As the second week ensued, my energy went up, my confidence was peaking and Best Body Bootcamp really proved that it isn’t as hard as it first sounded. As Monday night rolled in, I was looking forward to lacing up my runners and rocking into the high school gym, dropping down and giving 20. The challenge of going into the second week was secondary to how proud I felt for getting through the first.

This Monday, there was no messing. The music went on and we were squatting and bending until my ass hurt like nothing I had ever known. Squatting Hell was one of my favorite fitness distractions, I got so focused on making it to the end of the set that I looked past the wobbly knees and the exhausted muscles to push myself to the top. It turned out, I got so distracted that I forgot that I about my bad knees.

we were squatting and bending until my ass hurt like nothing I had ever known

While the rest of the class finished the set with a jog around the gym, I virtually collapsed, ashamed and embarrassed. I could barely walk, my knees could give out at any moment and I was scared. This is the problem I have, I go to fitness classes and I feel that I need to keep up with everyone else. I conveniently forget that I’m physically incapable of that. My main goal with boot camp was to get fit at my own pace and not feel pressured to push myself further than is physically reasonable.