Does it ever get easier??

I signed up with a personal trainer last week. I did this because I didn't want to injure myself and because I would never make myself go out and exercise, so this is my motivation. I haven't done anything in a while so I knew it wouldn't be easy. But does it ever get easier!?

Tonight was my third workout and I just came home in tears. I feel so discouraged. How did I ever let myself get here? Will I ever feel like I am not about to die? Will I ever enjoy it?

Thanks for letting me vent - I am just feeling a little down right now.

Heather

You need to talk with your trainer.  Be honest about how you feel.  Yes, you need to push yourself but not to the point you hurt/feel discouraged/and don't want to continue.  I know me.  I know that I will push myself to not seem "weak" but then I won't continue.  So it is better for me to accept that I'm a whimp at the start and be gradual.  If your trainer doesn't understand you and your needs, what is the point of you paying?  If the trainer makes you feel unsuccessful/discouraged, you need to find a new trainer. 

When I started exercising pre-surgery, I could ride the stationary bike for about 5 min. at the lowest resistance.  Now down 240 lbs.  I can walk 5 miles.  Do I love exercise?  Is it easy? H*** no!  I still don't like doing it, but I do it for my health--and not just weight loss.  I'm not out to prove anything--my 20 to 30 min. a day are what I need to stay healthy.  No major "body shaping," no marathons, etc. 

Figure out what it is you really want, and get that from the trainer, or hire a new one.

What Sally said!!

i think you should find some other physical activity you enjoy doing, like put some music on in your bedroom and dance like nobody's watching.  if what you are doing is making you unhappy then that can't be good or sustainable i.e. you probably won't continue doing it for much longer so you really should do something else that you enjoy.  good luck

I'd go a few more times and then reevaluate the trainer. It's hard for anyone who starts out with a new exercise program.

My skinny boss complains everytime she tries a different piece of exercise equipment that makes a new muscle sore. So, it's not just because you have some weight on you.

However, you know your body. If you feel like you're gonna pass out, your heart rate goes bananas, or something similar while exercising with this person, you need to speak up.

Best of luck.

Thank you everyone for the responses.  My trainer is great - she is very encouraging and supportive.  I don't think she is pushing me too much.  My frustration is more with myself - I know I shouldn't expect to feel better after only 3 sessions, but I just felt so down!  And wondering if I am ever going to be able to do 10 minutes on the eliptical trianer without breaking??  Seriously - 10 minutes and I have to take a break!?  UGH - I hate this feeling!

Thanks for the encouragement and understanding.

Heather.

4mygirls it gets easier, promise.  Just don't quit!  Get in that extra walk and movement when you can and keep going some more with that trainer.  It gets better.  I started really working out seriously about 7 months ago after a very long hiatus of just maybe walking from time to time.  I started out with my wii fit.  A little bit at a time, inch by inch i started getting some stamina.  Then aerobic tapes mostly dancing at first but then real aerobics.  All of my friends are thin and me i am 260 lbs.  We started having an aerobic class at my church.  I was the biggest thing there with all my weight being in my hips butt and thighs you can imagine what i look like at 260 but i didn't care and still don't.  One of my little friends she works out once a week and calls that working out.  I laughed at her I work out 4 to 5 times a week now not less than an hour.  My knee's were hurting me at one point so bad until i thought i'd have to either stop or see a doctor, but one of my church members told me about some epsome salt at walmart called dr teals with lavendar i got that and started getting in ho****er after my work outs and mixing it with regular epsome and hey that crap worked.  Now at still 260 haven't lost a pound but i can work um out under the rug at church all the little girls and i see the inches coming off everywhere.  I won't give up.  I can't give up.  Keep going.  You'll get there.  Muscles tight but it's okay.  Take it slow.  Little by little, you'll see it.  I ran up a hill the other day and when i got to the top i hollered.  Then i went back down and ran up again.  You got this.  Starting is just that, the starting point.  You've already realized one of the hardest parts.  Now that you've started all you gotta do is DO IT! 

And by all means don't let looking at the skinny chicks stop you from keeping it going!

IT WILL GET BETTER>>>>

When I started trying to exercise I could not walk from one room to the other... my doctor told me to just move.. sit in a chair and lift my legs and lift my arms.. it took me a long time to be able to get out of that chair and walk outside around the house, by the time I got back to the door I was done.. then after a few weeks. I ventured out to the mailbox about 200yds.. yes I had to rest when I got there but I made it. I did a little more each week..I also went to the pool and walked there.. had to rest every 5 minutes but I did it..  as the weight came off things got easier and after loosing 50lbs I was able to walk 1/4 mile down the road and back... I know it don't sound like a lot but to me it was.. I have now lost 100lbs and I am walking 1/2 mile 2 to three times a day and doing about 1 hour on Wii fit everyday.. somedays I do Just Dance on Wii.. I try to walk on the treadmill when the weather is not good and I can only do 10 minutes. so dont feel bad.. I have never tried an eliptical, but I plan to.. I bet I cant do more than 10 minutes at first either.. I am still morbidly obese and I just do what I can.. I used to not want to go to a gym because the girls there were going like freight trains and I felt like a big caboose, but now I dont care.. I am doing this for me.. Remember this is not a race to see how fast you can do the exercises.. nor is it a race to do so many minutes at a time.. you only can do what you can do.. and yea as you keep it up it will get easier... I PROMISE... just keep at it.. It sounds like you have a good trainer.. I am sure she realizes you can not do like the skinny minis on the machines.. but keep it up and one day you will be one of them and keeping up with them.. have patience.. go back to the gym and the trainer and keep at it.. even if it is 10 minutes at a time.. when I started in the chair I would have been proud to have done anything for 10 minutes....

Dont let anything get you down.. this is a long journey and sometimes you will feel like it is all up hill but we as supporters will be here to give you a push when you need it.. so keep going and let us know how you are doing.. I am sure before long you will start to see increases in time and stamina..

vent anytime.. take a nice long soak in a hot tub of water and relax.. let the muscles relax and stop worrying about how much you can or cant do..

huggs...

The elliptical has been hard on my self esteem too... at my highest weight I could do maybe 2 minutes and then I thought my lungs would collapse and my legs would fall off.  I haven't been on it in awhile, but the last time I did doing 5 minutes was much easier.  I should probably test it out now.  It does take time though... pat yourself on the back for every small step you make.  We didn't gain so much weight overnight, but we expect everything to get easier within just a few weeks.  Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't, but with diligence, you WILL get there.  

I echo the previous poster that suggested maybe finding a different exercise that will be more comfortable.  Have you tried water aerobics?  Even at my highest weigh****er aerobics was something I could very successfully do and being in the water was almost theraputic for me :) 

Heather,

It does get easier . . . and so far it seems to me that it gets easier physically pretty quickly. Since your trainer is supportive, you may want to tell her what your upsets are and maybe there can be a balance between pushing and showing success.

I think we all get pretty discouraged earlier on, but a trainer is such a wonderful resource. I commend you for having the courage to try that! I wish I did!

Bec