Pretty much this.  After I had my kid and major abdominal surgery it was NOT fun the first few times back in the gym but I pushed through it.  A few weeks later and I was back to enjoying my workouts and enjoying the pain which leads to the gain.  It probably helps that I was not really fat, just beat up from the ordeal, but if I can get in the gym with a still healing incision and get back in the groove a hambeast can figure out how to walk on the treadmill without having to cry for an hour.