I woke up this morning you guys, and I am SORE.  My legs feel like they’re each 100 pounds, and my abs are so tight that it hurts to even laugh.  I can’t even remember the last time I was this sore after a work out, and that tells me one thing:  I haven’t been challenging myself enough!  I consider myself to be pretty active- I try to make it to the gym at least 4 times a week, and sometimes get there even more.  I teach fitness classes, and generally enjoy moving my body.  But lately I’ve been in that awful rut that I know many of you can relate to- that ugly P word that happens when you feel as though y ou’re doing everything you can, and the scale still isn’t budging.  Yes, I’m talking about hitting a PLATEAU, and yes, I’m telling you that you’re there because you aren’t challenging yourself enough.

My gym recently launched a new class that combines aspects of all of those crazy workout video series we’ve all heard about.  The class consists of 5 minute segments of ridiculous cardio (think football runs, high knees, and burpees) followed by 5 minutes of ridiculous strength exercises (think push-ups, planks, and non-stop squats).  I was sweating within 5 minutes and praying for a water break within 7.  Not a single part of me felt bad that I had to leave 15 minutes before it ended in order to pick the boys up from camp.

But I’ll tell you what- as much as I hated it during that moment, I loved the feeling it gave me.  And I finally realized what it means to push yourself through a workout.  I finally realized that just breaking a sweat at the gym does not mean that your muscles are doing all they can.  I finally realized how I can bust through this P-word.

And if pain really is “weakness leaving your body” (like the instructor kept yelling at us over the insanely loud music that I think was meant to drown out the sounds of people gasping for air), then I am one strong chick today.  ARE YOU????