Will I always be absolutely destroyed after a workout until I’m out of the obese category?

[kenp]

@thornbearer Protein. You definitely need protein.

It's easy to test too, have a protein shake every day for 2 weeks while keeping everything else the same. Do you feel better? Are you recovering better? Great, add more protein to your diet. I'm 5'3" and 170lb and I have about 120gm a day to build muscle, but just introduce some in and see how you feel, if you decide you feel better...add some more.

 

[vic_bearfruit2]

@thornbearer Your going to be sore regardless especially after you first start. I have been working out for almost a year and I still get sore sometimes. There has been days my legs hurt so bad and could barely sit down or walk. I heard a saying one time that stuck with me “ pain is just weakness leaving the body” I try to think of that when I hurt. I do drink protein protein and more protein.

 

[valerie60]

@thornbearer A more balanced diet with protein and fat will significantly help improve your energy and your recovery and help you maintain your lean muscle mass as you go through your fat loss phase. Definitely chat with a registered dietitian/nutritionist!

 

[4lilcubs]

@thornbearer It's going to take more time than you think. Do yourself a favor and stop focusing on the number, on weight loss, on plateaus, on how much you COULD lose in X period of time, on how much you SHOULD'VE lost in x period of time. You don't need to eat the RIGHT food or have the RIGHT routine. It doesn't need to be fraught, soak up your mental energy as well as your physical energy. You're gonna be sore after working out for a while, more when you really challenge yourself, but the period when this amount of activity wipes you for the day won't last forever and isn't tied to your body's weight but your body's ability to move its weight--your fitness. And that's improving every time you work out, every time you ask your body to move itself! So you're already in a better place than you were five weeks ago, though it may not feel like it.

 

[specialdsdaddy]

@thornbearer That…is a horrible diet. I’m sorry but someone needs to say it. Protein is absolutely essential as are fats. Whilst veggies are great, it’s a source of carbohydrates And literally the only non-essential macronutrient. A well rounded diet with a focus on protein, appropriate fats and complex carbohydrates will be your best bet.

 

[kathleenwst]

@thornbearer Definitely won't always destroy you! Bodies respond differently to all sorts of things.

I've been lifting consistently for two years. Sometimes I'll have a killer work out and won't be sore at all??? But recently I took ten days off, did a light body weight workout and was waddling around extremely sore for a week!!

It's important to listen to your body while also striving for consistency. You sound like you're on the right track

 

[dawn16]

@thornbearer You've gotten a lot of good advice already so I'm not going to add much except that I am class II obese and I feel great after my workouts. You just need time to get used to it but once you've established a routine, you won't feel crazy sore anymore.

 

[jerryperry]

@thornbearer It's just DOMS. They are BRUTAL in the beginning but it gets a lot better on it's own after a few days/weeks. Also this is gonna sound like torture but you can help get rid of them by moving. Doing something like yoga or a really light weight set can help get the blood moving and them hurting less fast.

Also this statement

but it doesn’t seem like protein is very important at my extreme obese state.

is incorrect. Protein is how you build muscle and building muscle is how you start burning more sooner. You are also going to be absolutely starving most of the time if you don't get some protein/fats back into your diet as well as feeling really tired. Look up some basic macro stuff and it will give you an idea of how to eat.

 

[lonedrummer]

@thornbearer You are probably going too hard if your body feels wrecked the next day. I'd recommend taking it easier and gradually going at a more moderate pace. Consistency is key here, not intensity.

 

[sashi]

@thornbearer hey, I'm a short girl too and at a BMI of 32 I tried to jog and ripped my ankles to shreds by my weight. I stopped exercising then and just focused on diet, and once I got to a more comfortable weight (150lbs) exercise got so much easier on my body.

My suggestion is just to take it easy on the exercise: light walking (not fast paced like you're doing) would be better on your joints, the exercise bike in the gym would help too, and those ellipticals were also something i liked for "jogging" but much less impact on my joints when I was at 30+ BMI.

As for meals, I'm sure lots of people have already told you, but I'll echo the sentiment and say protein is important even if you are doing light exercise. When losing weight via diet, your body will also start breaking down your muscle, so protein will help decrease that loss--as well as keep you full for a long time.

 

[badmoto]

@thornbearer CW: 290, height 5'3"

Semi-Disabled due to medical condition, chronic fatigue.

The thing that helped me significantly was finding a trainer who was willing to work with me on the things I could/n't do. I can't lift things with my hands if the weight is on my fingers. I can't do anything that puts my knees at risk bc I have torn both my meniscus.

I've been working out with her for almost a year now, and I've gotten leaps and bounds more endurance and strength. We ramped up slowly, and that helped minimize my soreness. I'm still frequently very sore, but not enough to be miserable or interfere with my daily tasks.

For recovery, my gym has a hydromassage, which is very nice. NSAIDs of choice, a warm shower after, and a meal with lots of protein.

 

[johnhenrygroenewald]

@thornbearer Everyone is right in saying that protein is important, but that doesn't mean you need animal protein. Lentils and legumes are an amazing source of protein, just eat more of them and maybe a pea based protein powder

Watch Game Changers on Netflix - it's focused on an optimal diet for recovery and training. Highly recommend!

 

[witteryoung]

@thornbearer It will get better! It takes me a couple months for working out to not totally kick my ass. For me lots of sleep, epsom salt baths, protein, stretching before and after seems to help to improve recovery. Be kind to yourself!

