I never seem to get this thing right - the whole eating right and exercising thing. While I can manage the eating right OR the exercise part, I seldom successfully combine both for a cohesive sustainable solution. You know what I mean? I have months where I am obsessed with the exercise - I do the 30 day shred, I run, I mix in the gym. And then I think "wow - I really should eat right too" and head off in the eating right direction, only to leave working out on the side of the road all battered and abused.
Today I went to the witch doctor (AKA Orthopedic Surgeon) and didn't hear anything new really about the deteriorating condition of my left knee - except that next up is injections of synovial fluid replacement stuff followed by re constructive knee surgery (we can make you better, stronger, faster...).
One thing that was new? I was told to step up the exercise. He wants me to build up my left quad, as it has deteriorated quite a bit since the surgery in July. This, only months after being told to pretty much scrap working out altogether. MAKE UP YOUR MIND MAN!
I looked up lots of quad exercises and they all require a lot of strain on the knee - which is difficult at best. I am not supposed to put any direct pressure on the knee, not supposed to run or bike, and not supposed to do aerobics. I see nothing left - except swimming and maybe yoga.
I sent some time looking online and ruled out a few exercises right off the bat. Squats are O-U-T out. Too hard on the knee. Same for lunges. I half-ass my way through them when I do the shred and they don't help if you don't do them right. Doing them right = pain. I think I will start spending more time swimming and some targeted weights at the gym. If I can mix that with eating less crap and more protein, it should help build muscle. Wish me luck.