When will the aching stop?

I've been working out non-stop for roughly a year.  Before then, my workouts consisted of an aerobic class here, a yoga class there, pole dancing to spice it up and kick boxing, just to throw in a little variety.  Nothing ever stuck.  But once I turned my life over to complete fitness and decided I needed to workout on a more consistent basis, I hired a trainer and got serious.  At that time, I didn't have enough motivation to workout myself, so getting a trainer seemed to be the most logical thing to do.  I knew my body would ache for awhile because I was just starting out and my trainer felt I could take it because of my boyish frame and athletic build (giggle).  There would be days where my arms wouldn't move.  They would lock at the joints and my muscles were extremely tight.  Other days my legs were weak as water and I had a hitch in my giddy-up.  It literally felt like my body ached from my eye lids to my toenails.  As the weeks went by and my body became more susceptible to the workouts, the aches and pains gradually wore off.

Now that I'm in fitness modeling, the workouts are more grueling, intense and rigorous.  The days where my arms were unmovable and I wreaked of Tiger Balm were upon me once again.  I couldn't figure it out.  I thought since I was becoming more fit and active that I wouldn't have to feel as much pain as I did when I first began working out.  But I realized that I've only been doing this a year and the weights my trainer put on me were increasing. Nonetheless, Tiger Balm is readily by my bedside and I stay soaking in a hot bath on those particular days. 

I couldn't help but think, so this is what it's like to be an athlete? It hurts like hell but I guess if I'm going to be a part of this life the aching won't stop for a while.  I think I can get used to that.  It hurts so good, but I would never tell my trainer...

The turtle in my belly; downside to lifting heavy with my body

The little knot right above my belly piercing is the turtle head.

What would you think if you saw a tiny knot poking from your belly, at the very top of your navel region?  Some would immediately think there's a problem and to rush to the emergency room.  Others would try nursing it or research what the issue may be then call their family doctor to schedule an appointment.  Me, I'd look at it and say, "I have a turtle head poking out of my belly!"  This strange yet proud exclamation shouldn't be taken lightly.  I was concerned for all of two minutes while I carried on a lengthy conversation with my friend on the phone.  At one point, I thought, hernia, but dismissed it because I didn't know enough about a hernia to lay claim to that notion.  So I continued yelling out "I have a turtle head poking out of my belly!" to my friend, who wasn't sure what to say at that moment.    

When the pain persisted I called the people I knew would have the answer to my problem, my parents.  Neither one have gone to medical school nor have had any formal training in the field of medicine, but they'd know what to do to make the pain go away, at least until I spoke to a medical professional.  I was told to eat something, take a hot shower, rub some alcohol on my belly and keep still.  A trained medical professional probably wouldn't agree with my parents methods but it worked for the time being.  I asked if they thought it might be a hernia and they said possibly but I should make an appointment to be on the safe side.  I knew they'd know what to do. 

The turtle head went in his shell and for the next few days I felt fine.  Until,  one night during one of my intense workouts (by intense I mean heavy lifting and lots of complaining) the turtle poked his little head out again.  This time, I was lucky enough to have a physician in the gym working out as well.  What are the odds of that happening?  She felt around and assessed it to be what I thought all along, a hernia.  I scheduled an appointment for the following week and was told it was a possible umbilical hernia due to physical strain.  I explained to my doctor that I was now in fitness modeling and my workouts consisted of heavy weight lifting.  I was told I needed to slow down.  My body couldn't handle that much strain and that if I continued I would eventually have to have surgery. Stop.  He had me at surgery.  I wasn't about to go through that.  Fitness modeling is cool and all but not worth having surgery over.   

My trainer decided to slow down on the workouts, giving me more reps with less weights.  Still intense but he gets a little more creative so that I don't lose all the muscle I gained.  I made an agreement with the turtle that I won't strain as long as he didn't bring on the pain.  He complied and has kept his little head back in his shell, for now.