When does exercise stop hurting?

[Chardy19]

Every time I try to get in shape the pain pushes me back. That constant deep ache that tugs at your every waking moment and keeps you awake at night.  After a few months I just can't stand it and need relief. Then I don't start up again after I'm rested. 

How long do you find it takes to go away if you are consistently working out 3 times per week?

[Chardy19]

Adding that I don't do high intensity. I'm just...weak. Lol. 

[DebraCav]

The adjustment to your body is gradual. If it is bothering you, just ease up on yourself. That's the only way you will stay consistent and make it a lifestyle habit and actually enjoy it. Maybe you haven't found the physical activity that suits you? If you are running, try walking. If you are lifting weights, try to go lighter or less repetitions per set. Some soreness is actually a sign that you are increasing your strength, but pain ongoing is not necessary. Maybe one workout session, go a little hard, and the next time, ease up, but never stop being active. Your body recognizes how it is used. Enjoy it!!!

[DavideFitbit]

Thank you for sharing your experience @Chardy19, this is something that affects a lot of people and a very important topic. 

I felt some pain at the beginning as well, but I just didn't try to push it to hard, I  always did what I could and slowly increased the intensity, and my body gradually adjusted to that. It takes time, but it's definitely worth it. 

[SunsetRunner]

What are you doing to 'get in shape'?  What you are talking about doesn't sound like exercise pain-do you also have a chronic condition causes pain?  You should get cleared with your doctor and get his advice on how to start getting into shape.  It isn't supposed to hurt.

[Chardy19]

No I've been to the doctor plenty of times, had all sorts of bloodwork done, etc. I'm fine, just out of shape.

Twenty years ago when I was doing a step class regularly (I was about 30) I mentioned it to the perky little twenty-something leading the class and she said, "oh, it shouldn't hurt."

Thanks, honey. So helpful. Lol!

[AmandaGeorge]

Before you started trying to get into shape recently, when was the last time you last exercised?  Are we talking months or (like me) years?  It sounds like you're maybe pushing yourself too hard and too fast... if you haven't exercised for a long time then start off slowly and gradually increase it. 

When we got our pup 9.5 years ago, I walked her up and down the street twice a day then came home.  We've now increased it to 13 times up and down, 2-3 times a week and 25 times on a Monday (the senior puppy is at the vet the rest of the week).  We took things very slowly and gently until we were both used to it then we increased the length slightly every few months.  I'm hoping to increase it again next week 'cos it's been several months since I last walked every day but I want to get myself back into the habit of walking every day.

Is there anything like that you can slowly and gradually ease yourself into?  Start off with exercising one day a week for a month then twice a week the next month, then three times a week etc etc.  When you're exercising the amount of days you are aiming for, spend the same amount of days exercising but just increase it a bit one day a week etc etc.  Pain from exercise should definitely not be keeping you awake at night!!  It sounds to me like you're pushing yourself too hard and too quickly and your body just isn't prepared for the sudden exercise and intensity of the exercise.

Slowly and surely with everything, I reckon  😉

[Chardy19]

@DavideFitbit how much time does it take, in your experience?

[Chardy19]

@AmandaGeorge  in the past I was doing classes at a gym. In the past couple of years just doing a treadmill or elliptical. Now I'm down to walking or easy cycling. I gave up on the gym. Too expensive and inconvenient. 

[Chardy19]

In general I try to stay moderately active but I have a sedentary job with a long commute and just have been packing on the pounds the past few years. More responsibility = longer hours and more mental fatigue, so it's harder to push myself to exercise. I've been battling depression for years  which also saps my energy and the meds cause lethargy and weakness. 

I am really concerned now as I'm over 200lbs! Just...horrified. Not being fit has become a medical problem rather than a personal appearance issue for me as I approach 50. 

[AmandaGeorge]

With your job, is it desk-based?  Is there anywhere you can take a stroll around during your lunch hour or anything like that?  If your job is desk-based, how about getting a stationary cycle to use discretely under your desk or taking the stairs instead of the lift and things like that?  My hubby is clinically obese but has occasionally joined me on my morning walks with our dog.  We've both got depression too, so understand only too well how much it affects our health. 

Don't worry about going to the gym or breaking a sweat or even raising your heartbeat yet... your first target should be doing one thing at a time so maybe promise yourself that you will climb up and down one set of stairs (at home is a good place to start to give you confidence) once a week starting on 1st November then reward yourself with something at the end of November if you've done that.  Aim for one set of stairs twice a week in December, three times a week in January etc etc.

Be honest with yourself... if you haven't achieved it, you're not allowed your reward that week  😉

You can do this, @Chardy19 - just take things a lot slower and less intense is all.

[Chardy19]

Thank you for that encouragement!

I don't think an exercise desk would work for me, though I know some people love it. I can't walk and chew gum, let alone pedal and PowerPoint . I used to go for walks all the time but now I often need to work through lunch. I do try to do some laps around the parking lot when I can. 

I know I just need to find a routine and stick to it.  

[AmandaGeorge]

Might sound like a daft question, but where is your bedroom and bathroom at home?  Do you have a hall or anything like that?  Our bedroom is upstairs and bathroom is downstairs, and we've got a short hall... could you maybe motivate yourself to walk up and down the hall or stairs a couple of times a day just to start off with?  Just to give you confidence?

How about getting to work 15 minutes earlier or leaving 15 minutes after most of the others so that you can do just one lap of the car park for a while, but promise yourself that you'll do it every day, no excuses?  If you only do it occasionally it's a shock to your system each time you do it and therefore your body reacts with the pain response, but if you build up your strength very slowly your body will be like "OK, so we're at work so must be time for our stroll" and your body will start looking forward to it.  It'll be the first little while that's the hardest for you, which is why it all needs to be very gradual, but you can do it, @Chardy19 !

