Q: I've been lifting two to three times a week for two months. Sometimes my muscles feel sore but I still go through my whole program. However, I wonder if I'm hurting myself by doing this. What are your thoughts? - S.L., Salt Lake City, UT

A: I don't think you're hurting yourself. Practically everyone who trains with weights, even if they're doing everything right, will experience muscle soreness to some degree in the days following a workout. Researchers think the discomfort stems from the eccentric phase of the exercise (moving a weight away from the center of your body, as you do during a biceps curl, for example), which maximally taxes the muscles.

Typically, muscle soreness will go away within two or three days. In the meantime, don't stop your workouts. Continuing to exercise with light weights may help the pain subside. If you have constantly sore muscles, check to see if you have enough protein in your diet. Per day, you need to consume at least one half gram of protein for every pound of lean muscle mass you have. That's 75 grams of protein for a 150-pound person.

Source: fitlinxx.com