Hello DeeDee, I agree with you that the machines put a lot of stress on the knee, expecially the leg press and everything that requires a straightening of the leg with weight. In the quadriceps, you have four muscles. Two of them are situated in the midlle one on top of the other and the other two are on each side of the middle muscles. In the hamstrings, you have three muscles that are placed side by side. The middle one is sort of divided into two muscles so, in a way, you can say that you have four muscles in the hamstrings.

By doing the exercises I gave you, you are going to somehow isolate each of the muscles. When you feel strong enough, you can put on ankle weights to strenghten your legs even more. In the gym I use to go to, there was a machine that would strenghtten the inner thighs without putting any pressure on the knee. If I could have a machine at home that would work my inner thighs as well as this machine does that would not cost me a fortune, I sure would love it. For now, all I have is this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0016BPJ6W/ref=dp_image_text_0?ie=UTF8&n=3760901&s=hpc Once you have acquired a certain level, it losses its effectiveness.

I will definitly look into the Winsor Pilates DVDs since there are specific workouts for the buns and thighs!!

Thanks Dominique! I belong to the YMCA and they have the machines that do the inner thigh and the "saddle-bag" area. I LOVE them!

I will do these excercises for sure!!!

Hope you are all having a good one!

Here is is rainy but I have a nutritious stew brewing and my family is healthy and happy! Can't ask for better than that!

DD

I am really happy I was able to help. Today, my knee feels better and I will do the exercises for my legs too.

Take care everyone!!

Hi everyone! Just getting started here and excited to be part of such a positive group! Here I go . . . .

Welcome Dbrink!!! Make yourself at home!!!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! I hope to be as encouraging to everyone here also! Speaking of videos, I've got hip hop abs, and love the dance moves, but its hard to find the time to have the tv to myself,s o I live without for now. The Firm always had great exercises, and get ripped has great weight exercises. Still, I'm doing fine with mr treadmill for now and my ankle weights.

Missou, if you want to start a table, I think it would good for me. Make me more accountable in a way. Right now, my family really doesn't seem to notice. Plus, i'm married to one of the those guys who works out every morning and has to eat twice as much just to keep up because his metabolism is so fast! Not fair!

Everyone who just started this program, welcome and much luck to you. This is the best thing for me I know, so i can keep up with what i'm actually doing everyday as far as eating and exercising. I miss some foods here and there, but for the most part it is really helping!

YAY!

Missou, Thanks for tips. I have tried some pilates but I can't put my knee bended on the matt yet. It not only hurts but it feels like my skin in comeing apart. It's getting better though. But I will try the other exercises. After my ACL reconstruction I could streighten my knee but I could not get it to bend enough, so then I had to go back 2 months later and have it extended and scraped for scare tissue. Know I can bend it but I can't streighten it all the way. But I'm working on it. I was told the other day I might have to go back under. . Lets hope not.

Welcome to all Nobody give up, your weight will always fluctuate up and down . Just remember muscle weighs more. GOOD LUCK to everyone. .

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Booboogroom - Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds Express [Super Challenge - 4 Miles] is the least stressful DVD I have. It involves marching in place, stepping side to side, forward kicks and hamstring curls - If you can do these without pain, you could probably do the video. My mom has some knee trouble (specifically medial hamstring sprain) and she does well with it - she just modifies the moves to not squat and goes at her own pace. If these move hurt, then I would skip the DVD.

You may be able to have the library get it for you or Netflix may have it to try before you buy - to make sure it wont bother your knee. If I come across any others that seem easy on the knees I will pass the titles on to you.

Did you go see your knee doctor? Would physical therapy help to decrease the pain and/or learn which exercises are best for you?

Missou and everyone with knee trouble - have you tried the theraband (elastic bands) around the thigh for some strengthening without stressing the knee? Many of the thigh muscles cross both the hip and knee joints. This is a good alternative if you don't have access to machines.

Good luck and I hope your knees all feel better soon.

I had physical theropy for 6 months. I still do some of those. It doesn't really hurt unless I bend my knees and try to put preassure on them that way. (Like sitting on your knees, or ladies pushups.) And when I do this on the upper outer side below the knee cap to the left, I still have no felling, except for it felling like the skin is pulling apart. I seen another doctor yesterday who sid that my original doc. shouldn't have repaired it the way he did. So we will go from here. Man I don't want to go through that again. . Thats a month ot two of pure .

