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A little about me: I work at the national office of the Arthritis Foundation. I'm 42 years old. I've been physically active for many years. What's different now is that I've recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my right knee (probably is in my left knee as well, but the doc only MRIed my right). I've had to change my training and workouts to accommodate the pain and stiffness and to minimize any further damage. I know, however, how important it is that I keep those knees moving and keep my quadriceps strong!

My general training schedule is to do 3 days/week of cardio and 3 days/week of weight training. One rest day per week.

Today was a weight training day. The office has a small fitness center that I go use during my lunch hour. It doesn't have all the equipment of a big commercial gym, but I make it work. Here's what I did:

Chin-ups: 8; 5; 5

Bulgarian squats, unweighted: 3 sets of 15 each leg

Rows: 60 lbs x 3 sets x 15 reps

Straight leg deadlifts: 25-lb DBs x 3 sets x 15 reps

Incline DB presses: 25-lb DBs x 3 sets x 15 reps

8-count body builders: 10

mountain climbers: 50

burpees: 15

crunches: 45

Let's fill in from the weekend. I'm not on the computer very much over the weekends.

Saturday: I went to a cardio kickboxing class Saturday morning. I got there a little early, so I did some chin-ups before class. Then class -- I'd say there was about 45 minutes of high-intensity cardio, then about 15 minutes of slower movements (balance, abs, and cooldown). It was a good class (my first time taking this particular one), but I didn't wear my knee brace and I wrenched my right knee. Kickboxing involves a lot of twisting movements, and unlike in karate or taekwondo class, you wear sneakers so your feet don't slide and your knees twist.

I went out for dinner and dessert with my friends Saturday night. I drank wine and ate dessert. I'll have to be careful with my food intake for a few days to make up for that.

Sunday: My knee was hurting quite a bit from the kickboxing. My hubby rolled a tennis ball on my IT band and hamstring. That helped. I went to the gym.

cardio: 30 minutes on the elliptical

chin-ups: 8; 5; 5

seated hamstring curls: 90 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets

I didn't feel like doing any more, so I went home.

Had hubby roll the tennis ball on my ITB and hammies again Sunday night.

Leg extensions: 50 lbs x 15 reps x 3 sets

Standing DB press: 20-lb DBs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Lunges: 20-lb DBs x 15 reps x 3 sets each leg

Flat DB press: 30-lb DBs x 12 reps x 3 sets

Abs: 25 reps on decline bench; 25 reps flat

SLDLs: 30-lb DBs x 15 reps x 3 sets

I think that's it.

I'm working from home today -- which I love! Thank you Arthritis Foundation for this wonderful policy! One of the best parts about working from home is being able to work in your jammies. Unfortunately, i couldn't do that today I have a parent-teacher conference in a little while. Because of the conference, I'm going to have to postpone my workout to tonight sometime. I'll take my daughter with me to the gym this evening. Maybe before dinner, maybe after. She's 12 and comes to the gym with me and does cardio. She usually rides the recumbant bike and reads.

Later gators.

Went to the gym last night after dinner. My plan was to run on the treadmill for 45 minutes. I didn't make it.

Let's just say this -- eating a meal of chili and salad 1/2 hour before running is not a very good idea. I made it 3 miles before my tummy hurt too much to go any further.

chin-ups: 5; 5; 5

push-ups: 10; 10; 10

Rows: 70 lbs x 3 sets x 10 reps

Standing DB presses: 15-lb DBs x 3 sets x 15 reps

walk on treadmill 3.2 mph for 25 minutes

Time for the Monday-morning weekend recap.

Friday: 50 minutes elliptical

Saturday: Rest day (my son had a chess tournament so that threw off my usual Saturday-morning gym schedule)

Sunday: heavy leg day:

Chin-ups: 5; 5; 5

Front squats: worked up to 105 lbs for sets and reps, but don't remember how many

RDLs: 95 lbs x 4 sets x 10 reps

Push-ups: 10 x 3 sets

Back squats: worked up to 165 lbs for 2 sets of 5 reps each.

Leg press: 180 lbs x 3 sets x 10 reps (toes out to work inner thigh)

30 minutes on the elliptical (fatburn program level 10)

15 minutes walking on the treadmill (3.5 mph 3 percent incline)

Rest day. I put my 16-year-old cat to sleep. I didn't go to the gym, and I ate rice krispie treats slathered in chocolate.

Thursday:

I lifted upper-body weights for ~20 minutes

chin ups: 3 sets of 5

Lat pulldowns: 70 (or maybe 80) lbs x 3 sets x 8 reps

Incline DB press: 30s x 3 sets x 10 reps

Seated rows: 60 (or maybe 70) lbs x 3 sets x 10 reps

Then I went on the treadmill for 25 minutes at 7 degree incline and 3.5 mph.