Never going to gain, if there's this much pain!! (advice wanted)

[lulahigley]

I'm pretty sure this topic has been talked about here ad nauseam, so I apologize upfront about that. I'm a 43-year-old female who recently decided to make some changes this year. This included getting into better (not great, just better) shape by exercising 3-4 times a week and eating better. While I consider myself active-ish, it's been quite a while since I've done any kind of structured workout, cardio, or lifting weight routine.

Day 1: I just did a really good stretch routine, then yoga for about 30 minutes. I worked up a little bit of sweat, but I wasn't wanting to go all hardcore on the first day. Baby steps! Was a little sore in a few places, but it was that good kind of sore, if you know what I mean. Rested day 2, then day 3 came. I stretched again, then did a beginner workout video for 30 minutes that was just squats, lunges, push ups, and sit ups. So all using your own body weight, no added weight. I was sweating pretty well by the end. I didn't go balls to the wall killing it, but I was working it at my level, I felt like. After a short stretch (I was tight on time), I walked away with my head held high, feeling like a champ and couldn't wait until the next workout.

That completely changed the next day when I woke up, and what I'm here seeking advice for. I have never been so sore in my life!!! I sleep with a weighted blanket, and by the time I was able to throw the blanket off of me to get out of bed, I had tears in my eyes. I pretty much had to fall backward onto the toilet. I had to lift my leg up with my hands just to get into the shower. The worst part was at work. I'm a nurse, and I work with kids. A little kid that was walking in his room tripped and fell, and I could not squat down to help catch him or pick him up. I could absolutely NOT do it!! And this was my life for about 3 days.

That was 2 weeks ago, and I'm terrified now to exercise again! I feel like a failure, and I'm trying really hard not to give up, but I'm 100% not going to go through that misery again, or not be able to function at my job where kids' lives are in my hands. So does anyone have any advice? What did I do wrong? How can I have this not happen to this extent again? I expected to be sore, even welcomed it. But this was a whole different level that I was not expecting, and have no experience with. I'm trying hard not to feel discouraged b/c I know I'm out of shape, but I never thought I was THAT out of shape, that a simple 30-minute beginner video would literally debilitate me for 3 days. Help!! Please

 

[dawn16]

@lulahigley You will only feel this sore for the first week or two. After this your body won’t get as sore.

You can try an epsom salt bath.

Also if you are too sore the next day. Take it off get some rest and hopefully you’ll feel better the day after and can go. If you are still sore do a cardio day and do weights again the next day!

Good luck and keep us posted my friend!

 

[lulahigley]

@dawn16 I wondered about the epsom salt bath. Does it really work? When do you do it? Right after a work out, before you go to bed after you've worked out earlier in the day? I've tried doing a little research about it, and it's a little conflicting, but as sore as I was I dont' know if I could have gotten down into a tub. I probably would have just flopped into the tub like a beached seal and splashed all my water out onto the floor and laid there with just a few inches of salty water to soak in. lol I shudder to think how I would have even managed to get out if I made it into the tub...

Yeah, my whole plan was to workout and rest on alternating days. But when I was still sore 3 days later, all I could think about was how in the hell am I supposed to manage that?! I really hope what you say is true and it does get better. I'm going to get back into it and go a little easier, maybe starting out with only 15 minutes in the beginning. Once I stop noticing that I'm sore anymore, I'll know it's time I can ramp it up. Slow and steady right? Thanks for the comment and well wishes! Much appreciated!!

 

[dawn16]

@lulahigley I do it before bed.

It really helps me when I get leg pain if I switch up my workouts and get sore muscles.

Let me know if it works for you!

 

[lulahigley]

@dawn16 Ok then that shouldn't be hard to do, since I felt great...until I went to bed and slept! lol Any opinion on this tart cherry juice/pills someone recommended?

 

[dawn16]

@lulahigley I have no experience with those supplements. I have used glutamine and BCAAs/protein powder before with some success.

 

[danielleadrivet]

@lulahigley Drink tart cherry juice or take tart cherry capsules at night after a workout.

If you're having trouble walking etc, you should take ibuprofen. IANAD but prescription ibuprofen is just a large dose (800mg) of regular ibuprofen, but you probably know that since you're an RN. You pro also know to only take that much with food, & to not make a habit of it.

Be sure to stretch after doing bodyweight exercises, also. Don't bounce, just hold for 15 seconds while you breathe deeply.

Now you know what you can't handle, so just don't do that much next time. If you want to be super safe & gradual, do exercises for the elderly to start.

 

[lulahigley]

@danielleadrivet I know you didn't mean it to be funny, but I giggled when I read the "do exercises for the elderly" part of your response lol I saw the tart cherry juice/pills recommendation when I read through a few of the posters with similar advice requests. I've never heard of using that before but will grab myself some and give it a shot. I saw there is some debate over using Ibuprofen since it's an anti-inflammatory and something in relation to your muscles and they need to be inflamed, I can't remember what exactly it said. But you're right. Like you said...now I know what I can't handle, so next time, I'll know where my limit is (hopefully). Thank you!

