The Big Paradox

Well, there are actually lots of big paradoxes, but this is one that's on my mind lately. You know how people are always saying that one reason to exercise and get in shape is how much better you'll feel? It's just the opposite for me.

Don't get me wrong. It feels great to be able to do stuff that I was never capable of doing before, or to do something easily that was once insanely hard. But in general, when I'm on a workout cycle (like now), I don't feel great. In fact, I'm in pain all the time. Every day, I hurt. The pain moves around - one day, it's my legs, the next, my shoulders or lower back or chest - but it's always lurking there somewhere. You know when I feel really good? About a week after I quit working out. But that's not too great an advertising slogan, is it? Sounds too much like a crappy old joke. Why exercise? Because you'll feel so good when you quit...