Pathetic ...

Options
2

Replies

  • Texaganian
    Texaganian Posts: 67
    Options
    That's actually good. My first time on the treadmill was 3 minutes!

    I do 30 minutes with lots of resistance seven days a week now.

    Just keep after it.
  • CmGoode
    CmGoode Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    I am repeating what others have said. It will get better. I only lasted 8 min on the eliptical when I started going back to the gym...now I can bust out 30 min with no problem.....well, not NO problem, but much easier than when I started.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Options
    I have a totally different perspective on this.

    Here's what I read:
    today is my first day .... I knew I was out of shape so I decided to start exercising.
    I just did the treadmill today for 10 mins. I know it sounds low, but it was my first day, and every time I do it, I will get a little better and a little stronger. So give me a high five because I deserve it!

    *high five*! Great first day! Find your rhythm. Even if that means spending 20 minutes just walking on the treadmill. Good for you for starting down this path!
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    Options
    today is my first day .... I knew I was out of shape but wow, am I feeling pathetic right now!!
    I just did my first "exercise" on the treadmill and lasted 10 mins ... how horrible is that?!?!
    Please tell me it gets better!! I was aiming for 20-30 mins per day of at least brisk walking on the treadmill to start out!!!

    Pathetic really? You took the first step of many to a happier and healthier lifestyle. I am betting that 10 mins is more then you did yesterday so you are already improving! Do what you can and know that some is always better then none.
  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
    Options
    It`ll gets better.start out slow,you`ll work your way up.
    Good luck
    jane
  • tssa
    tssa Posts: 93 Member
    Options
    today is my first day .... I knew I was out of shape but wow, am I feeling pathetic right now!!
    I just did my first "exercise" on the treadmill and lasted 10 mins ... how horrible is that?!?!
    Please tell me it gets better!! I was aiming for 20-30 mins per day of at least brisk walking on the treadmill to start out!!!


    Girl, I went thru the same thing. I had all these expectations my first day at the gym and when I got on the treadmill my body was like, "Hold on chick, what the hell is going on?". LOL I only lasted 12 minutes and then left bc I was so disappointment. Before, I was able to walk at 30 minutes on the treadmill, but now only 12 minutes!!! I was down the whole rest of the evening. The next morning after some self-reflection AND speaking with my sisters, I had to re-evaluate my expectations for my workout. I had to say to myself, "Tissa, you haven't been to the gym in months, been smoking and eating terribly, you can't really expect to knock out 30 minutes or so on the treadmill your first day. You need to take baby steps. Feel good about yourself, that you went to the gym and moved." After milling that over for a while, I had a whole new outlook on my weight loss/working out journey.

    It's all about progress and not getting down on yourself. Baby steps and gradual progress is key. Right now I'm up to 15 -18 minutes on the treadmil at a moderatly slow pace, which I admit it's not much but it's working for me. How do I know? Because when I walk out the gym, I drenched in sweat, my legs feel like noodles, and I'm tired but I FEEL GREAT. I'm planning to work up to at least 20 mintues at a brisk pace by June and I plan on walking my first 5k by the end of summer.

    So don't get so down on yourself. You made a committment to work out least 10 minutes on the treadmill, that's way better than not doing anything at all.

    Good luck to you and feel free to add me if you like. :happy:
  • suzooz
    suzooz Posts: 720 Member
    Options
    Don't tell anyone, but it can actually get to GREAT in a very short time.

    A couple of months ago, I started working out with Wii Fit, and they asked me to jog around this little island, which took about 5 minutes. I thought I was going to DIE! I HATED the running, and really couldn't see why anyone in their right mind would actually choose to do the Free Run.

    A month ago, I tried the Free Run for 10 minutes, and I was hooked! There's just something about that "runner's high," which I hadn't felt in a long time. Now I'm up to 30 minutes (if I don't do strength/yoga first), and I have to "reward" myself with a 10-minute Free Run on the days that I do Strength/Yoga training. Who knew that a reward could be exercise and not an extra-calorie, but healthy treat!

    SHHH. Our secret!
  • mamabear0222
    mamabear0222 Posts: 455 Member
    Options
    you guys are awesome!! I want to thank you all for your kind words .. I was feeling kind of pathetic because today
    I woke up and thought "today is the day"! .. no more excuses, let's do something!

    Ive been "thinking" about it for ages but never actually done anything about it!!!!!

    Ive never been on a fad diet or really exercised, I think because I was afraid of failure.
    then I jump on this treadmill and boom ... 10 mins!!! wth?!?!

    my goal was 20-30 mins and I failed the miserably .. but then again as someone pointed out, at least I did more then I did yesterday!! .. and tomorrow's a new day right?!?!? :)
  • kristarablue
    kristarablue Posts: 707
    Options
    So let me normalize this for you. First of all you ROCK!!!!! Starting to workout when out of shape can be the most excruciating, difficult, heartbreaking and daunting thing you can do and I admire your courage for starting. This will probably one of your most difficult workouts both emotionally and physically you will have. Remeber, "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - confucius I live by these words, you can not fail if you never stop trying...Please don't forget that.

