The pains of starting to work out

davidsormun93

I really need help I get motivated to lose weight get all the healthy foods I need, start drinking tons of water and start to work out. The problem is the next day I hurt a lot and continues for 3-6 days which kills all of my motivation please help!!

MikePTY

What do you do in your workouts? It is normal when beginning a workout plan to experience some extended soreness. When starting out I would take 2 full days off after a strong workout and on the third day I would work out again, even with some soreness. The more you work out, the less sore you will be. Now I can work out several days in a row without any issue.

davidsormun93

An example of a recent workout was abs and idk if I just got over excited and over did it but it hurt so bad for 4 days after I couldn’t work out at all

JessAndreia

Look for a beginner program online. Possibly full body where you can alternate more your exercises rather than doing a full session of just lower body for example.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Also, IF this was the reason you did an ab workout, know that doing ab exercises will not reduce belly/stomach fat. Focus on a calorie deficit for that. Core exercises are important, though.

huffpuffhuffpuff5150

When I first started in January, motivation was a big problem for me too. I am completely out of shape so starting off trying to do stuff that has jumping, sit ups, or push ups in it was not happening. What I did was I set a low attainable goal which was work out 5 days a week for 10-15 minutes. There are a ton of low impact cardio work outs, standing ab workouts, strength training for beginners on youtube (my fav to use is fitnesstype) that are between 10-20 minutes long. Doing this helped me stay motivated while also not getting so sore that I had to stop for an extended period. I have slowly built up to doing 30 mins of low impact cardio and 2 days of strength training and hope to eventually work up to 60 mins of low impact cardio with 2 days of strength training. I am still too weak to do push ups and sit ups but I know I will get there!

guil0095

you can do it!!!! When I do a crazy workout I tend to hurt for the next day or two, but I try and push through and switch it up to another exercise and give my other muscles a rest!

AnnPT77

If you dislike the extreme muscle soreness, start slowly (just a little exercise) and increase gradually but persistently from there.

Slow, steady progress delivers better results than the overdo/stop cycle.

That said, when starting new exercise, initial generalized muscle soreness is usually DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and will stop being a big issue after a few sessions.

To reduce it, keep moving (mild activity like stretching or light walk), take a warm bath (epsom salts?) or shower, use OTC muscle rubs, maybe take an OTC NSAID if severe.

Drama is optional.

You don't need to all in one swoop "get motivated to lose weight get all the healthy foods I need, start drinking tons of water and start to work out". Changing everything dramatically all at once is a recipe for burnout, IMO.

Instead, make some gradual, sensible changes in your life to remodel it gradually in a sustainable positive direction.

Signed,

In year 3 of maintaining a healthy weight.

Danp

A couple of tips from personal experience.

1. Don't force yourself to eat foods just because you've judged them as 'healthy'. For weight loss all you need is a calorie deficit so create that using foods you actually enjoy (even if some people would call them junk). You're a novice, you can start to tweak your diet later, for now just eat stuff you're currently eating in amounts that create a deficit.
2. Think about putting off the exercise for now. In the past I've found it nearly impossible to get my eating under control when I was firing up my appetite with strenuous exercise. One of the big reasons I feel like I've succeeded this time is that I lost the first 60-70lb using diet alone (zero working out). This let me concentrate on fixing the big issue (being overweight due to eating) before I started to worry about the smaller issue (being pretty unfit).

As for drinking water, that's great but drinking water won't directly lead to weight loss. Drink to stay hydrated is all you need to do and you can do that simply by drinking when you're thirsty. That said, some people find that drinking water before eating helps them eat less as they get that full feeling quicker. This never really worked for me as it felt like all that water just messed with my digesting food.

Remember, this is like any other skill you need to learn and you're a beginner right now so keep it simple.
1. Get your calorie goal from MFP
2. Weight your food so you can accurately log your calorie intake
3. Eat foods you love in amounts that keep you (on average) in a calorie deficit.

Once you've mastered the basics then start to tweak and modify.

G'luck

tinkerbellang83

davidsormun93 wrote: »

I really need help I get motivated to lose weight get all the healthy foods I need, start drinking tons of water and start to work out. The problem is the next day I hurt a lot and continues for 3-6 days which kills all of my motivation please help!!

After exercise it's normal to feel a little sore, but not to hurt for 3-6 days. Dial down the intensity a bit.

You don't need to eat "healthy" foods or drink tons of water. You just need a balanced diet with the less nutritious foods in moderation and enough fluids to keep you hydrated.

Weight loss mostly happens in the kitchen so focus on hitting your calorie goal and portion control rather than trying to kill yourself in the gym.

Phirrgus

Lots of good advice here OP. I just wanted to say don't forget that you can scale your workouts for you. What I mean by that, is that if a program calls for 20 pushups, 3 sets, but you can only do 20/15/10 - don't murder yourself trying for the 20/20/20.

Some folks can do that, some can't. Keep doing the best you can without hurting yourself, record what you have done, reps and weight, each time.

Over time, you'll see those numbers go up.

One step at a time.

LisaLethal

I have always had that issue.. that is why this time I'm doing it a little bit differently.

Typically when I begin an exercise regimen + begin eating more healthfully... I become ravenous and it's hard to stay within my calorie range.

I also then hit the gym and workout WAY too hard, and while some people relish in feeling sore because it makes them feel like they did something... I hate it, and it makes me feel lazy and not wanting to do anything.

This go around I'm focusing solely on my calorie deficit and making sure I hit 10,000+ steps a day walking/ doing the stairs at my house. As I begin to feel like I'm on track with everything else, I'm going to incorporate lifting.

After a solid workout, I really recommend foam rolling.. it saved me before when I was actually in shape and went to the gym consistently. I would still feel a bit sore after working out BUT it definitely lessened what would have set me back days.

cwolfman13

Start slow and build up. Going from nothing to all of the exercise overnight is a terrible idea.

fergusonjamillah

When working on your abs if you feel pain then stop or find different movements. Its supposed to burn but not hurt. I recently just got an "ab arch" from 5 below its like a pillow but u put it on your back on the floor then u can do crutches and so on without hurting your tail bone. I used to work out and my back would hurt and when i kept working out it hurted more for about a month of pain. Also recently i got a hand massager from amazon which target areas from the neck, back, calves, legs, waist, deep tissue, and more so it helps so use it after stretching your body before and after workouts. Some people dont stretch and muscles get tense and tight. Also use ice on your back to relieve soreness and hot water to reduce pain.

jennifer_417

Start slow. Stretch before and after working out. I know it seems like a lot to do both, but I've found that it really makes a difference!

fmize7

I've gone through the same thing because of chronic pain. I'm just learning how to pace myself with my workouts and to not do things that will aggravate the pain and cause a flare-up. Mostly, I stick to lots of walking and a little strength training with light weights. I totally understand how the pain can stunt motivation. You can find something that works. Take it slow and keep it up.

karlpm

One thing I can suggest for DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) is active recovery.
If you feel sore, legs hurting etc, make sure you get up and walk around.

Sitting on your butt will only make it worse.

fergusonjamillah

Also lay on your back when you sleep or search for ways to sleep that doesnt hurt your back

cheryldumais

I started out walking for exercise. I knew I would never sustain the gym for long. I lost the weight and I am now weight training. Frankly I wish I had started lifting a bit sooner but there's nothing wrong with starting slow and working up. Otherwise as you said you get frustrated and quit. Good luck.