[therubyslippers!!]

Hello All - I have used the search function to find an answer to this, but there are a kajillion posts with those keywords so I just started this thread. What can I do for sore muscles? Besides resting a day in between (wow! permission to sit on my a$$), is there any food, vitamin, massage, whatever I can use to make these first weeks getting back into it more comfortable? Thanks for any help -Ruby

[funniegrrl]

Interestingly there was an article in the NYTimes about this just today. They said that studies had shown that massage was not helpful, that it wasn't a buildup of lactic acid (as used to be believed) and that stretching didn't help, either. The best recommendation they had was to be sure and eat a carbohydrate-and-protein snack after exercising. I also know that some people here recommend L-Glutamine ... there's a thread about it somewhere ...

[viviki]

Oh dont think that a warm up matters so much but I think it is really important to stretch to ease down after exercise otherwise I get v sore calf muscles.
You can also try a moderately hot bottle on sore muscles I find that works for me

[Mel]

Check the L-glutamine thread on the LWL forum:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48206

Mel

[stef]

Hi Ruby,

There's a lot of stuff going on about muscle soreness. You have got some good advice and links here already, but I thought I'd give you a phrase for your own research

delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS

Now there is a lot of controversy attached to DOMS but reading through the arguements will give you a pretty clear idea of what muscle soreness is believed to be and what will help.

Basically the soreness is caused by the work you make the muscles do. Imagine your muscles as chewed gum, you pull it and it stretches, you pull a little harder and it starts to fracture, some strands break, others stay intact but if you don't pull too hard the whole thing won't snap! The soreness is caused by the broken strands reknitting.

This is where lots of odd weight loss and exercise myths are grown from. As your muscles reknit they
a) use a lot of energy, probably more energy than you expended working them;
b) they use so much energy because not only do they repair themselves but they make sure they are bigger and stronger than before - cos if you insist on working them, they want to be ready for you!
c) need rest, so don't work the same muscle group 2 days in a row. But that doesn't mean bed rest and total relaxation, so don't sit down, work another muscle group! You won't do much damage by not resting muscles you have worked in a normal manner (otherwise we'd all be laid up just for going out shopping) but when trying to get fitter and leaner you should give yourself all the help you can get!

I hope this helps a little. I had better stop now or I'll write you a book!