Also, maybe different types of cardio other than running/speed walking? When I am at a high weight it puts my body in a lot of pain especially my joints, even more than usual. As much as I hate elliptical and bike they are less painful for my body which helps.

 

[dev54mal]

@thornbearer You’ll be alright in a couple days, the muscle aches mean you’re getting stronger. Take some ibuprofen, drink LOTS of water, and get on the treadmill, even if it’s a slower pace than usual. Using your muscles while they’re sore will help break up the lactic acid and get you through the recovery quicker. Also, after you’re nice and warm, do a long stretch session or a light yoga video. Personally when I’m super sore I like to do the Yoga by Adrienne bedtime yoga video. It’s a nice and easy full body stretch that ends with laying on your back with your eyes closed.

 

[fookyj]

@thornbearer It will get better. I’ve always been a fairly active person but after I had my baby six months ago I barely exercised at all. Now I’m trying to get back into the gym and lose the 50 pounds of baby weight I put on. I ran a slow mile on the treadmill and did a couple sets of light resistance arm exercises and some stretching. My calves were so tight from the run for several days afterwards! Now let me tell you I have run full and half marathons. Many of them. You just have to give your body a chance to adapt to the load you’re putting on it. Slowly but surely you’ll see progress and then you’ll feel stronger in your workouts and it’s not so frustrating. Feel free to pm me for motivation. I could use some too lol. You’ve got this!

 

[carpemugacoffeeus]

@thornbearer Congratulations on the 20lbs down so far!

You've already gotten a bunch of good advice, so I just wanted to put in my two cents for what worked for me (I lost about 80lbs over the last 18 months)

First - track your food! I did Noom, and I liked it, but it is a bit $$ and, knowing what I know now) does tend to underestimate how many calories you should be eating. I know there's some good free apps out there for this (FitBit and My Fitness Pal come to mind) that will also help you track your macros (protein, fat, carbs, etc) so you can ensure you're eating a balanced diet

Second - write your shit down! When I first started getting into exercise, I'd find a routine to try and actually copy it out into a journal. This let's me plan my days, look ahead, and track my weights and progress. You can almost certainly find a app for this if you prefer, but for me having a physical book to hold and write in really helped. And the satisfaction of checking off a workout once it's done is so so nice.

The soreness will come and go (I'm crazy sore the first week of a new routine) but building these habits is going to feel great in the long run!

 

[beozgr8]

@thornbearer incline treadmill is my jam and my strategy to get cut for the summer. you don't have to go fast, just keep increasing that incline over time! I think you're underestimating the power of protein, though.

 

[qwixilver]

@thornbearer Someone actually posted a very similar issue on this subreddit just last week. Here's what I told her:

"For me, if I get really sore from a workout the most important thing is to find the gentlest way to take my body through the same range of motion I did to make myself sore. A common one for me is lunges, so I do the full lunge but while holding onto a chair and giving it most of my weight. It's still a little achy to do the first couple, but slowly the soreness lessens, and after maybe 10 or so it goes down to something barely noticeable. Then I can either continue to chill the rest of the day, or ease my way into something more active (usually something different than the routine that made me sore).

In my experience the WORST thing I can do if I pushed hard enough to make myself super sore is to do nothing the next few days. That only makes it worse and stretches out the length of time I'm sore. Full range of motion, gently, is what works best for me."

I will also say that in general, any time I start a new routine I experience a lot of soreness near the beginning and it lessens over time as my body gets used to it and I get better at gauging how much I should try to do in a single workout.

 

[wamiti]

@thornbearer You’re going to hurts getting back into a routine no matter what. I was an avid runner and lifter for years and the past 2 years I gained a ton of weight and am in the obese category and am losing weight now. I’ve been hitting the gym again and have severe DOMS. Over time this will go away, even when you’re getting a good workout. Just give it time and your body will adjust!

 

[lagopus]

@thornbearer The muscle pain you're feeling days after your workouts is called "delayed onset muscle soreness," or "DOMS," and it's perfectly normal! And, even better news -- once your body gets used to a certain new amount or way of moving, DOMS goes away! You might feel tired at times after working out or like your body needs a rest, but the horrible aching after working out will go away, I promise.

I hate to say it, but one of the best way to reduce DOMS when you already have it is to move, because DOMS is caused by lactic acid build-up in your muscles, and moving helps to break that up. BUT it doesn't have to be strenuous or hard! Try some very gentle yoga, just to stretch the muscles and get a bit of blood flow. It should be some movement that feels light and good to your body. There are tons of great videos on YouTube for gentle yoga to give you some ideas.

I also highly recommend either regularly eating omega-3 rich foods (such as fatty fish, eggs, walnuts, tofu) or taking a fish oil supplement. Muscle soreness (and joint stiffness) can be exacerbated by a misbalance between omega-6s and omega-3s in your body, and most Western diets are extremely high in omega-6s and quite lacking in omega-3s. As many other people have also said, eating a healthy protein (such as fatty fish) along with your veggies diet will help in your recovery, because complete proteins are essential to your body when building muscle.

Finally, I am proud of you, internet stranger! It is really hard to try new things, to work on a weight loss journey, to feel extreme discomfort in your body! But every day, you are building not only muscle and a healthier body, but resilience and confidence in knowing you can do hard things and survive. Keep up the hard work, and I promise, it will get easier as you go!