on something other than my movements and the time. As things have progressed, I've upped the level of effort, naturally, and it's having a great effect on my endurance, and I'm also LOVING the extra calorie allowance. I must note here that MFP's calories given for that exercise are much higher than the machine says, so I go by the machine. I'm currently seeing 1.5-2lbs lost per week, not feeling food deprived, sleeping better and less muscle aches than before. Last go round with just cutting calories only saw.5 lbs every couple of weeks, and MUCH MISERY and discomfort.

TL;DR: set a small, very achievable goal that you will do every day, come hell or high water. Pick something you can't talk yourself out of, and keep it small enough to enable you to push through and not flake out.

Hope that helps :-)

Just one other thing though . . . . did you check the air pressure in your bike tires? If they are low it would make it even more difficult.
Just a thought.

Anything worth doing takes a lot of effort.

Awesome quote! I definitely feel her on the difficult part. The question is after working out isn't killing you anymore, how do you peel off the weight with out starving? do you have to be a nutritionist to get progress

Ditto, ditto!!

Yes and it really does get easier the better in shape you are.

Start in gradually. Never give up. Never give in.

Yes it is going to be hard. Stick with it though, do what you can no matter how little and each time try to push yourself a little more and a little more. You will be surprised how quick it will take for it to start getting "easy".

I used to be a ballet dancer and was not only fit, but could do pretty amazing things with my body. After college and entering the working world I stopped exercising almost entirely and gained 20lbs. I am now working on losing the weight and getting back in to shape, but man was it hard to realize that my body just can't do what it used to.

Yoga has actually really helped me with this- one of the guiding principles of every practice is to embrace what your body can do for you in that day, and in that moment. It isn't about perfecting anything or being the best (which for me, with my background, is a hard thing to shake). That isn't to say I am not working on increasing my fitness level, but I am trying to reprogram my way of thinking as well- respecting my body for both it's strengths and it's limitations, and using that as a starting point to seek wellness.