MY ARMS ARE ON FIRE FOR THREE DAYS NOW

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I WORKED A LIGHT SET OF 3 WITH 15LBS WEIGHTS AND A REP OF 25. MY ARMS ARE STILL HURTING, SHOULD I NOT WORK ON THEM TILL THEY STOP HURTING OR KEEP ON WITH THE PAIN??

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  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
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    Let them rest. Keep them warm (take a warm bath, put on warm clothes) and eat extra protein to help the muscles recover quicker.
  • Mscrosado1
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    I EAT A LOW FAT TURKEY SANDWICH FOR LUNCH EVERY DAY AFTER WOERKING OUT AND SHOWER. IS THAT NOT GOOD, PLEASE CHECK MY DIARY
  • heatherloveslifting
    heatherloveslifting Posts: 1,428 Member
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    Your diary...most of your calories are "quick calories" and alcohol! You aren't actually "eating"much. Probably not the best for muscle repair. And unless you weigh about 40 lbs you might want to try eating a lot more protein, maybe some fruit and veggies...
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I EAT A LOW FAT TURKEY SANDWICH FOR LUNCH EVERY DAY AFTER WOERKING OUT AND SHOWER. IS THAT NOT GOOD, PLEASE CHECK MY DIARY

    Extra protein is great, if that's extra. Warmth for stretching is great too. Some more protein at night for your body to use in the repair of the muscles wouldn't hurt either.

    The sore means the torn muscle fibers are still repairing. You definitely want to let them repair, or you just wasted your effort for them to get stronger as much as they could.

    Good job going until failure, that's where you get the improvement.

    Now, were you working a bigger muscle group with the arms, like chest with bench press or back with row, and arms is the only thing that hurts?
    Or worked specifically the arms only?

    Just peeked at Diary, probably the other reason for this taking so long to heal - you aren't eating enough for the body to work with to improve the muscle, everything is being used for your basic metabolism which isn't getting enough.

    1200 calories is the recommended minimum for safety reasons for sedentary, which you aren't.
    It's like minimum building codes, for safety - but not for aesthetics, performance, or longevity.

    I'm guessing you are trying to workout so you can have some of those 3 things, therefore you need to eat more.

    Or at the least, follow the MFP method of logging your exercise, and eating those calories back, so the deficit that is already there is kept the same. That 1200 is already a deficit, workout or not. Eat more after your workout to actually benefit from the workout, or else don't waste your time doing it. Just eat 1200 and end up skinny fat.
  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
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    Stretch those sore muscles a bit, eat protein and drink lots of water.

    Your diary is kind of sketchy. (even though 30% of your calories one day were wine it's good that you recorded them)
  • Mscrosado1
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    TODAY NOT YESTERDAY, LOL. BUT YES I DID HAVE A BIT MUCH YESTERDAY. AND I AM STARTING TO LEARN TO ENETER EVERYTHING NO MORE QUICK ADD. I SEE A MAJOR DIFF.
  • Mscrosado1
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    WOW THANK YOU, I WILL TRY TO EAT MORE VEGGIES THEN. I AM TRYING MY BEST. AND YES AT 1ST IT WAS JUST MY ARMS BUT THEN THE NEXT DAY I DID OTHER PARTS THAT STILL USE THE SAME MUSCLE. I TRY TO WORK OUT A FEW DIFF MUSCLES A DAY THEN EVERY OTHER DAY BACK TO THEM. CAN YOU SEE MY EXERCISE LOG? ALSO I FEEL FULL WITH WHAT I EAT? THAT IS WHY I DON'T EAT ANYMORE!! IS THAT NOT THE WAY TO DO IT??
  • Mscrosado1
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    I DO STRETCH BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER. EVEN THROUGH OUT THE DAY!! AND YES I DRANK A LOT YESTERDAY. BUT IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY. LOL MAN I'M GOING DOWN FOR THAT. BUT THANK YOU KINDLY FOR YOUR WORDS OF WISDOM
  • Mscrosado1
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    OK, THANK YOU ALL, MORE PROTEIN IT IS. ILL DO MY BEST!!!!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    WOW THANK YOU, I WILL TRY TO EAT MORE VEGGIES THEN. I AM TRYING MY BEST. AND YES AT 1ST IT WAS JUST MY ARMS BUT THEN THE NEXT DAY I DID OTHER PARTS THAT STILL USE THE SAME MUSCLE. I TRY TO WORK OUT A FEW DIFF MUSCLES A DAY THEN EVERY OTHER DAY BACK TO THEM. CAN YOU SEE MY EXERCISE LOG? ALSO I FEEL FULL WITH WHAT I EAT? THAT IS WHY I DON'T EAT ANYMORE!! IS THAT NOT THE WAY TO DO IT??

