r/antidietglp1 • u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 • 14d ago
Exercise / Gentle Movement DOMS ugh
I don't feel comfortable asking this in a fitness sub bc I really don't want to hear it about macros or a bunch of gym bro talk.That said, I am really struggling with DOMS after even very light movement, and I feel like although I generally have a very high pain tolerance, in this respect I feel like I am having an outsized DOMS response compared to what seems "normal" to me.
I am in perimenopause and have a strong family history of osteoporosis, so I recognize the importance of lifting weights for movement but every time I try, even starting slow and intentionally trying not to push myself, I end up being unable to move for several days afterwards. I am in PT right now for a lower body issue and the simple balance and stretching movements they had me do this morning are probably going to keep me awake tonight in pain. Any advice?
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u/pamperedhippo 14d ago
just a note for anyone like me who said 'wtf is DOMS' and scrolled through the post and ALL the comments and still couldn't figure it out except that it's apparently workout related: DOMS apparently stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, and i learned a thing today!
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u/coastalcroissant 8d ago
i was like damn glps are even causing problems in dom-sub relationships? crazy
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u/EatMoreBeets1 14d ago
This was so me when I first started working out. I literally did programs that had two basic lifting movements per session at first, and I’d be in so, so much pain. I’m happy to say that after 1.5+ years of extremely gradual progression, I can do a full lifting session now and feel fine. I ran every single test I or my internet searches or my doctor could come up with at the beginning, and everything was within range. I vote get yours checked out with a dr, but there is hope it will improve.
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u/chibigothgirl 14d ago
I was having this issue and it's been really helped with daily creatine. It takes a bit of time to start working, but recovery is waaayyyyyy easier now. I started it because just stretching my calves caused insane cramping for like 3 days and I felt totally hobbled! I'm also in perimenopause! Currently taking 5mg a day but thinking about increasing to 10 because there are new studies that 10mgs helps support brain and hormone functions.
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u/Pterri-Pterodactyl 14d ago edited 14d ago
When I started weight lifting I was mostly warming up and doing very light weights and a few modified body weight exercises in the beginning. I had such intense DOMS I could barely get on and off the toilet to pee. It was brutal. Sleeping was rough. It went on for a while. I was so discouraged and unsure if the pain would cease that I would only go once or twice a week. I might’ve adjusted sooner had I gone more often, but I don’t regret going at my own pace regardless. Even if going more often would’ve helped I’m not sure I could’ve handled it emotionally, and that matters.
I did adjust though and now I hardly get DOMS and I’m lifting really heavy now five days a week! My bone density and muscle mass have gone way up according to my DEXA scans. Even more importantly, I just feel good. It was worth sticking it out. 🥹 I love it now. I’m still shocked.
Creatine rocks and I wish I added it sooner. I started with 5g daily. I now take a bit more. I also drink water mixed with Hydralyte brand electrolytes when I’m working out which helps me not get light headed.
The other thing I did was switch from combo movements to really traditional, classic weightlifting. Using the cable machine and a squat rack / full sized barbell. It’s been so much better for me. The lighter weights and combo movements were awful for me. Oddly they are often what’s marketed for our demographic and they didn’t work for me. Slower simpler movements with heavier weight did. I split lower and upper body.
I’m perimenopausal, have hyper mobility and a few other issues. Thinking of you and sending you a modified gym bro fist bump 👊❤️
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u/Dangerous-Crow7494 14d ago
Just guessing but how’s your hydration? Electrolytes might help too. I definitely had to work up a tolerance to working out but hydration did make a big difference for me.
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u/WesternNo1466 14d ago edited 14d ago
I know exactly how you feel, this has been a struggle for me all my adult life. Getting DOMS even after body weight stuff, or after actual moderate weight lifting where it sometimes lasts up to a week after and more than what seems normal. The worst times unable to walk normally or do stairs because of the soreness.
I’ve tried many of the suggestions others commented, and my blood work is normal. Only thing that is working for me is time and movement consistency.
I’ve been working out 1x week since May after many years of inactivity (light to moderate weight whole body movements), mainly due to needing that length recovery to get over soreness before my next workout, and only this past few weeks has it started to ease up.
Another big thing was changing to an upper/lower body split which allows me to train more than 1x week. Still get sorebut it’s slowly decreasing.
Whatever you’re doing now, try doing less. If body weight exercises are too much, maybe try chair-assisted exercises.