 

[danielleadrivet]

@lulahigley Yes, muscles need inflammation for growth, so taking NSAIDs reduces (but does not eliminate) your gains. It's not something you want to do all the time (& longterm repeated NSAID use has its own problems), but severe situations sometimes call for it!

I wasn't kidding about exercises for the elderly! But I know it's kinda funny.

 

[gerrysj]

@lulahigley It is for this reason I went with a small group class with a personal trainer who makes modifications, monitors, etc. It's not too expensive in the small group format and allowed me to get started safely. I find the group format also keeps me motivated/accountable.

 

[lulahigley]

@gerrysj I thought about this too. I work night shift full-time and going to school full-time right now. Trying to attend group classes is really hard with my crazy schedule, unfortunately, so I knew I would probably come closer to actually doing the workouts if I could do them when my schedule allows at home, which sometimes means working out at 1 am. I sub'd to a fitness streaming app with a bunch of different types of exercise videos for beginner to advanced. I do wish I had that personal trainer and the accountability, though, like you mentioned.

 

[kaiisbae]

@lulahigley I remember when I first started working with a trainer, especially after the first day, I felt so beat up it felt like there was no way I could keep doing it. I’m not going to lie, that level of intense soreness following workouts lasted months. It’s painful and can get in the way of life. I get it. The only reason I continued was because I had been diagnosed with hypertension and I was determined to do something about it. And I’m kind of a masochist.

But there’s a few things you can do. One is just keep doing it. There’s something called the repeated bout effect, that basically means the more you do an exercise, the less soreness you will experience. So it just takes time. Two, figured out after starting to train on my own and develop my own program, is just do less. There’s a sweet spot where you’re doing enough to stimulate muscle growth but not so much that you can’t recover from it by the next workout. Try starting with half the workout video and gradually add the rest in until you can handle it. Just use the idea of progressive overload - a little more each time, even 1%, will add up in a big way over time. Finally, epsom salt baths and tiger balm/icy hot help, as do alternating ice and warm compress.

 

[lulahigley]

@kaiisbae Yeah I went into the workout thinking that my body would tell me when it was too much, and it did a few times. So I made some adjustments during the workout but kept pushing through for the whole 30 minutes. So I think, yeah, for a very first workout, I maybe should have just warmed up a bit to it and not gone for so long and gradually worked up to more. Only doing half to start with is great advice. Thank you!!

 

[kaiisbae]

@lulahigley No problem. Your body will let you beat a lot of pain into it that you won’t feel until later. It just takes time to get a feel for what your body can handle and how to adjust your workouts accordingly. It’s called “auto regulation.”

 

[stephenv]

@lulahigley Oh man, yeah that first major DOMS experience is absolutely brutal. The good news is that most subsequent events won't feel anywhere near that bad. Now I don't mind it at all generally speaking and kind of use it as a sign that I pushed myself, which is a rewarding feeling! Good job getting to this point, rest as much as you feel you need to, then do it again! You've just gotten through the hardest part, don't waste that effort!

 

[lulahigley]

@stephenv Oh I remember the soreness when I used to exercise regularly, and I didn't mind it at all back then. You're right, it's a rewarding feeling, and every time you do something that makes that soreness scream at you, you don't even mind it b/c you know it means you pushed yourself. This was just a whole other level that scared me b/c I don't remember EVER being THIS sore. I was also younger back then too so maybe it's partly due to age. It's nice to know that this is common, everyone has been there, and as they say...this too shall pass. lol Thank you for the comment & support!

 

[stephenv]

@lulahigley Absolutely! I just got back into fitness in my mid 30's and had what I think is a similar experience, but it definitely reminded me that I'm not built the same way I used to be best of luck on your journey, I look forward to your success!

 

[seescandy]

@lulahigley Slow down. Give yourself more time to rest between sessions and don't go so hard don't go so hard next session. Make sure you're getting enough high quality sleep.

Give yourself a few weeks to let your body get used to working out.

You want to show up consistently. Not bomb your muscles and joints out to the point that you can't go for a week between sessions.

As your body gets more accustomed to working out you'll be able to gradually increase the intensity of each session.

 

[lulahigley]

@seescandy Makes perfect sense! Thank you for the advice.

 

[bluefleur]

@lulahigley Thank you for being a nurse and helping children.

It can be scary when you are in the hospital.

You started to aggressively.

And you add that to the fact that you are on your feet all day, it's a double dose.

I'm a computer scientist, if I over do my work out nobody knows. I submit my work and talk to people on chat.

But you run around like crazy helping people.

And you do that with all the best intentions. So you have to treat your body like an athlete. Which you are.

You are a professional athlete, and the most important one ever.

When I was in a coma, you hear stuff. And it was the nurses who wanted to save me. And the doctors who said just end it.

Here I am, I ran an Olympic triathlon a year after they let me out. I crushed my open water 1 mile time. Got a job, made decent money.

Thank you for everything you do!