[Chardy19]

Those are great ideas! I live in a tiny rancher, but my laundry and pantry are in the basement. I was just thinking last week I should make myself go up and down the stairs for exercise and not just when I need something. 

Work is tough because I'm usually rushing to arrive/leave. I drive 45 - 60 mins each way in heavy traffic. I do need to schedule breaks for myself to walk. If I put it on the calendar as a "meeting" I can protect that time. 

Yesterday I worked from home and got a walk in the morning and the evening, which was great! I'm also a "phone walker". I pace back and forth when I'm on the phone at home.  

Really though, I think I just need to accept that pain is a part of life and keep pushing through. I hurt all the time if I don't exercise, too. It's just different hurt.  

[AmandaGeorge]

How about taking your clothes down to the basement one item at a time?  A pair of socks alone would mean going up and down the steps twice each way and it's only you who would know you're doing it and would get your body slowly used to the exercise.

Don't mark the time out of your work diary yet... you're getting ahead of yourself and heading for disappointment and pain.  Concentrate on being able to take your laundry up and down your basement steps first.  As soon as you can confidently do that, then try and take a short stroll around the car park as well as the laundry once a week.  Push yourself by all means, but you need to take it a lot slower than you seem to be atm.  If I had tried to do what I do now, 9 years ago, I would never have been able to do it and it would have slashed my confidence, I would have been in agony and I wouldn't have done it at all.  Start off really slowly and don't think beyond the end of the day right now.

Start now.  Take your clothes that you were wearing yesterday down to the laundry.  Take it down as a full load this week then as soon as the washing machine has finished, unload it and take it back up those steps and into your ranch then celebrate with something. 

Reward yourself each time you do it so that you know you've got something to look forward to... that's how I persuaded the hubby to get back into the cooking... he had 2 rewards to look forward to each week if he cooked every day - the first on a Friday if he cooked every day during the week and the second one on Sunday if he cooked both days of the weekend.  There were a few times we had a take-away, so he didn't get one of his rewards those weeks, but he doesn't need the rewards any more and usually cooks every day.  We used to have at least one take-away a day, but now they are our rewards for something and we now have maybe one a month, which is a huge improvement.  You need to find a reward that works for you too.

You can do this, @Chardy19 ... you just need to find something that works for you.  For Steve it was mini Toblerone's and Turkish Delight, for me for NaNo it's J2O's... what's yours?  Something that you don't usually have but something you genuinely enjoy that you can keep only for your rewards.  Be strict with yourself, if you don't deserve the reward then you're not allowed it, OK?  Ideally only a couple of times a week too, instead of every day.  

Believe in yourself but seriously reduce your targets and do it every day instead of just when you've got the motivation - force yourself to do it on those days, it'll be worth it, promise!

[Chardy19]

Fortunately I'm not quite *that* out of shape yet. I do have chronic neck and back pain and tendonitits in my hands, and recently diagnosed mild arthritis in my knees (hence the need not to overdo stairs). However, I walked all afternoon/evening last Saturday at the Renaissance Faire and did two circuits of my neighborhood yesterday (11,942 steps total!)

I was really asking about cardio/weight routines at the gym or at home to get some muscle tone and fat burning going.

 I do think what you're saying is excellent advice for any fitness level...gradual changes no matter what the "enthusiasts" and trainers advocate. 

I had one free session with a hulking male trainer at a gym and never again! That guy had no clue what a middle-aged woman's body is like. I was really worried I had pulled something. So when the trainers see me waddle in like "fresh meat" I beat them off with my water bottle. 

[AmandaGeorge]

It doesn't matter how out of shape you are or aren't... you honestly need to start off that slowly so that you can very gradually increase what you do so that your body slowly gets used to it and gets used to being exercised regularly again.  When I first started exercising regularly 9.5 years ago, I could have done what I'm doing now, maybe 2-3 times a week then be in too much pain and too exhausted the rest of the month, so I just took things very very slowly and can now confidently do it every day and still be able to function.  It's great that you're pushing yourself, but until you can do that every day, I still think you're pushing yourself too hard and too fast.

I've got no idea about weight or cardio training, but again, take it very very slowly... start off with a few reps with cans of vegetables or whatever.  Honestly, exercise doesn't have to cost anything at all - use those steps to and from your basement and start doing repetitions with what's already in your kitchen.

[DavideFitbit · Accepted solution]

I remember it took me a few months @Chardy19 , maybe 3 to 4 months. 

As others have suggested in this thread, I recommend you start slowly, working out 2-3 times a week and just letting your body adjust to the intensity of the workout. 😀

Keep us posted on your progress!  

[Chardy19]

@AmandaGeorge  I'm not sure why you think I'm "pushing myself" by going to a Renaissance Faire. I walked all day because I wanted to enjoy the Faire! That didn't cause me pain. My wallet hurt (Lol) but I wore comfortable shoes and enjoyed my day very much. 

[AmandaGeorge]

I'm glad you enjoyed the Faire, @Chardy19 , and it sounds like you need to wear the same shoes each time you exercise as you weren't in pain when you were wearing them.  Is there anything close to you that you would enjoy going to more often?  Parks or anything like that? 

When I lived in a very rural area, there was a village sports and social club/children's play area/bowling alley/pub and sports field (all in one place) at one and of the village and a huge set of farming fields at the other... do you have anything like that near you?  I'm not saying you should take up a sport, just that it was available in the village I used to live in and maybe you could explore the little side streets around you?  Are there any pubs or waterways near you or anything like that?  What about taking dogs for walks or whatever?

It's good that you enjoyed the Faire, but maybe you need to continue that enjoyment into your everyday life so that you can find something to get involved in each day.