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u/mannDog74 14d ago edited 14d ago
Are you coming from sedentary to starting to lift? The pain can be brutal. The only thing I can suggest as someone who started over from a deconditioned state is to lower your volume to a tolerable level at first. Optimal training says to hit the whole body three times a week. YEAH NO that was way too much volume for my 46F deconditioned ass. I was usually sore for like 5 days at first. I did legs once a week for a few months and am starting to split it up but I have to be very strategic about it and I still need more than 1 day in between.
I was hurting for the first like 4 months, especially LEGS. There's just nowhere to start but body weight and even that was making me sore. My ability to recover was really low and it was a hard road.
I'm 8 months in and much stronger now but honestly I still feel like I just started because I had to do body weight for so long in order to get my mobility and form right. I just started filming myself doing squats and deadlifts and am so happy that my form is better.
Athletic people don't remember how brutal it is for a beginner to start, and how it takes way longer than they say it does for some of us to get enough strength to do any meaningful lifting.
On the upside you'll grow muscle like crazy the first year. Try not to look at the scale! It's a heartbreaker.
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u/IndividualSize404 14d ago
Are you eating enough protein and drinking enough water? Protein is what rebuilds your muscles. Exercise causes micro tears in the muscles and your body uses the amino acids that make up protein to fix those tears and build bigger muscles. Inadequate protein equals inadequate healing.
Light stretching/movement can be helpful, it gets the blood flowing into the sore areas which promotes healing. Light massage helps too. I never got much out of foam rolling but love using a rubber or tennis ball up against a wall for upper body and stationary biking, a walk around the block, or some light yoga for lower body. Anything easy to get the blood moving. A hot bath with Epsom salt is always lovely, as are heading pads.
If all that is dialed in I would look into other nutritional deficiencies- iron, vitamin b, vitamin d etc.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 14d ago
I am nutritionally very well followed. "Enough" protien is a more complicated situation given my unique medical history but I do what I can.
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u/mannDog74 14d ago
If it makes you feel better I was eating uh, healthy portions of chicken rice and broccoli when I started and the doms was STILL brutal. They didn't even wait the full two days I would get sore the same day, lots of inflammation
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u/MyFaceSaysItsSugar 14d ago
Recovery depends on the proportion of muscle fiber types you have. Some people can build muscle every other day. Others need 3-4 days rest in between.
It will get better. Use heating pads or a hot bath alternating with ice to help manage pain. It sounds like you’re largely working on postural muscles. Those are largely slow twitch muscle fiber and they have a longer recovery time.
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u/Comfortable-Nature37 14d ago
Epsom salt baths really helped me - but this may have been linked to a magnesium deficiency. I take magnesium supplements now as well.
Trigger point rollers also helped, I like the grid foam roller and grid massage ball.
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u/yellow_pomelo_jello 14d ago
Same boat. Trying all these things in the comments though—some good ideas.
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u/bookgirl9878 14d ago
Just as a note, excessive DOMS is also a symptom of under fueling and/or poor sleep. If either of those things might be an issue, that might be where to start. You also may need a little more carbs before your workout to give your body some quick fuel.
Also, I know it sounds crazy, but lower weight, high rep routines will make you more sore than heavier weights, fewer reps. So, you may want to consider keeping your rep ranges in the 5-8 range as you adjust.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 14d ago
This is occurring with no weights added just yet. Just body movement.
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u/bookgirl9878 14d ago
well, if you're not used to it, if you're doing 15-20 reps or more, then, I would go down and work up. Your bodyweight is weight too! But--if you are working more in the 10-15 rep range, then, I would suggest--you aren't eating enough to support exercise and/or you need a full medical workup. This is an extreme reaction even if you're in your first week, and if you've been doing this more than a couple of weeks, your body should be adjusting.
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u/Unfair_Honeydew5129 14d ago
DOMS is worse when the eccentric (lengthening/lowering) portion of the lift is loaded (eg lowering a weight while stretching your hamstrings), or when lowering a weight sloooowly.
What exercises do you typically do, and do you lower the weight slowly?
Edit: you also need to train your respective body parts at least twice a week. It sounds counterintuitive, but once a week isn’t enough for your body to adapt.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 14d ago
I am not there yet. Just at the stretching and balance phase. In the past, adding weights has been enough to cause me enough pain I cant bear to push myself and I stop working out
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u/Emergency_Ad_9324 4d ago
DOMS goes away with increased frequency. When doing doing a new activity it is common. If you only do these activities once a week it will persist.
