I am finding Starting Strength too intense. What to do?

I am finding Starting Strength too intense. What to do? I'm 34, been sedentary for years, and started Starting Strength three weeks ago following the program exactly. By day three of each week I'm so beaten up I can barely walk properly and my motivation to go back is dropping fast. I'm sleeping 7-8 hours and eating enough protein. Is this just normal adaptation and I should push through, or is SS genuinely too aggressive a starting point for someone coming from zero base? Are there intermediate options between complete beginner bodyweight work and a full linear progression barbell program? Or is the answer just to run SS with lighter weights and slower progression than the book prescribes?