    I am going to share with you part of the blog from my first day of trying to run back in Aug. of 2010. I could not run 50 feet at the time, trust me it will not take long for you to feel more confident because your work out today was really well done even if you don't believe it. YOU DID GREAT

    Here is my first day:

    Ok so today was my first day on my couch to 5K and I am sorry to say, but they are sadly mistaken. I am not sure they fully understand what a couch potato is, I think they may have their definitions confused. I did not have my stop watch so I counted in my head and I am pretty sure that my seconds for the walk were much longer than my seconds for my run. I did four rotations, that was about all I could do, I was coughing and sputtering like an 80 year old that had smoked for 90 years and continued to do so even after they were on oxygen for the past 20 years but just refused to die. Which by the way if someone had been witnessing the sad state of my fitness they may have called 911 due to my lack of ability to breath. And by the way, I hated every single min. of it. No I did not enjoy one moment and I was so pleased when it was finished because I don't have to go through it again tomorrow. My hip hurt, my shins were in agony and the inside of my leg almost to my groin felt like I was in labor (although so did my breathing so we were good).
  • shekaiser
    shekaiser Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I just read an interesting article about how our brain works when faced wit a workout. We actually tell ourselves that we can't and we shut down. The article suggests that when you feel you can't, try to think about somehing else and keep going. So if you can only go for 5 minutes, push it to 6. Day by day...you will get there!
  • kristarablue
    kristarablue Posts: 707
    Options
    I just read an interesting article about how our brain works when faced wit a workout. We actually tell ourselves that we can't and we shut down. The article suggests that when you feel you can't, try to think about somehing else and keep going. So if you can only go for 5 minutes, push it to 6. Day by day...you will get there!

    Sounds interesting, do you have the link??
  • cocoagyrl77
    cocoagyrl77 Posts: 6
    Options
    You have to start somewhere....don't give up! =0)
  • bethrs
    bethrs Posts: 664 Member
    Options
    When I first started running I read all the newbie running stuff and I think this quote applies here:

    Even if you cross the finish line last, you beat all the people still in bed!

    You did a great job today. You exercised and you totally rocked it!
  • wintermama13
    wintermama13 Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    Exercise is 50% willpower. Psych yourself out. Say you'll go for 15 minutes twice a day. Then go up to jogging speed for just a minute - but if you're feeling okay after than minute, do another. Don't settle for 40 seconds. Things like that. Mini-goals get me through all my workouts.
    I promise it gets better! Just keep working at it. If you want, programs such as 200situps and 100pushups are designed to work with your ability level. You could try them out :)

    That is exactly what I do for myself to get through a workout that seems to be killing me! Little goals like, "i'll keep this up until the next minute mark" or try to raise the angle (if on a treadmill) every minute walking. Do what you can but push yourself at the same time. Meeting every small goal feels as good as meeting a large goal!!
  • Mommyof3texans
    Mommyof3texans Posts: 347
    Options
    Well, I can tell you from experience, you won't be "pathetic" for long! My first couple of tries on the elliptical didn't even come close to 10 minutes and now I can do 30 to 40 at a time.
  • LolasEpicJourney
    LolasEpicJourney Posts: 1,010 Member
    Options
    It gets loads better.
    At my worst - I couldnt walk 15 minutes home from work.
    I can now walk for hours if i so desire.

    I find treadmills can be teadeous and boring at times - so I love throwing on my ishuffle and going for a long walk - fresh air and different scenary is wonderful.
  • Therapist_mama
    Therapist_mama Posts: 135 Member
    Options
    I have a totally different perspective on this.

    Here's what I read:
    today is my first day .... I knew I was out of shape so I decided to start exercising.
    I just did the treadmill today for 10 mins. I know it sounds low, but it was my first day, and every time I do it, I will get a little better and a little stronger. So give me a high five because I deserve it!

    *high five*! Great first day! Find your rhythm. Even if that means spending 20 minutes just walking on the treadmill. Good for you for starting down this path!

    That's the spirit Taso! :0)
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
    Options
    I made it to 15 minutes on an elliptical today and felt pretty good about it, considering that I lasted only a couple of minutes on the first try. That came as something of a shock, as I had already proven I could handle a solid hour's worth of 15 minute miles on the treadmill with relative ease. That's what years of regularly taking brisk walks out-of-doors will do for you, but the elliptical obviously calls for the use of muscles that aren't used so much for walking. I guess that's reason enough to do it, though. I joined the gym in the first place because I felt the need to work on my stamina, as well as full body toning, under more controlled conditions than I'd been able to manage on my own at home.

    I'm also finding that there's a world of difference between a 4 mile/hour walk, which I find very doable, and a 5.5 mile/hour jog, which feels like it's ripping my leg muscles to shreds. After about a month I'm doing well if I can incorporate a couple of 1 - 2 minutes intervals of jogging/running into what is otherwise a walking session.

    Oh, well. The good news is that as of this morning, I'm officially no longer overweight as determined by BMI. The gym time is paying off even if it does make me feel like a weakling at times.
  • shekaiser
    shekaiser Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I wish I did!! It was in a health magazine. I will try to find it and let you know! I have so many around the house!!!! Not enough hours in the day to clean, exercise, ...
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Options
    Today is the first day. Everyday just try to add a min. or two. Before you know it!

Categories