    So if you work the bigger muscles in the upper body, you automatically work the arm's biceps and triceps. Every pulling motion is bicep, every pushing motion is tricep.
    If limited on time, work the bigger muscles and let the arms automatically be worked. Like bench press, bent over row, shoulder press, upright row, lat pull down, dips, ect.

    And you feeling full and your body being fully fed are 2 different things.

    Your body could be starving for nutrients eating 2000 calories of twinkies each day, but have plenty of energy.
    Conversely it could be starving for energy eating 1000 calories of great food, but have enough nutrients.

    You can shrink your stomach and lower your metabolism to where you are not hungry on very little food. But with such a slow metabolism, weight loss is slower, and far too easy that anything extra eaten is a surplus, and as surplus, stored as fat.
    Worst case but far too common, is body feels threaten from level of eating not matching the exercise being done, it slows down enough you don't actually have a deficit anymore, and weight loss slows down and stops eventually.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,085 Member
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    Try a protein powder for after lifting. I just got jillian michael's brand at walmart.
  • Mscrosado1
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    YOU ARE GOOD, WHAT DO YOU REC THAT I EAT MOSTLY?
  • Mscrosado1
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    GOOD IDEA, WILL TRY THAT THANK YOU
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    Let them rest. You won't have to go as long without working them once your body builds up muscle. It takes a while at first.
  • ARDuBaie
    ARDuBaie Posts: 379 Member
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    Get a trainer!

    I don't mean that to be funny or anything. The people on here have no idea about your fitness baseline, current physic, goals, etc. Your goals are really important. Are you wanting to tone up or are you wanting to build muscle? These are two different things.

    25 reps is an awful lot to do. I don't know if this was your first time lifting. If it was, you way overdid it. You need to build up to lifting weights, starting low and then lifting more. I recommend the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women. It will give you a general guideline of what to do.

    In general, you should only lift at maximum 3 sets of 15. Some people will do maybe 18 reps. Some will start at 15 and then do a set of 13 then a set of 11. I find I start at 11 and then can do 13 and then maybe 11 again. Everyone is different, but 25 reps!! Way too many in a set. If you can do 15 reps easily, increase the weight.

    Basically, I am saying you are lifting wrong.

    As for diet, way to little protein. If you are serious about lifting, your protein should be between 100-125 grams a day. I don't use protein powders as I can't stand the taste. I usually get around 100 grams. Sometimes I miss it, but usually I am around it. Also, drink lots of water. Not Gatorade, alcohol, soda, etc. WATER. Your muscles will need it.

    You will need to rest your muscles for a few more days before lifting again.
  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
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    To really be able to help you we need to know how tall you are and your weight and age. 1200 could be too low for you. (actually in most cases it is) it's okay to get the program started but long term it won't be good for you. It's okay to work sore muscles a little I find it helps to work thorugh the pain just go a lot lighter.

    You need less pre-packaged foods and more fruits veggies and meats. Pre-packaged food have tons of sodium and sodium causes water retention (so does alcohol but hey I have a drink now and then too) which will make the scale seem stuck.
  • Mscrosado1
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    THANK YOU!!! FEELING MUCH MUCH BETTER TODAY
  • Mscrosado1
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    THANK YOU, I WANT TO TONE, I WAS TOLD LIGHT WEIGHTS MORE REPS. THOUGHT I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING. AND YES I DO DRINK A LOT OF WATER, I JUST FORGET TO ADD IT TO MY DIARY. BUT YOU ARE RIGHT ALSO, PROTEIN IS THE BIGGEST THING ON HERE I SEE I NEED MORE OF
  • Mscrosado1
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    i know, i am trying to eat more fruits and veggies. i will work on that also, and i am 5'10
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    THANK YOU, I WANT TO TONE, I WAS TOLD LIGHT WEIGHTS MORE REPS. THOUGHT I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING.

    If your purpose was for endurance, like swimming, then that could be useful. Though doing just the arms even then wouldn't be best use of time.

    If for weight loss, much better ways to spend the time. Increase the weight, decrease the reps, 3 sets fine, 1 min rest between sets.

    And do the biggest muscles first.