I have had ACLs on both knees reconstructed - many knee surgeries, no cartilage left in right knee - have to be careful with it locking up - even when I had a hard time doing treadmill, I could do elliptical machine by ensuring I was putting stress on my quads vs knee. Maybe that will work for you. Also, I switched to horizontal leg presses to alleviate strain on knees from regular squats as well as doing a reverse squat machine where you lay down in machine and bring the weight to you - both exercises allowed me to strengthen quads, glutes, etc without aggravating my knee even when it was flared up. Key is to keep your quads strong to take pressure off knee joint which should help the tendoninitis. Hope those work for you!

I second the water exercise, Andrea... especially deep water running as there is absolutely no impact, but all the movements through the water challenge your muscles due to its density. And you can adjust it to as hard as you wish - just make your movements slower or in a smaller range of motion. When I was working in Physio, we used water exercise for almost everyone. Even as soon as stitches have closed from knee or hip replacements. Check out the idea with your physio. You don't need to be a swimmer or even get your head in the water, you just wear a special waist belt to keep you suspended.

Liana

Hello Everyone,

Wow there is a lot going on!
Andrea, so sorry you have all these challenges right now and for your loss.
Slip, that trip sounds fantastic , have a great time. I empathize wit the challenge of balancing fun meals with day to day.
Eve, your comments about carbs resonated with me. I've experienced pretty drastic water pounds in response to small amounts of extra carbs, so I will give slowly increasing them some thought. Hawaii and Posh...lots of exercise going on there! Sally, I would also suggest working with a nutritionist. Everyone...a big hello and enjoy the rest of the week.

Hello friends,

Sally - I have followed your conversation as well. I imagine it is good to have a diagnoses and a treatment plan but also overwhelming. How are you feeling?

Andrea :hug: what a sad loss your office has had and for his family. I hear how much you ate dealing with and hope that it calms down soon. My dad was an accountant and I remember this being a very busy time. I was thinking swimming as an alternalive, maybe Aqua fit class? Check with physio. Hang in there.

Eve. - congratulations on 6 months maintanance!! great job figuring out what is working so well for your body. I think I've got to get more strict to avoid the gain P1 cycle and try to stay more consistent. Have you found a new house?

Slip - enjoy the spa weekend it sounds lovely.

Ellen - good for you for doing those insanity workouts! I hear they are hard.

Hi to everyone else and sending :hug: and :) everyone is working so hard. Pishposh I'm going to do a stricter cleaner P3 and see if that helps me knock off a few. I feel a little frustrated with me and my inner brat. Time to get ready for spring and all those nice summer clothes.

P3 is really a great plan if you aren't going back into keto, I think. Calories are still restricted but I hardly ever feel hungry. Those summer dresses are just around the corner

SallyE and catlady, hope you both start feeling better soon.

Evemomma, congrats on six months of maintaining! My IP anniversary is in April too. It's amazing to think where I was this time last year and how far I've come!

Slip, spa weekend sounds lovely, enjoy the relaxation time!

Did day 4 of the shred last night. I'm considering moving on to level 2 early as level 1 isn't really challenging me. I break a sweat and breath heavily, but I don't feel like I'm working *that* hard. Maybe I'll make it the 25 day shred. Sticking to P3 pretty well so far. My weight is up but I think it's all the exercise.

Supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow tonight. Hopefully this is winter's last hurrah and we can move on. Birds have taken up residence in my yard already, it's so loud in the mornings. Have a few beautiful cardinals hanging around.

Sending everyone well wishes! :hug:

Happy Hump Day Maintainers!

Thanks for all the exercise suggestions. I was talking to my hair stylist who knows a swim/physio coach that I am going to call for water workout lessons. The Ortho told me to try swimming after my knee surgery and I tried that in the pool back in 2012 but I must have been doing it wrong since my knee really hurt afterwards. Apparently the swim lessons that I took when I was 6 (wow that was 50 years ago!) didn't teach me proper form so I need to take lessons again. I may have to break down and join a gym so I can use a leg press machine (ortho approved) because my apartment gym doesn't have one.

We are bracing for another round of nasty winter weather here. It's supposed to start sleeting right around rush hour with 20-30 mph winds, continue into the wee hours of the morning and then change to ice and then to top that off, for the morning commute, snow, about 6 inches. Mother Nature is trying to cram all of winter into the last 2 weeks! Suffice it to say I will not be driving in that stuff in the morning. And then on top of that, I had no internet when I got up today. If it requires a service tech to fix, no one will be coming out tonight or tomorrow. There goes my plan to binge watch House of Cards during the ice storm. I guess I'll just read and knit instead. The forecasters are saying be prepared with the three B's: Batteries, Blankets and Brandy!

eve: Congrats on 6 months in Maint. I have been doing a lot of the same things as you: slowly upping calories, increasing carbs. I have really only had 2 fun days in the 2 months that I have been Maintaining, otherwise I just fit things in. I don't see to many huge swings, a couple of pounds here or there but they always go back down. I'm trying to learn from all of you about the binge/restrict syndrome and it seems to be working. So thanks!

ecd: Thanks for the exercise suggestions. I'm already doing leg lifts for my PT so I'm thinking of getting some ankle weights to help with strengthening.

