I Feel Good! Like I Knew I Would!

Life for me is a series of ups and downs. I expect it's that way for most people. Today I'm on a high and I did not want to miss reporting it.

I went to the gym this morning and did 20 minutes on the bike, working the resistance up to where I was getting a heart rate of 125 beats per minute. At the physical therapy office yesterday the goal was to reach the level of work that would get me to 120 beats per minute and I wasn't entirely sure what that felt like. I think I've got it now. My knee felt a slight strain with every turn on the bike, which suggests to me that it was working the flex just a bit, which is a good thing.

After the bike I did two sets of ten on the leg press, with 140 pounds. I think I can start to bend my knees more on the leg press. Trouble is, with the Nautilus machine I have to bend to the max when I first get on it. I'd like a different design, please.

The leg press at the gym is similar to this.

After the leg press I moved to the hip abductor-adductor machine, to do abductor work. This is similar to the clamshells I am supposed to do at home but with both knees at once so I don't think I can eliminate the clams, unfortunately. Still, I like this machine so I use it.

And that was it for the gym today. Light workout. Which is good. We need to work up to some things. After spending a few minutes in the steam room and taking a shower and getting dressed, I headed over to Trader Joe's for a few groceries, and then to Roxanne's Birkenstocks in the hopes of finding yet another identical pair of shoes to the Earth shoes I wear all the time. Well. Earth shoes no longer makes exactly that pair and what they do make that is similar was not in stock. Poor me. I ordered the replacement shoes. Also admired some new sandals that are built to be easier on your feet and look good. But they did not have any in my size, of course. 

Back home then, to put the groceries away. And to revel in this feeling of Good. When I get in and out of the car now I no longer feel any pain in my knee because I have achieved a high enough level of flex. I can now walk down stairs one foot at a time (no two-stepping).  I was able to go from the gym to Trader Joe's to downtown without feeling worn out. These things are terrific achievements for me. Finally I am seeing real change and loving it. 

I worked hard at achieving change without getting knee surgery and I was only able to get to a certain point and stay pretty much level after that. I am now making noticeable changes week by week and it is just wonderful. At least that's how it feels right now.