Perpetual Soreness??

Am I doomed to having a life of perpetual soreness due to constantly changing things up?

If more than 4-5 days go by where you don't do an activity (or something similar to it) then yes, you can expect soreness.

You get sore from hula hooping??

It's really not good to be sore all the time. You're sore because your muscles haven't recovered yet. If you continuously use your muscles without allowing them to recover you won't really get anywhere. You don't build strength when you use your muscles, you build strength when your muscles adapt to something new. You aren't allowing your muscles time to adapt. You are also on a fast track to injury.

My advice would be to incorporate some rest days.

OP, I think your "workout ADD" may be contributing to your constant soreness... I've found that I get sore after new activities, but not so much after an activity my body is used to. So, for instance, if I haven't lifted in a week or more, I'll get very sore from lifting... but I won't get that sore from the exact same lifting workout if I'm doing it regularly every few days (unless I raise the intensity significantly) ... but running or crewing might wreck me for days given how infrequently I do it.

Consequently, while I do like to mix things up for the fun of it, I keep a core of regular activities in the 2-3 areas I want to progress in (mainly the compound lifts and Krav Maga). A little soreness or stiffness is normal and tells me I'm still pushing myself, but extreme long-lasting soreness is a pretty rare occurrence. This approach might help in your case. Eating and sleeping enough for recovery helps a lot too.

Aside, never hoop on top of hooping bruises. I imagine you know that already, but just in case. That's important, especially with a hoop that heavy.

From : http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-lactic-acid-buil/

.... the production of lactate and other metabolites during extreme exertion results in the burning sensation often felt in active muscles, though which exact metabolites are involved remains unclear. This often painful sensation also gets us to stop overworking the body, thus forcing a recovery period in which the body clears the lactate and other metabolites.

That has more to do with soreness during exercise but I think the OP was talking about DOMS, or the muscle soreness you experience after exercise, usually the next day. The most widely accepted theory for the occurrence of DOMS is that when you use your muscle tissue at or near max capacity you create microscopic tears in the muscle fiber. When your body repairs these tears they become stronger (like how a welded bond between two broken metal fragments is stronger than it was before they broke). As your body repairs the tissue you experience soreness due to inflammation from the recovery process.

Some things to consider about DOMS:

1. Light to moderate activity will be good for sore muscles. It brings fresh blood and fluids to the tissue which helps recovery. Good activities are walking and easier versions of workouts you usually do (an easy run if you're a runner, a light set of 5 if you're a lifter, etc.).

2. Activity that will create more muscle damage will slow your recovery, your body has limited resources (protein and fat to create new tissue, energy, anabolic hormones, etc) and if you stretch them too thin you won't recover efficiently. Do not try to work your muscles more than 30% of their max capacity, and avoid doing new movements your body isn't used to.

3. It's important to make sure your body has the resources and time it needs to build new muscle fibers. Protien, fat, water, energy (calories), and sleep are all very important. This is especially important to pay attention to when you're in a calorie deficit.

4. Sore muscles are damaged muscles and until they recover you are more likely to experience injuries.

Being sore is a good thing! It means you're pushing your body to where it needs to adapt, and this is what is going to make you stronger and improve your body composition. However, if you don't give your sore muscles a chance to recover you can't make any progress!

When you get to the point that an exercise no longer makes you sore, THEN it's time to move on to something new that will!

I hope this was helpful.

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