Starting exercise, feeling the pain!

roxxyo

Hi,
Iv recently started my weight loss journey hoping to lose 2 stone and according to the app I can do it in 5 weeks, so I thought hey ho ! I'll join the gym speed things along a little , but oh my goshhhhhhhh, my legs ..... the pain . Tell me im not alone ... tell me others have been so sore just doing a small amount with weights and squats.... its taken 4 days just to feel like i can kneel without making random sounds .

sijomial

You aren't seriously expecting to lose 28 pounds in five weeks are you?
That's simply not realistic let alone healthy. The maximum rate of loss this app will allow you to select is 2lbs/week so you are probably misinterpreting something. The sticky threads at the top of the various forums have a wealth of good information and well worth a read.

This app doesn't intend you to boost your rate of weight loss with exercise.

Build your exercise volume and intensity slowly, don't make weight loss and exercise harder than it has to be. Think long term not in terms of a few weeks.

LivingtheLeanDream

Lose 2 stone (28lbs) - more like 30 weeks! you didn't gain the weight in two weeks you can't expect to lose it quickly, it wouldn't be healthy.

And yes any new exercise means muscle soreness and that can last for a few days - you can walk for next few days until those achy muscles ease up and then you can hit the gym again. Hot baths can help too. Your body will get used to working out.

lalabank

Bahahahaha, I’m totally new to working out. I’m 4 weeks in and there are days I feel like I need assistance getting off the toilet my thighs are so sore. Weirdly I absolutely love the feeling of soreness after a good workout. Like seriously love it!!! Who knew, I spent 40 years avoiding exercise and it actually feels good.

bikecheryl

I still hurt and I've been doing it for months!

Who knew I had glute and ab muscles????

I hate *kitten* Wednesday....

nabzilla_uk

Yes it hurts, but i guess that’s our bodies way of telling us things are changing?

tiffanyleilarsen

I'm not even doing weight lifting, I'm just doing an hour walk a day at a slow pace with ankle weights and I'm sooo sore. I thought that would be a nice easy way to start but my body had decided to punish me for all of the weekend binges of the past.

curlster

Just keep going, it’ll feel a lot better soon

Sambo_fitness

If you are sore, you can try doing active recovery methods - including stretching and foam rolling. You can also try salt baths to counteract muscle soreness. Another thought is if you are so sore that you have to take multiple days off in order to recover, you need to slow down!

gilko93

No pain no gain, if you got muscle pain, that's mean you was working hard, so it was worthy, that's my opinion

sijomial

tiffanyleilarsen wrote: »

I'm not even doing weight lifting, I'm just doing an hour walk a day at a slow pace with ankle weights and I'm sooo sore. I thought that would be a nice easy way to start but my body had decided to punish me for all of the weekend binges of the past.

@tiffanyleilarsen

Walking with ankle weights can be a really bad idea, especially for your joints but can also cause muscle and tendon strains. They are really for floor exercises not walking.

Suggest if you want to carry weight while walking you carry it in a back pack or weighted vest.

PS - if you are wearing them for extra calorie burn the light weight is really making a tiny, tiny difference, walking further or uphill would be far more effective.

Silentpadna

gilko93 wrote: »

No pain no gain, if you got muscle pain, that's mean you was working hard, so it was worthy, that's my opinion

An effective strength workout with adequate stress, recovery and adaptation, when done properly will not leave you in pain. A mild soreness the following day...maybe.

Pain and soreness is not a means of measuring effectiveness.

To the OP: if you think you are doing small amounts now and you're still that sore, go lighter and less overall reps. Build it up. There is no rush.

When I started barbell training 18 months ago, I started with the bar. As a 54 year old male with no experience, it still seemed too light. I'm glad I did, however, because even without weight on the bar, my muscles needed to go through the range of motion. By going very light to start and going up in small increments, soreness was never a factor.

Soreness only becomes a factor (for me) when I start something too quickly - like select a movement with too high of a weight, or run too long of a distance when I'm untrained.

Whether you train for a marathon or weight train, all good programs start you at less than what you think you can handle (if they are worth anything at all).

lin_be

Stretch before and after your workouts. Your older body will thank you! Also, drink plenty of water and don't get upset when you see the scale go up after starting working out.