Maybe I’m being a bit hyperbolic, but I can’t help it. I’d finally gotten a chance to sit down after deep cleaning both fish tanks and hauling water most of the afternoon. I was happy to find my internet back on and working after a day without. When I had to get up and get some water, the pain started.

To be honest, I’m surprised it didn’t make itself known a lot sooner. I did core exercises yesterday afternoon and figured I’d really be feeling it in the morning. Just a twinge when I turned a certain way, but that was it. And now I’m sitting up, writing when I should be going to bed, because rolled a bunch of IcyHot on some really troublesome areas and I’m letting it do it’s thing.

It’s that core. My weakest area, and most painful to work with strength training. Obviously, it’s the most needed. I just hate how working on it puts me–metaphorically–on my rear the day after and then some.

The core/trunk area of the body is super important, and I’ve always known it, but I’m also one of those people who have dreaded crunches forever. Probably because when I’ve tried to do them, I can’t do many at a time, at least, not without taking a short break in between. I feel the burn as I work the areas, and I feel I’m doing okay. But at the same time, I hate it because it always hurts to do it, and it’s probably gonna hurt as long as I have this huge tire around my middle that needs to be worn away with good habits and exercise.

I’ve had this fat so long that it’s hard to really know if I’m doing things right. I’m actually gonna spend some time tomorrow after morning workout (elliptical and it’s leg day–core can get most of a break) trying to see how I can improve.

What I hate most about the core workouts is when you watch a video or see someone’s posture and how you’re supposed to stand and look when you’re doing some stretch or twist or move, it’s generally someone very slender with good muscles. You can see their curves of their spine and some defined areas. Kinda hard to see if your back is in the right spot and your posture is correct when you’ve got a lot of flab covering up all those areas you need to see most. And when I hear about “tightening your abdominals,” I just don’t seem to get it. I’m sure they don’t mean suck in your gut as you work the area, but otherwise I don’t quite get what I’m doing there.

Again, needing to learn and re-learn some things.

I think the core areas are where my weight loss and strengthening efforts have derailed in the past. I just dread core day. I can do dumbbell workouts and machine workouts plenty. The mat and the crunches, though? I have actively tried to avoid it. Today was a mess all around and too stressful. I wish like hell I’d had time to work out today, but this bit of oncoming pain made me go “nope, rest up a bit, start fresh tomorrow.”

I’d made my plans thinking there were a few areas I’d have setbacks before my goal. I should’ve remembered this one. It’s just aggravating how hard it can be to do something that’s essential and definitely necessary.

But that’s for tomorrow. I’m going to let my fish enjoy their super clean tanks, pet the pups, and call it a day with a book. I just have to remember that this soreness will pass and not over-do it in the morning, and from here on.