Are you expected to grind and actually farm battles to level up in these games? I'm up to the second gym with Charmeleon, with all my Pokemon as they are I can't beat the gym.

My Charmeleon gets 2-shot by the water attacks, my Geodude gets 1-shot, Pidgeotto is my other highest level but even he dies quick. So should I go level up, should I skip the gym and come back later, or what? I don't want to make the game too easy for myself.