A New Exercise Challenge

My physical therapist gave me the okay to do the nautilus weights but even though I asked, I'm not sure I want to take those on (at least for my legs).  I know too many people with knee replacements who have forever doomed their recovery because they did weights - it might just be because they did them too soon.  But, in any case, I will wait until November when I see my doctor.  However, I was looking for something new.

Today when I was in the pool I noticed a woman swimming against the current in the lazy river.  OMG - I can barely WALK against the current.  So anyway, I gave it a try.  It's like one of those "Endless Pool" commercials where you swim for hours and don't go anywhere.  I managed once around, with manual help getting around the corners.  I was so out of breath from the one lap I thought I would faint.  I didn't dare try another one because I didn't know what stress it would cause my knee.  But - I'm smitten - lol.  When I go to the pool I am going to add one lap against the current, and add as I am able to.

The other reason I didn't push it too much today is that I am mildly uncomfortable.  We have pending rain and I am sure that is it, as much as anything physical that I might have done to overwork my knee.  The therapist said this is one of the things that will probably always be with me.  Before my replacement my knees ached when it was going to rain, but I was hoping I was done for with the new knee.  I'm not sure it's the knee itself that aches (it's only metal and plastic) - it is probably the muscle, nerves and skeleton surrounding it.  I got out of the gym and I was grabbing onto anything until I got to my car.  I looked up at the handicap ramp into my building and I might as well have been looking up Mt. Everest.  Everyone has good and bad days - it just seems that mine are either REALLY good (like yesterday - I walked that mile without needing to rest!) or REALLY bad - although I hate to use the word bad... more like uncomfortable and daunting.

I have been faithfully on WW Points Plus since Saturday.  I had been counting calories but while doing so I also added up the PP against the calories and found that day in and day out I was eating exactly 29 PP - so I figured might as well.  I have an on-line membership until October 9th so I've been using it to track and find recipes.  I have also been sugar free, and processed white flour free, as was my original plan.  So, all in all, it's been a successful week, so far.

In terms of exercise, I think twice a week at the pool is plenty (Tuesday and Thursday) and then I will walk M-W-F, and next Saturday my belly dance classes start - I am on my feet for 2 1/2 hours straight with those, so that's enough exercise for the day (and we always start with a really good stretch).  Gee.... do you think I can take Sunday off??????

Miriam