Letting my knees heal. I have kind of fallen off the diet bandwagon too.

[babycakes1970]

I have been doing the beginner body weight routine. I was doing all twenty squats and lunges for three circuits but my knees were getting all torn up. I mean they were weak.I decided to take a break for a week while they heal up and then modify the workout as I ease back into it. I definitely do not want to ruin my knees for good so I must be more careful.

I have fallen off the diet bandwagon somewhat as well. Not completely but I should not expect to see much if any weight loss this week. I have decided that I am going to eat as clean and healthy as my limited budget will allow.I am going to get back on it ASAP.

[Pat G]

Ummm. knees getting torn up? ouch.

This is probably an obvious question, but when you do squat you're getting your knees to track over your toes right? Muscular pain or grinding/crackling?

Good to see you're reaffirming yourself on your journey

[oystergirl]

Big hugs baby cakes....I have been having some knee cracking issues and so I am doing seated (on the couch with a pillow under my knee) leg extensions and holding them for 10 seconds each (I use 5 pound weights but you can start with nothing) and doing 10 each side. These really help strengthen the knees. Also, you can do box step ups. Find a stool or step that is 90 degrees or a big lower and simply slowly step up with one foot and back down the same way and then switch legs. This helps strengthen without the stress of the squat.

Treat yourself kindly and with love!

[Waldo]

Lunges can be really tough on the knees, moreso than squats. Squats also tend to attack the root of the problem with regards to knee pain, over time they should become less painful. When I first started it took me over a month before I could even do a bodyweight squat because of the knee pain. 4 months later the issue is mostly gone, however I still do not do lunges at all unless I do a couple quick ones as a dynamic stretch pre-running.

[babycakes1970]

Ummm. knees getting torn up? ouch.

This is probably an obvious question, but when you do squat you're getting your knees to track over your toes right? Muscular pain or grinding/crackling?

Good to see you're reaffirming yourself on your journey

Not really grinding or crackling nor is it muscle pain. It is weakness. I will get through the workout just fine and later on when I get out of bed to go to the bathroom I limp all the ay there. It also happens when I have been sitting for a while. Since I have been taking a break my knees feel much better. When I do squats I try to it how Steve does in the video. I have to use a chair for support though or I'd fall right on my bum.

[Pat G]

Perhaps, do box squats, low chair placed under you, touch your rear to it at the bottom of the squat and/or try widening your stance a bit, have the toes pointing out at an angle instead of straight agead, allow you to engage more of the hammys + glutes. That'll perhaps help cue better form till you can do them without the assistance of the chair.

I'm with Waldo for the fact that squats strenghten the knees incredibly. Trust your body, if its debilitating, get it checked by the doctor.

[Hardy]

You could also switch to the Angry Birds. No lunges in that one, but everything else is the same, and you can progress (level up) as you go. I just started it today, as I didn't know where to go with the beginner one now that my numbers were going up. I may add the lunges into AB, or maybe just keep progressing with the squats..

http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/03/10/angry-birds-workout-plan/

[babycakes1970]

I'll probobly switch to the Angry Birds workout. I am thinking about buying a pull up bar later this month too even though I doubt that I will be able to do more than a half pull up.