How is coffee like exercise?

My morning coffee of choice is often an espresso. A heavy flavour that some would find far too rich. I love trialling new beans from different origins or blends. I haven’t always enjoyed coffee, in fact I didn’t drink coffee until I worked in a café during my first year of university. If I tried to drink an espresso back then, I would have screwed up my face and poured it down the drain. Initially I needed a weak coffee with sugar or syrup to sweeten - think of a blended orange-mocha-frappe-chino. Thankfully, over time my palate adapted.

Soon I reduced the sweeteners, then got rid of them completely, then my coffee became stronger, with less milk, to the point where I could appreciate different blends and varieties of coffee beans. Eventually, I moved on to espressos. No more screwing up my face, just appreciation and enjoyment!

Developing a taste for exercise and movement is quite similar to the coffee journey. If you start with something too complex or too heavy, you’ll likely screw up your face, flare up an injury or your pain. You need to start with something sweet, simple, and enjoyable. Over time, when you experiment with new movement or more complex or strenuous exercise, you’ll enjoy it more and tolerate it better. This is what I call your movement palate. Be patient, progress slowly, and your body and movement palate will adapt over time.

Pro tip: Coffee works well as a pre-workout kick, and both are great to start your day!