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Hello Ladies,
Sorry to hear about the knee troubles booboogrrom and missou. I have never had knee surgery but I do baby my knees. pinbotchick mentioned the Leslie Somsone's walking workouts and I did great with it. It is just a few bacis steps, no arobic type steps I'm a clutz
Friday is my weigh in day and I am down one more poud. I have to keep reminding myself slow and steady because I get real anxious and want the weight to come off faster. Good luck on all your goals this next week. Have a great weekend.

Hello ladies. I am 44 years old and have lost 20 pounds. I weigh myself monthy and the "magic" day for me is the 15th of November (Sunday). I lost 20 pounds in 8 months and my 2nd goal is to lose an additional 10 pounds before my b-day (March 2010).

Blessings!

Eva

Hi, Zu. I work for the Army. I USE to power walk during my lunch hour and now I am training myself to run around the PT track. I am a civilian; so don't salute me I work out Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays I go to the post gym for upper body weights and then I sit in the hot tub, get shower, change, and head back to work. I eat 1,250 calories and have lost 20 pounds in 8 months. I only weigh myself once a month and the "magic" day for me is on Sunday, 15 Nov. My second goal is to lose 10 additional pounds before my 45th B-day (March 2010). Keep up the good work!

Blessings!

Eva

Ladies,

I just wanted to say that this is the best thread! I am looking forward to getting to know you all! It is a blessing to communicate with such postive and experienced woman!

My knees are my weak point as well and I appreciate all of the helpful advice and frankly, I appreciate that you all understand and do not condemn or create expectations that are too high.

I have a green theraband and I just may research a bit more how to incorporate that more.

I am finally starting to recover from this stupid H1N1. People have all been telling me that they dealt with the respiratory part for 1-2 months. With that in mind I am going to give myself the weekend to continue recovering but then on Monday I hope to start a more vigorous weight and strenght training.

Wish me luck!

DD

Goof Luck and best of wishes DeeDee..

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Well Ladies I blew my diet tonight. The 4th was my 22 wedding aniversery and my husband is home for the weekend. This new Chinese Buffet opened here last week. And yes we went. We LOVE Chinese food.

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Welcome to all of the new people - we are happy to have you join us.

I have too have been enjoying getting to know everyone. It is nice to have people in my age range with my aches and pains.

My husband and I watched Purple Rain this week - Oh how I miss the 80s. I will admit the music was great and I just had to dance in the living room during the movie. We are paring down our DVD collection and this one will end up in the yard sale

Booboogroom - its okay to have a night out and not follow your diet (aka lifestyle change). Maybe you could consider making this a zigzag calorie week - where you eat over a few days and then under a few days to shake up your metabolism. I have to look for the positive in everything. I did this last week when I had the 1/2 rack ribs and beer Thursday and then a huge hamburg and fries Friday I ate at calorie level Sat and under (1300 instead of 1600 and no ex cal) Sun to Wed... Somehow I lost 4 pounds so it must have worked.

Enjoy your weekend. I am having company so probably wont check in again until they leave next week. I may go through MFP withdrawl

Booboogroom- I agree with pinbotchick. One day of indulgence is not going to undo your efforts.
Last week I overate on Sunday ( I did not even write down what I ate) and I still lost 2lb. for the week.

Have a good weekend and keep up the good work

Missou: did I read somewhere that it took you 2 months to begin losing weight, even though you were following your plan & exercising? Can you share some tips on what on earth kept you motivated during those 2 months? The last time I tried to lose weight & get into shape, I went for 3 weeks without losing, and then just gradually fizzled away - not even on purpose, but I think my subconscious was saying "Aw, to heck with it!"

I'm thinking that maybe this time around, I'm only going to weigh myself once a month, but I sure would be disappointed if I didn't see a drop in the scale at all. And yes, I know muscle weighs more than fat, the scales aren't the perfect tool to tell what's going on, etc. Yet seeing the numbers drop certainly can be motivating.

I do have to say kudos to you for sticking with it no matter what! (And where are you going for your cruise??? My last cruise was for my 40th birthday, and I'm about due for another one. Would like to shrink a little first!)

