to quote my husband, "Sometimes you just have to gut it out."

I have been mulling on this post for a few days now. One, I wasn't sure how to start it. Two, I'm not sure it is very sound advice. Three, I don't want to step on too many toes along the way.

But, here I go. Two feet into the water, jumping in.

What happens when you wake up, don't feel like working out because your muscles are sore, you're tired, the kids kept you up all night long, or any other valid excuse that you can come up with? You get your butt up and you do it anyway. That's what you do. Believe me, there are many valid excuses for skipping a workout. Many. Most people would hear your excuse and say "Oh, I completely understand why you didn't run this morning. You must be exhausted/sore/tired/blah blah blah!" Most people would skip that workout because of that valid excuse.

Here's the thing though: YOU ARE NOT MOST PEOPLE! I AM NOT MOST PEOPLE!

Wednesday morning I woke up with the worst attitude. I did not want to workout. My hips were sore and my boys had both had rough nights. I hadn't slept much. I kept complaining to Dave about how I didn't want to do this. He kept his mouth shut and didn't offer an opinion. (Which was probably in his best interest anyway.) I complained all the way up until I did that first squat that kicks off our kettlebell session. I cried out in shock at the strain on my muscles and hips. But by the time I was ready for the second squat, I was in the freaking zone. No more excuses. No more shoulda, coulda, woulda. I turned it on and kept going.

Not going to lie, though. It sucked. Each rep of every exercise I could feel my muscles getting more and more sore. I shed a few tears. I cried out several more times. And I did cut out on the 45 second planks at the end of each circuit. I just could not bring myself to do them. I tried, but there was pain. Not just soreness, pain. I do not believe in 'working through the pain.'

And here we have a disclaimer. Do not (and I repeat DO NOT) exercise a part of your body that is in pain. Exercising will make you sore. Your muscles will be sore when you wake up, walk around, etc etc. They will still be sore when you are exercising. There is a difference. I am of the belief that plowing on through the pain will only cause more pain and probably injury. So use your own discretion, but be completely honest with yourself.

I didn't tell you that little story to make me seem like the best thing since squeeze cheese. I told you that because you just have to gut it out sometimes, as my husband calls it. I am tired of starting over, so I have stopped giving up. You can do the same thing. You are not most people. I am not most people. You are worth the time and effort and sweat and tears and soreness and pain. So am I.

So stop giving up. Don't wimp out. I don't care how valid your excuse is. Do it anyway.

Did you hear me, Sarah?! DO IT ANYWAY!