Moderate stretching and exercise on the menu today to combat muscle soreness post backpacking trip. Image courtesy of photostock and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

I’m sore. My legs feel like lead and my hips stiff.  I jumped into a workout (backpacking) that I haven’t done for a while. Sure I walked about 4 days a week for the last couple of weeks and did yoga everyday. It still didn’t prepare my muscles for the big hike this weekend.

The soreness started Sunday morning, before the hike back. Breaking down camp and some stretching (and a couple of Ibuprofen) seemed to help loosen up my legs.

Today the soreness is back with abandon. I’m expecting the soreness to last about 48 hours before it eases its kung fu death grip on me.

The old me would give in to the pain and rest my body for a few days. Of course the old me also weighed 325 lbs. Sure I’d rest after a tough workout. But getting me to workout again was next to impossible. Why on earth would I want to feel more pain. It seemed that anytime I lifted a finger, I got sore the next day and needed to rest. My workouts were always stop and go, stop and go. So why bother.

I didn’t…and my waistline paid the price.

As I said, that was the old me. My plan now is to take it easy for a couple of days. But that doesn’t mean no exercise. On tap today – light stretching and a 1 mile walk. Tomorrow I go for a swim.  I might add in some resistance band training too, but using the bands with less tension than normal.

I’ve read that exercise may help reduce the lactic acids associated with sore muscles. It certainly helps pump more oxygen and blood to muscles.  I know that my body feel better with moderate exercise and the overall pain and stiffness seems to go away much quicker.

Plus, I need to get my legs ready for a 5K on Saturday.