Hawaii: I am going to look into water exercise. Usually they have those types of classes at the YMCA.

slip: I've noticed since I bumped up to 1800 calories and got my net carbs between 100-150 weight is pretty stable except for a sodium event. That darn salt gets me every time. But I can have chocolate and it doesn't seem to make a difference. Fats average about 80 grams a day. So far that is working for me.

RO22: The leg press was given the OK by my Ortho. I may give the elliptical a try. I'm just nervous that the least little thing will cause damage as I have no cartilage left in the knee either. Ugh!

Liana: Water exercise seems to be the most suggested thing for this. I will check into it.

Mars: Glad you are enjoying the book titles. After I finish the Snow Child, I have a couple of Neil Gaiman books on my list. Smoke and Mirrors and Anansi Boys. Neverwhere has been suggested as well. I am learning not to freak out and react by restricting when I have a couple of up lbs. I've only had to do 2 P1 days after fun days. I like food too much to go back to P1 for any length of time.

Pish: Sorry to hear you are getting more snow. I know the feeling. They are saying the high winds might cause power outages. Perfect. I don't have a fire place and if the roads are not driveable I'm stuck at home.

Seriously Catlady? Your are 56? You look FABULOUS. That's hard to believe.

I've had bad knees for 30 years. Like you. it's bone on bone -- connective tissue is minimal or damaged. The elliptical Trainer is a godsend -- the closest thing to running that I will ever come to. The beauty is that there is no impact. Of course, you know your limitations, and with everything going on now, it might not be the best solution in the short run, but I encourage you to try it out. It's been the only cardio that I can do without hurting my knees.

You are a rock star! Thanks for being an inspiration.

My internet is working. Storm is blowing like crazy outside. Little ice balls are hitting my bedroom window at 20 mph. Hoping the electricity stays on.

winewanderer: Aww. You're sweet. Thanks! I have access to an elliptical in my apt. gym. I'll give it very gentle try.

Jenny: Aquafit. I think Liana does that as well. I'm calling the Y tomorrow. Maybe I can combine my need for a gym and water classes all in one place.

Andrea, hoping your power stays on! Be sure to turn the heat up now just in case. We are expecting 5 inches of snow tonight/ tomorrow. Really hoping this is the very last storm! Also, our book club has read Snow Child. I liked it.

Andrea,
I hope that works for you. I did not recommend the water because it actually aggravated my knee too. I had purchased the Aqua jogger and was all gung-ho only to have my knee aggravated by it. The problem for me was my knee slipping on the bottom of pool and jolting it.
One word of caution on leg pressure and elliptical - limit your range of motion to simply strengthen quad and not stress the joint. You need to continually concentrate on elliptical to ensure this where leg press you can do this based upon where you place your feet on base and the number you set it to as your starting position (how much flexion you allow - go slowly!). If you count to 10 either while pushing away or lowering, your quad should get a nice workout and your knee protected. If your tendonitis is worse to push away, you can use your good leg to do that or opposite if your issue is more on the flexion.

Hi everyone,

Have been grousing about winter so much, I thought I would share the beauty of our snow day today.

Yeah it's Friday,

This week has been long. My son has been throwing up in the evening only, not sure if it's a flu bug or eating too fast. Ready to throw out my scale. It feels like the harder I've wirked this week and it was better than last week the scale would just go up. So like an addict I start making wonderful excuses, like after a year of working out really hard this week my muscle weighs more or I'm increasing heart rate to much at gym and out of fat burning zone, maybe TOM two weeks early....I could keep going will all the thoughts. But I think it was last weeks eating still showing, not being totally clean, wasting calories on salad dressing and not sticking with P1 when I should.
Back at top of range and will set more realistic goals to get 3 up lbs down slowly.

Wishing winter would end. Hope everyone has a great end to their week. Slip, enjoy the spa weekend

Jenny....big hugs!

You are being really hard on yourself!!! I go up about 1-2 lbs when i ovulate....might that be it?

Jenny, I think it is an adjustment time for both of us. I do understand that the 3 UP pounds feel like a huge burden right now, but I think our key to success is persistence and acceptance. We have been working this hard for 8-9 months, there were bound to be bumps. There are lots of factors involved, the frigid winter, illness, stress ... Try to focus on the positive, soon you will be running outside in the sunshine. We will make it to our year Thin-anniversary, my friend! That is a promise.

Jenny it could be something as simple as the increased stress of a sick child is increasing your cortisol which is causing you to retain more fluids. You've done such a good job of maintaining. I agree with some of the others. Go easy on yourself