I've been exercising for about a week now, for the first time ever in my adult life. (That sounds so pathetic, but it's true.) Admittedly, I'm starting out slowly, but still, I've done it all week.

This morning, though, I totally did not want to get out of bed to work out. I was too tired. But—I did. And I will do it again tomorrow.

What you did this morning will eventually change your habbits. The first two to four weeks are the hardest. Keep up the good work and remember every time you don't want to but you do, is one step closer to being a habbit, a very good one. But maybe you need to change your routine up a bit. What are you doing now for exercise?

Congratulations! YOU DID IT! If you would have told me a year ago that one day I would get up every morning at 4:30 AM to workout, I would have probably told you that you were nuts. But, guess what, I am and I really enjoy it (usually,hehe).
Keep it up, you deserve good health and happiness!!

what are you doing to get up at 4:30 am? what finally made the difference? how long did it take to feel normal?

infiniti

Right now I go to my health club and do different cardio machines for about an hour, although once or twice a week I fastwalk around my neighboorhood (4 miles). Used to just bundle up no matter how cold it was outside and walk, but gym is more comfortable while still getting my workout in. I am a housedad at present and have to be back home in time to wake my children up and get'em ready and bring'em to school, hence the early rise. I go back to club late morning Mon.,Wed. & Fri. to do my weight workout. This all started off last year when I was 273 lbs and had NO energy and just wanted to take a nap all day long. That's what made the difference, allthough I'm not sure if this is what you were asking. I started by stopping at a walking track on the way home from my children's school and walking ONE lap (about .8 miles). Everyday I walked, if the kids were out of school, I got up very early and walked before they woke up and my wife had to go to work..rain or shine!

Now at 222 lbs and more muscular (to say the least) I am a firm believer in JUST DO IT. Even if at the time you don't feel like it just get up and start and that ususally changes after you get going. Even if it don't it still gives you a good feeling, that were able to overcome the obstacles, and that builds your determination to stick with it!

Wow, that is amazing. Way to go on getting up and going. I know about being tired all the time. I do want a routine now,so that when i have children i don't have a problem fitting it in. Keep up the good work. i Know you can make your picture goal, especially with your motivation. so monday i have to get up.

Well, guys, Sunday I did the full-on routine for the first time. (For the first week, I just did the warmup and stretching.) WOW. I have no muscles in my upper body; apparently it's all bones, organs, fat, and a little connective tissue to keep it all glued together.

This might sound weird, but the fact that it was pretty difficult is very motivating to me; I know that keeping up with it will do some good.

Don't worry by now or sometime tommorrow, you should be WELL aware that you DO have muscles there, but you'll wish you didn't ... hehe!

Yeah, tell me about it. That's good, though; at least I know they're there. I think tomorrow morning I will try to cool down for a bit longer to prevent some of that soreness.

Freckl, my good forum friend Shadow_01, who has been working out for a long time, told me that doing 10 minutes or so of moderate cardio (like walking) after lifting can really help prevent soreness...this in addition to the stretching you are thinking of doing. It really works!

l-glutamine is GREAT for preventing soreness....you can do a search on this forum for it and get a great deal of info

That's basically what I do to cool down. I just didn't do it quite long enough, I think.

your muscles will come and your body will love it. You bone density will increase too, this is really good. Weight baring weight helps this.

It will take a couple of weeks to get into the groove and yes warming down removes lactic acid tha accumulates from the anaerobic weightlifting exercises. you should do some cardio the next day too.

Boy, I hope my muscles come. Especially my abs and shoulder/arm muscles. I am SO weak in the upper body. My mom and one of my sisters are already having spinal degeneration, and I DON'T want that, so I am definitely going to keep up the weight bearing exercises for the upper body. I'm not so worried about my lower body; if my bones down there were any denser, I'm not sure I could walk.

Basically, my regular routine (3x weekly) includes both cardio and weight training in intervals. My off-day routine (also 3x weekly) will just be cardio. So hopefully I can keep the soreness to a minimum.

I am so glad I found this post! I start a new job on monday and I have to be there at 6 am! So I want to get my cardio in before work so i have no excuses later in the day after work! I have to get up at 4am just to get in 1/2 hour workout! Not looking forward to it but you guys gave me some motivation!