I'm not typically a perfectionist, but when it comes to exercise, I somehow morph into an "all or nothing" type of wannabe athlete.
I started going back to the gym a couple of weeks ago, which is a big deal, because my track record for the last several years has been pretty lousy. I had a personal trainer about 5 years ago, and I've never been fitter....neither before that year, nor since.
The beauty of having a personal trainer is that they push you; my workouts were intense! I grimaced and cried and pushed myself further than I ever thought possible. I had a coach setting the bar high and weight load heavy. He helped me navigate the intimidating weight room, taught me how to do a burpee (kind of) and he didn't judge me when my face was red and my shirt soaked with sweat.
The downside of having that kind of fitness experience, however, is that anything less than that level of guided exercise seems...haphazard. When I'm on my own, I want to be an elite athlete, but my attempt at an exercise program is disorganized, inefficient and often...short-lived. I either try to go all out (without the level of form or fitness required) and get tired, frustrated or even hurt. Or, I'm not pushing myself nearly enough to feel acomplished and motivated. Either way, without that coach by my side...it's just too easy to quit.
So, three weeks ago, I made my way back to my Planet Fitness. I asked my doctor for an "exercise prescription" to guide my workouts. 3-4 days of cardio for 30 minutes a session, and 2-4 days of strength training, alternating between core and full-body resistance exercises. I am using the Couch to 5K app to ease me back into a cardio routine; the intervals make the time go by faster, and I'm not over-doing it, so I actually stick to it. And, I'm doing the same strength training each time...working towards adding reps or increasing weight.
At some point, I'll need to change things up, but I'm trying to pace myself and build a habit. I CAN'T FIZZLE OUT THIS TIME.