Okay, for those of you who don't know, I made the 10 mile mark this week. That's right, 2 miles, every day, since Monday. I've been sore every day too LOL, but I stuck with it. I know it won't happen overnight, I'm very curious about your journeys...how long was it before you started noticing a slight improvement in your endurance? Endurance encompassing anything from being able to make bigger movements when exercising to a faster muscle recovery to a little less soreness from one day to the next? I just want to be realistic about what to expect, now that I have established a regular routine...not to mention I am majorly sore and am hoping to have a bright light at the end of this dark tunnel

Way to go!!! You're making good progress. Keep it up!!!

As for as me, ummmm, I noticed my endurance changes about every 4-6 weeks, which is how long I keep one routine. Around 4-6 weeks I notice when doing my cardio interval training with the particular routine i'm doing at the time I don't get as tired (i.e. my heart rate doesn't get as high as when I started the new routine). Same thing with my weight training, my heart rate doesn't get as high while lifting and my routine seems easier to me, meaning I can lift with not as much effort it took when I began the new routine. Also, I change up what I do every 4-6 weeks also so I won't plateau.

The soreness will subside sometimes, other times it depends if i've had an intense focused workout on a certain day. However, when I change up my routine (i.e. faster, longer, more intense interval training cardio and heavier weights w/ more reps) every 4-6 weeks my the good 'ol soreness comes back b/c I'm challenging my body with a more intense workout it hasn't experienced before. Personally, I like the dull sore feeling, lol. It's a crazy indicator for me that i've made progress and challenged my muscles.

I started going to a gym three months ago. I had been half hearted going to Curves for a year before that but I wasn't in very good shape at all.

Now that I go to the gym, I keep an excel spread sheet on exactly what I do with my cardio. On the first day I did one mile on the elliptical and one mile on the treadmill for a total calorie burn of 292. Yesterday, I did 3 miles on the elliptical and 2 on the treadmill and burned 889 calories. Now, that was a big day for me because there was something on TV that I wanted to finish watching. Most days I do around 4 miles and burn about 650 in calories.

The weight machines get easier as well. That first week I was so sore and could barely do one rep. I now can do much more weight for more reps, and rarely am I anything other than mildly sore after an increase in weight.

It really does get easier with each passing day. I recently went downtown with my boyfriend to walk around and window shop. He commented on how he now has to work to keep up with my pace and that I am not out of breath anymore.

My body shape is chaning as well and I am losing weight. Keep it up and keep track of your progress.

Congratulations! That really is an accomplishment and an inspiration to me to get moving more.

WAY TO GO!!!!! That is so great that you set a goal and stuck with it! Your hard work will pay off.

The only real exercise I do is walking. I walk 3 miles a day. I started with 1 mile and then worked my way up to 3. I wasn't really sore because I started out really slow. I hated it at first but stuck with it and now I'm in love with it! My plan now is to start doing yoga - I know I'll be sore for a while, but I'll let you know how that goes.

Good luck and keep up the awesome work!!!!!

For me, the muscle soreness from strength training was the worst for the first week or so. Then the soreness wasn't as bad the next week, and now the muscles don't really get sore unless I really push myself. They get tired, but not sore.
Hang in there, it'll get better.

You might also be extra sore since you didn't take rest days in between when you started.

I am glad that I am not the only one, I have been doing an excercise DVD for the last two days and man, do I hurt or what...I did not realize how out of shape that I have gotten...I did squats, squats, and more squats...now when I go to sit...I want to scream...
But oddly enough I am happy that it hurts.........strange I know, but it only means that I will win this war...

Wow thank you all for your fast input This definitely explains some things and gives me hope. Yeah I do like a little soreness, but the extreme is getting old, and of course it makes the next workout even harder than the one before LOL. My legs cramp up terribly, that's my main complaint about soreness. And Lori thank you so much too - that makes sense, and I've definitely not rested. that might not be good but I know my limits which I think is important in weight loss, and if I rest for a day I likely won't be able to push myself the next after that.

I remember the first time I did my Slim in 6 workout. A lot of squats and lunges. I was okay that day, but the next my thighs were so sore I had to hang on to the wall and drop myself onto the toilet seat

When I was doing the treadmill I don't think i noticed it much. It was very gradual. Every once in a while I would try a faster speed or a higher incline and I would realize that I could do it.

great job

I did the same thing a couple of years ago, when I first got my recumbrant bike. I loved it so much on the first day, I just kept going and going for about 4 hours (small breaks inbetween, of course!). I was fine that evening, but the next day, my thighs were killing me and I had to do the same when I went to the bathroom.

I just dusted off my recumbrant bike again- it is great, but I am going to take it a little slow today and only do an hour this time.

I started the couch to 5K program about 3 months ago, at first I could barely make it 1 minute of jogging each interval. Now I can make it 8 minutes each interval without trouble. Plus I have found I have to work harder to get my heartrate up and burn calories. I used to burn 450 cal in a half hour with the 1 minute jogging intervals. Now doing 8 minutes I only burn 380 in a half an hour. And I love having a heart rate monitor! I would recommend them to anyone, just get one that tracks calories cause that's the best part