To think exercise has to get easier?

[PostmanPatisacrappostman]

I really want to get fitter and tone up. Need to lose a bit of weight too but not loads. I mainly just want to get fitter to feel better.
I've been really sedentary since my second dc hardly even walking anywhere.

So I'm trying to fit in a few bike rides and brisk walking/jogging. Nothing too strenuous. I reckon I rode 2.5 miles a couple of hills which were unavoidable.

Goodness me I went out on my bike this evening and I could not get up the hill I had to get off and push. I'm all stiff and achey too.. Trying to get up those hills I was sweating, out of breath, felt sick I could have just sat on the floor!

Tell me it gets easier soon?

Starting is the hard bit. Well done!!

However, as you get fitter, you will contjnue to push yourself.

I started the C25k in April and thought I was going to puke after 'jogging' six one-minute sections. I've nearly got to the end after a couple of repeat weeks and actually properly jogged/ran for 28 solid minutes this weekend. It's still hard but I am seeing results and going much further. Also signed up to ParkRun, looking forward to it!

PostmanPat please please do stretch after exercise too - especially if you are new or just returning to it. It really does help!! Nothing complex to start with, just the calf stretch, hamstring stretch and quad stretch for 30 seconds a time. It doesn't feel much but believe me, it does help the next time you do the same exercise!!

I would say it does get easier, but like other posters what actually happens is the same degree of effort achieves more. I've got into the gym in the past 6 months - I still feel a hot mess afterwards, but I do more reps, heavier weights, the harder version of the exercise. So I'm definitely getting better, the workouts from the beginning would be easier now.

Ariel is was someone at parkrun who told me that. He's now running sub 20. Keep at it!

I'm at the point now where I have to go to the gym at least every three days, otherwise I completely stiffen up. Mind you, my mind set still goes:

1st minute: What the hell am I doing here?;
5mins: It's too hard, I want to sit down and eat a biscuit;
10 mins: I'm stupid putting 30 mins into the machine. I'll never make it to 20;
15 mins: Half way. Unless I stop in five mins;
20 mins: sod it, I'll do another 5 mins;
25 mins: this is bloody easy. I am a gym goddess. I am flying along this cross trainer. I am amazing.
30 mins: that was a doddle.

It's not meant to be easy. It's very hard at first. You get used to something then you try harder and harder. For me it was getting used to being very sweaty and out of breath and ENJOYING the effort.