It’s really not supposed to be like this. She just had a baby a few months ago and she’s a girl! By virtue of my tiny Y chromosomes I have more lean muscle as a percentage of my body composition. I also didn’t just grow a baby in my body for nine months with all the resultant hormonal and anatomical havoc that comes with that burden. This is what was running through my mind the other day while I was working out with my recently post-partum wife (not that you’d know it by looking at her). I was in the midst of the cardiovascular strain and I was trying to keep up with her on the burpees, and I was not successful.
While this is somewhat embarrasing for me to share with you, I’m willing to put aside my personal macho shame to pass on to you the important lessons I have learned from working out with my wife over the past couple weeks. I think the information can help you on your journey to getting healthy.
- Exercise with a partner. You’ll push yourself a little harder and have someone to hold you accountable if you start slacking off.
- Its ok to be beaten. The goal is not to do better than the person you are working out with, the goal is to do better than you would have alone.
- Consider working out at home. There are so many online videos that allow you to work out in your living room. See my recent post here on the site we’ve been using recently.
- Be in it.
That last part is the most important, but also the most ambiguous so I’ll explain it in some more depth. While we were in the middle of the workout, at a moment when my muscles were burning and I didn’t think I could do any more, I felt this brief moment of elation. There was a joy from the feeling of being in it. I apologise if that is ambiguous but the feeling is difficult to describe. The best I can do is to say that it was the feeling of knowing that I’m doing the right thing, that I’m not slacking off or being lazy. Its the feeling of relief when the burden of the guilt is lifted off you. At that moment you’re not giving in to the temptations of bad food or bad decisions. You’re in it.
The great thing about that moment is that when you’re truly in it you’re a success. No matter how many failures you’ve had in the past. At that moment you are forced to focus all your energy on the moment leaving no time to drift into negative thinking. This is the place you want to be in if you want to be succesful at anything. What are you waiting for, go and get in it!
The Weight Loss Counter Revolution 
Sometimes it’s hard to work up the energy to exercise, but doing it with a partner absolutely helps, and remembering that feeling of joy and confidence when you work out is motivation to keep going! Don’t worry, I got beat by your wife too 🙂 Thanks!