Honestly, Raclut, I feel better with the weight loss. The exercise I do because I should. And my knees hurt. I don’t think I will ever really look forward to it. But I’ve kept up a pretty good pace since I returned from skiing a month ago which is a change for me. I usually stop. I am trying to keep the muscle tone in my quads. That’s what I tell myself every year is something I want to do, and I haven’t been good about it in the past. SOSConcern’s article was interesting. I can aim for 2.5 hrs a week. I am currently doing more than that, I think.
Michael - I agree with your suggestions about MyFitnessPal calorie allotments for the most part. I’ve used MFP religiously for the past 3 years tracking everything I eat and it’s been a useful tool for me. On days when I get an extra 400-500 calories just from steps (I typically average 20K steps per day) I don’t eat many of those calories and I have been able to maintain my weight loss for a couple years now. I do find, though, that I really have to eat the extra calories when I do long runs. On the weekends when I do at least a 10 mile run, I earn a lot of extra calories and I do need to eat more.
jym626, my youngest had “loose kneecaps”…that’s the best way to describe it. It impacted his skiing because of the instability and he had tried different braces and wasn’t happy and the orthopedic surgeon, PA and PT all recommended biking to strengthen the muscles supporting the knee. He was young when it was diagnosed and the prognosis was that he “could” outgrow it, but they were adamant that biking was a positive thing for him to do to strengthen the muscles impacting his knees. You might ask about that for you. I don’t know or don’t recall what your knee issues were.
Michael, yes, I have MFP set up with the amount of calories needed to lose a pound a week. I have no intention of “using” the calories “gained” from exercising and I do know they are overstated, they have to be. I manually overrode my biking calories yesterday from what they said to what my bike said. That said, it’s nice to know I maybe can have an indulgence once a week and it will work out rather than ruining the week.
I lost 2.2 pounds this week! I’m very happy with that after being sorta hovering around one number for too long. It’s like my body finally let go.
And I am not losing sight of my first goal of feeling stronger, having more stamina and balance. And that is happening.
@momofthreeboys This is something that shows up in athletes like tennis players. They injure their knees but the muscles around the knees are so strong they hold everything in place until the athlete stops working out. Then the muscles weaken and a whole mess of problems arises.
Basically gotta keep all those muscles tight to stay healthy!
Way to go, @VaBluebird!! WAHOO!!
Thanks, @momofthreeboys. I will add more cycling to my workout. I also have a pretty basic, inexpensive set of pedals under my desk. I’ll try to use them more. I have had some knee injuries, one a long time ago and one a few years ago. Neither required surgery (although I was told when the first one happened when I was in HS I’d have knee surgery before I graduated college. ANd that was a long time ago and I’ve successfully avoided surgery thus far). I developed condromalacia patella and arthritis. Then a few years ago someone smashed into me on the slopes and injured the other. Subsequently developed a Baker’s cyst, which ultimately resolved. But the knees crackle and hurt. Someone has suggested knee sleeves. I have braces that I use when skiing (that are sorta like them) and then those strap supports at the gym. I could try the support braces at the gym, but I would be a sight
Well, I’ve been at the Apple Store for 3 hours now and it will be a while longer. So, while I am in my exercise clothes, we have movie passes for this evening, fortunately not far from here. So it looks like exercise will not happen today. And I haven’t eaten since an egg and a banana this morning. Hungry!
My fitness tracker doesn’t pick up the steps I take while pushing a Costco cart. 
2000 steps doesn’t surprise me in the least, though.
Why doesn’t it track your steps with the cart? That’s unusual…
My fitbit doesn’t track my steps when I’m pushing a shopping cart either. So I take it off my wrist and put it in a pocket in my pants and that works. Don’t want to miss out on those steps!
@jym626 I, also, had knee injury in high school, and couple years ago developed bakers cyst. Went to othro, and rehab, and biking was suggested as a way to strengthen muscles, as well as other quad and leg exercises.
I, have been wearing a nice elastic sleeve lately because I am getting a bit of fluid as I do née exercise programs.
Wonder if skiing aggravated your knees? Sorry if that’s true.
Jym, a lot of wrist devices are measuring arm movement as a proxy for steps. Pushing a cart doesn’t trigger my device.
@C3Baker, yes, if you are running 10 miles, I agree you have to up your caloric intake. My point was that you cannot rely on the MFP calorie allotment for the exercise to do so. The numbers for cardio work, particularly long distance cardio work, are way off. Much too high. That’s why my suggestion is to manually override the daily calorie calculation and add calories until you reach and equilibrium. If you rely on the exercise calories as the measure of additional food you can eat, you will be eating more than you are burning, and in many cases much more. As I said, I have done field test comparisons against established accurate and reliable means of measuring calorie burn and MFP’s variance is significant.
Biking can be a great exercise for strengthening your quads but to avoid causing additional knee pain for someone who is already having knee issues, you must be very aware of seat height, cadence, load, pedal stroke, and alignment of hips, knees, ankles and foot position. Because cycling involves repetitive movements and significant leg speed, if you don’t pay attention to these things, you can cause further injury. Also, if you are using cycling to strengthen your quads, be sure to also do complimentary hamstring exercises and lots of leg and hip stretching.
I know the stepper, treadmill and elliptical at our gym can’t possibly be correct. I feel the most winded when I do the treadmill and have the highest heartrate, but the elliptical always claims I’ve burned the most calories.
I know that if I eat about 1500 calories during the week and a bit more on weekends and exercise at least three times a week, I’ll drift down to something very close to the weight I’d like to be at. The problem is actually getting that exercise piece in. I’ve made it easier by getting weights, a TRX and a bike in the basement, and I always get to the gym on Sundays. Just finished playing with weights for 30-40 minutes so I’m feeling reasonably virtuous.
Thanks @SouthJerseyChessMom . My knees are no better or worse from the skiing, fortunately. This is always what happens . So will have to find other weight bearing exercises (need to include that for osteopenia) that are easier on the knees.
CD, Good point about the arm movements with the tracker. It had some seriously whacko readings when I was skiing!!
Hello dummies compadres. I spent ALL afternoon (12:30- 5:30) at the apple store and then to a movie preview (cute film- Eddie the Eagle) so never got to exercise. Was STARVING so DH took me for sushi. I think sushi is salty as my rings are very tight this morning and the scale wasn’t as friendly as I’d hoped. Up a pound. Yes, I know it fluctuates. The general trend is in the right direction.
I am having to reload all my phone apps which is a major challenge. Had to make another appointment at the apple store just in case it continues to be stuck.
How are all the rest of you doing with your progress. Hang in there. Slow and steady.
Exercise this week is ending up just being the steps I, doing running around doing errands.
I have a 3 day wedding weekend for good family friends. Tried on the dress I plan to wear and it’s now a tad large. That’s great but now I need to run around and find someone to do last minute alterations.
Plateaued again, which is understandable. Need to go shopping and get more healthy food in the house. And need to clean out the fridge and get rid of the stuff that found its way to the back of the fridge and now looks yukky. Plan to try to get to the gym today, and maybe try more cycling and less treadmill.
So, fellow dummies, what snacks do you keep in the house to help with a desire to nibble at some point? Carrots, celery, even oranges or tangerines aren’t as satisfying lately. And a handful of nuts just makes me want more.
@mathmom, I agree about the calorie deficit from exercising. MFP says Zumba burns 760ish some calories. yeah, that’s if you are going at it crazy impact like the instructors do maybe. Me, not so much. And I wonder about the machines as well. Without personal info input, a reading must be for an average adult person, I guess?
Cashews- costco- unsalted and organic - my new discovery