Linda and Tina- It sounds like you’re both struggling to find the balance between exercise and rest. I think that’s perfectly normal, and in my opinion, occasional exhaustion and even minor injuries are the price of progress. The first several months I started exercising, it was often so painful that I vowed I would never let myself get out of shape again. Reconditioning your body sucks.
If we want our bodies to get stronger, we have to give them a reason. Ideally, we could progress slowly and never suffer any setbacks, but in the real world even athletes overwork themselves and have to take time off sometimes. If we hold back because of fear of going to far, then we’re probably going to do too little.
The same activity that puts you in traction today, will seem effortless in half a year or a year, but the only way to get to that point is to endure. “No pain, no gain” is a cliche, but I think it’s true. Obviously you have to rest when you overdo it, but the chances are, you’ll be a little stronger once you recover.