Yes LittleSister, you read correctly, I started losing weight after two months only. Prior to begin my training, my muscles were in real bad shape and my moral was even worse. When I started my program, I could feel that my body was feeling better and my outlook on life improved drasticly!! My friends on the other board did a major difference also. They kept on motivating me and on pushing me to do more.

When I started, I had a lot of difficulties to go up the stairs and after three months, I could easily go up and down my staircase 50 times in a row in about half an hour. When you consider that there are 10 steps in a row on a straight line in the staircase, that makes 1000 steps in half an hour!!!

The biggest motivation I had at that time was being able to move with such ease after so many years!!!

The other motivation I have to keep on working out are my upcoming cruises. Here is a link to both of them:

http://www.dominiquedesgranges.cruiseshipcenters.ca/CruiseDetail.aspx-item-244543-Destination-Caribbean-CruiseLine-Princess%20Cruises-Ship-Sea%20Princess-DateFrom-Nov+1%2c+2009-DateTo-Nov+30%2c+2009-culture-enCA

http://www.dominiquedesgranges.cruiseshipcenters.ca/CruiseDetail.aspx-item-244363-cl-Princess%20Cruises-sh-Caribbean%20Princess-dtf-May+1%2c+2010-dtt-May+31%2c+2010

The first one is to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary and the second one will be done with my daughters and their friend.

Talk about motivations!!! My knee feels really good nowaday, but I have to remember not to over do it if I want to be in top shape for my next cruise. The ship will leave the port in 21 days only. It is not the time for me to mess with the progress that has already been done!!!

I have to take it easy even if I see that the scale does not appreciate my resting time. I gained 1.2 pounds in the last two weeks All I want to do is climb on the Gazelle. I have a lot of work to do to stop me from risking my knee...

Missou, thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my post. I can see that the difference you felt physically is what kept you going. I'm hoping for a similar transformation. I'm sick of plantar fasciitis in my feet, knees that grind and pop, panting when I climb even a small flight of stairs, and just not feeling like doing anything.

I started walking last week, but threw my back out a couple of days ago. My back is getting better, and I'm actually finding myself eager to start walking again.

I love cruises! I've been on 3 and am ready to go again. Before I took my first cruise, I turned my nose up at my mother & sister, who had invited me to go on a cruise with them. I said "I'm a real traveler, not some Love Boat cast member." They told me to stop being a snot and get out my credit card. We went to the Bahamas. A few years later, my sister and I cruised the Mediterranean, which was awesome. And then, after I was married, I told my hubby I wanted to go on a cruise with him. He turned his nose up and gave me the "I'm a real traveler" line, and I just laughed and told him to shut up and get out our credit card. *lol!*

Let me guess, your husband is now a real captain Stubin right???

We're thinking of taking a cruise in Feb. We're going to try something we've never done before. I'm on these mailing lists for last minute travel deals. Some of them are practically free. We booked the time off work, but aren't making plans until the week before. Worse case scenario, we can have a "stay-cation" and enjoy family time around the city.

I hav a friend whose husband promised to her that if she lost 50 pounds, he would take her on a cruise. They had been married 30 years, he never talked about her weight at all, loved her the way she was, except wanted her to be healthy. Don't know what came over him - out of the blue, he proposed this idea. She lost the weight, they took the cruise, it was great. It was as if he suddenly decided he wanted his wife to be healthy & stay around forever.

Kind of a sad twist to it - a few years later, she was diagnosed with cancer. She's doing well, and it's been about 5 years, and who knows, maybe her lifestyle change is having something to do with her success. But it's kind of interesing - it's like her husband could see into the future - life is short, health is important, etc.

The 6 came back today... I am at 160.4 lbs this morning

Today, I am going on the Gazelle. I tried it for 5 minutes and did a lot of work for my knee on Saturday and yesterday, my knee was not in pain. I am not saying that I will stay on the Gazelle a long time, I will stop as soon as I feel some pain in the knee. I also won't do more than 15 minutes at a time. I may do it more than once in a day though.

I also will do a new Pilates video that works the bun and thighs specificaly. I have a pair of pants that I can wear, but they are thight a little. I have 17 more days to workout before I leave for Barbados and 19 days before my cruise and they need to have a better fit.