I was doing so good with my walking. I have done four and a half hours this week and stayed under my calories and even added light hand weights to my walk, but starting last night I started getting this "stich"pain in my right side and back and it still hasn't gone away. I don't feel well at all. I'm so mad at my body and there is also pain in my abdomen so I'm just not with it.
Second, many things discourage carrying things while walking. It's not natural and it can throw off your stride/balance which then can lead to injury. Instead of adding weight, add faster pace, throw in hills. Stop and do some squats or lunges or other work.
So sorry you are having problems with pain from the walking. I hope that it is short lived. One thing I found with my walking is that it is absolutely critical to have really good supportive shoes. I event went to a shoe store that specializes in athletic shoes and worked with a clerk that knew what she was talking about. It's made a world of difference. If I'm preaching to the choir here, sorry -- know it just made a difference for me with back pain from wearing old worn out shoes.
It's tough when you want to do more than your body will let you. I had a lot of problems with that when I first started losing weight. Be careful! Hope you feel better soon!
It's so hard when we're just beginning on our journey to get back in shape, lose weight & try to get healthy. We want to do everything RIGHT NOW and do it quickly while we have the motivation. I know just how you feel. It's like, if we stop, even for a moment, we're afraid those bad feelings, excuses and old ways will start to pile back up on us again until we can't move anymore. And there we go.... on the downhill slide again.
But please, don't be too hard on yourself. There are just a few things to remember: 1. As hard as it sounds, don't try to do too much too soon. This is the number one way people burn out on their New Year's resolutions. They do way too much too fast & end up getting hurt. Ease into it. 2. Get the right kind of equipment. It's great that you got excellent shoes b/c that will make exercising SO MUCH better. I don't know what your personal situation is but our family lives in a rural area. Not many good places to walk except highways and muddy farm fields/pastures this time of year! So we decided to invest in a nice treadmill. Now my husband & I both work out on it every day. 3. Just push yourself incrementally a little more each & every day. But only by a little. Maybe add a couple of speed intervals to your walk one day. The next, try adding more. Then try adding some incline intervals on the treadmill (or hills outside on the trail if that's an option). As your body adapts, keep increasing the challenges you give it: light weights for your arms during regular walking intervals, ankle weights, lunges, eventual running, etc. 4. Most importantly, remember that getting back in shape is a long, drawn-out process. I have to remind myself of this fact every single day. I get frustrated all the time and want to push myself too hard. But then I look back and remind myself of how far I've come in just 2 months (and how much better I already feel). And it's so worth it! So just keep plugging away and know that others are right there in the same boat with you!!
Take care,
mendygandy
If you want to 'add' something to your walks you could try adding ski pole walking sticks instead of weights. You can find them at Target if there's one close by. It's called "Nordic Walking." Check out the Wikipedia page if you are interested.
Feeling bad after hurting myself
