It's not really getting easier

There's nothing wrong with you. I'm certain of that.

The only spot we can start from, is the spot we're actually in. (Not where we used to be, not where we wish we were, etc.: Where we actually are.) What works (IMO) is to do something that's a tiny bit of a challenge to current capabilities, then progress gradually from there (because current capabilities will gradually improve, and the "challenge horizon" will move further out . . . maybe really slowly, but that's OK). I understand that that's maybe frustrating, but I think it's kind of real.

I started getting active in my mid-40s, after a mostly sedentary adult lifestyle, and majorly sedentary life in the preceding few years (career, spouse with terminal illness, then elder parent needing care, cancer diagnosis myself, surgery/chemo/radiation, blah blah blah). It was slow. I'd *never* been actually athletic. I just tried to keep seeking exercise enjoyment, keep pushing my then-current capability a little at a time, seeing what I could do (with careful experimentation, but an open mind).

Y'know what? In the long run, I surprised myself. I even competed (super startled to do this!), then even placed (age group) in a few races. Couldn't believe it. Now, age 65, my Garmin fitness tracker estimates my cardiovascular fitness age at . . . 20. That's ridiculous, I don't remotely take it seriously literally, but it's still weirdly gratifying. The important part is that I feel good, capable, healthy.

You can do that, too. Patience is important, pushing current capability a tiny (manageable, non-exhausting) bit is important. You can surprise yourself, if you keep going. I'm sure of it. It may take a while, but fitness is something you can achieve, if you keep pursuing it.

Wishing you all the best!

As usual, I agree with Ann. Start with where you are and gradually increase your activity level. If that means taking breaks in the middle of the video, that's fine. If it means doing half the repetitions instead of all of them, that's fine. Keep doing it and you will be in much better shape a month from now or a year from now than you can imagine at the moment. The most important aspect of fitness is consistency. Keep showing up and you will make progress, even if it seems slow.

In addition to Ann's infinite wisdom, I will add: there are a TON of exercise videos, infographics, articles, posts, TikToks, etc. out there that purport to be "for beginners" that are absolutely not. Or, at least, they assume a certain base level of physical fitness and ability that is greater than most people in the "beginner" category are likely to have. The Venn diagram of "beginners to fitness" and "people who can do these workouts" isn't quite two circles, but that overlapping section is merely a sliver.

All that is to say, if you need to pause a "beginner" workout video to catch your breath, you are allowed to do that. If you need to rest for 2 minutes when the infographic you found on Pinterest says to rest 30 seconds, you are allowed to do that. If you need to sit down a minute after walking a quarter of a mile, you are allowed to do that. You want to challenge yourself, not injure yourself.

You might look for workout routines or videos aimed toward seniors - those are the ones with the appropriate intensity level for a true beginner, someone without that base level of fitness already built up.

I agree with @goal06082021. I didn’t do any exercise for years so this time I started very slowly. There are tons of youtube videos that say they’re for beginners that aren’t!!! Before I started lifting dumbbells again I started with just doing the moves with no weights first. I turned off my exercise notification on my newsfeed so my friends didn’t see I was only working out for 7 minutes. LOL. Don’t be afraid to go slowly and work your way up. Just know you are not alone!

On YouTube, look for Pahla B Fitness. She has both seated and standing workouts, and they're easily modified for your personal capabilities.

moonbeams896 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I've come back after a 6 year hiatus. I started 11 days ago and I've been trying to workout most days. Back in the day, I did a lot of Leslie Sansone walk away the pounds and I was pretty successful! But, it's been super hard for me. I've been able to last a min or two longer, but eventually stop before the end of the 30 min workout. I'm trying out different youtube workouts. Found one I liked today, but every 10 min, I have to pause and take a breather and I barely finished that 30 min. The one I did today is advertised as "for complete beginners." If I can't finish that without taking a lot of pauses, is there something wrong with me? It's frustrating. My back has been hurting. I went for a 2.5 mile walk the other day and came home with huge blisters. I guess I'm just irked that this is getting the better of me.

I've never been athletic or really into working out, but I thought I was better than this. Ideas? Suggestions?

Nothing wrong with you...you've been on a 6 month hiatus. Fitness is something that is built up over time, and it's also something that is lost relatively quickly when you don't use it and it's going to take more than 11 days to get things going.

I would also suggest that a lot of workouts marketed to beginners aren't really beginner workouts. They are typically more geared to and more suitable for individuals who may be new to a structured workout plan but not necessarily all around inactive. As an example, I'm a fairly avid cycling enthusiast...but due to a long injury and recovery and other goings on, I took most of 2020 off from my bike save for a ride here and there. I decided to get back into things in January and picked up a structured beginner cycling program to get me going again. I initially thought it would be no biggie...or even way too easy given the number of years I've been cycling previously. It was hard and thought to myself that there's no way this is a beginner program. In reality it is...but it also makes an assumption that I've already spent a fair amount of time on my bike just riding (but untrained) and this is the first time following a structured program. Basically taking a year off from riding put me in a place where that program was beyond my current fitness capacity...had I been riding regularly, even just recreationally (but regularly), it would have been challenging but totally doable.

Walking IMO is one of the best, if not the best place to start for someone who's body isn't accustomed to moving much at all. I think a lot of people poo poo it because it just seems so basic...but to me that's kind of the beauty of it. The human body has evolved to be very adept at walking, and walking great distances...if one can't do that, then that is probably the place one should start in regards to a basic, functional level of fitness. Babies crawl before they walk and they walk before they run and they run before they jump around and do all kinds of other crazy things. Walking is how I started...I started with every other day and increased mileage and the number of days until I could easily walk 3 miles pretty much everyday on top of my day to day without difficulty before I progressed to more strenuous work...I wanted that basic foundation laid first. I don't recall exactly, but to my recollection walking was really the only exercise or "workout" I did for about 3 months or so. To this day, walking is a substantial part of my overall activity...It is no longer a "workout" in the challenging sense, but I find a good morning walk with my dog and a mug of coffee to be quite enjoyable and a fantastic way to kickoff the day.

Also be careful with the notion of the, "gotta workout everyday" thing. This kind of thing for me is right up there with "no pain no gain" and "my warmup is your workout" kind of nonsense. In my experience, the people who tend to spout this kind of stuff typically don't last long...they burn out or get injured. The first and most important thing is to just be more active and that doesn't mean necessarily punishing yourself with a sufferfest workout. You ultimately want to be doing things that keep you healthy and active long term. I would also note that most people who do exercise or workout daily; 1) weren't always capable of that, and 2) typically structure their training/workouts with lighter days and more strenuous days...rest and recovery are very important to advancing your fitness. Work is the catalyst, but recovery is really where the magic happens.