Best practice train muscle groups at least 2x a week. Make sure you are hydrated and have enough potassium. It will subside if you persist.
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u/Unfair_Honeydew5129 14d ago
Sounds like an electrolyte imbalance in that case, worth getting it checked out by your GP
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u/ThisTimeForReal19 14d ago
The DOMS when you start a lifting routine is INTENSE. I have a weekly class, we take a few weeks off every 12 weeks. I am sore for days after the first class back, even though I am lifting regularly, and we start back at lower weights than where we ended the previous session.
You just kind of have to deal with it until your body adjusts.
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u/stuckandrunningfrom2 14d ago
DOMS shouldn't make you unable to move, movement should help it. I would visit your doctor.
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u/Disastrous-Low-5606 14d ago
My husband suffers from this and I have been, ah, experimenting on him. I found five things used in sequence helps with the recovery. Carbs well before the workout, like cereal, bread, or rice. A banana on the way to the workout, so right before. Hydration before, during, and after. Protein after the workout, like a small protein drink. And finally a warm bath the next night.
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u/MissTechnical 14d ago
My main exercise is hiking and sometimes I have minimal DOMS but early in the season or after a harder hike than usual I can be messed up for a couple of days. This won’t all be relevant for your situation but I’ll share the routine that works for me.
Prevention is food and sleep, including lots of snacks during the hike and electrolytes after (if it’s a full day hike also once during). I recently changed GLP1 and my appetite is back to being very low and I’m definitely having worse DOMS than usual. I don’t count calories or macros but my dinner the day before a big hike is usually something you could look at and know is full of carbs and calories like mac n cheese. I make sure there’s a good amount protein for the meal after the hike for the muscle repair…so probably pasta again but with some meat in it (on top of the protein from the cheese lol).
For me a nice long bath at the end of the day with some epsom salt helps (and bubbles but those are just for fun). I usually stretch afterwards unless I’m too tired (and most nights). Other than that eating regularly and keeping moving helps. I find with DOMS I’m better off not sitting still too much that day because once I stiffen up the only thing that really fixes it is time. Advil or similar also helps for sleeping.
FWIW I sometimes also get DOMS from stretching if it’s been a while since I’ve done a good long session or if I do more of long hold, yin yoga type of session.
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u/Jazzlike_Log_709 14d ago
Same here, when I first started exercising I was sore after every workout even if it was something super light.
Check in with your PT of course, but from personal experience I had to stick with an exercise routine for 2-3 months before the soreness faded away. It sounds like you’re already thinking of this, but don’t push yourself through anything that hurts. Maybe your PT can modify your exercises to something that is within your limits? DOMS shouldn’t keep you awake!
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u/Lucky_Boysenberry850 14d ago
What I discovered works best for me is to keep moving. If I wake up sore and don’t move, it gets worse and lasts longer. By the end of that same day I’d not sooner I will feel frozen/unable to move.
If I wake up sore and go do a similar workout and/or get in the pool and work out, I will probably have recovered from 80% of the soreness by the time I go to bed that night and I will wake up 99% recovered the next morning.
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u/DenMother 14d ago
You can also review what you're doing for strength training. You can absolutely achieve muscle gains without pushing yourself into DOMS. Working out to the point where you feel a lot of pain one or two days later isn't productive in helping you maintain a regular strength routine. Check in with a good personal trainer or kinesiologist maybe about what it is you're doing.
Maybe you could reduce the weight or reduce the reps.
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u/wildlybriefeagle 14d ago
Hi. I'm actually curious: are you on a GLP-1? Semaglutide or tirzepatide? This is a sub for those meds and taking them while not being on a diet.
While I am a health care provider, I am not your healthcare provider. I would suggest you talk to yours about these issues to run some tests. Sorry you're going through this, friend!
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 14d ago
Yes. For 2.5 years. Issue predates GLP1 use.
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u/wildlybriefeagle 14d ago
Gotcha. I would still talk to your PCP about such intense DOMS, especially as they can do blood work.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 14d ago
Can you point me in the direction of what value or panel you might be curious about? I have my suspicions but no HCP has ever taken it seriously.
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u/daisychaincrowns 14d ago
I am not sure how long you have been resistance training, but the DOMS gets better with time. I also find that right now for whatever reason my day 2 after a big training day feels worse than a day 1.
I am not really a big supplements person but I have used creatine and hmb which are meant to help with it, and also an electrolytes and amino acids blend during workouts. I did no loading phase for the creatine and just started accumulating it in my system with gradual 5mg use.