Exercising with MS

Yup, you read that right. Exercising with MS is possible! Let me paint you a picture of my childhood, but promise not to laugh.

I was a band-nerd, a twirler, and very un-athletic...so exercising to me is horrible. I hate it!

I knew I had to make a change in my life to continue living it to my fullest ability. Where to start though? I had just enrolled in a fabulous online boot camp that friends of mine had started, it was pretty hard-core for the band nerd I was. I was following the Paleo diet and enjoyed watching the pounds drop in a healthy manner. I couldn't continue on with the bootcamp style training, it was intense workouts that my body wasn't able to handle. (if your body can handle it, you seriously need to check it out here)

So I began walking with my sweet husky, slowly and for short distances each afternoon. Walking to the stop sign at the end of my road would be the point at which I had to turn around and head back due to the tingling in my feet.

Discouraging? Yes, but I had researched and read about many MS patients who run marathons, I know this is good for my body. I mentally kept saying slow & steady and was so thankful that I had the ability to walk.

I skipped every other day and continued to walk until my body told me to stop. Eventually, I was walking 2 miles, then running parts of those miles.

Only about 6 weeks after I started I was running the full mile and walking the second. Wow! I was impressing myself to say the least. Then I just kept running and am now able to run the full 2 miles without walking.


How do I do it? How do I find the will to push myself? This is my mentality:

Exercise to be Healthy

I am not focused on losing weight or fitting into a cute summer outfit, I have the mentality that if I don't use my muscles, I will lose them. I want to have the agility needed when I am blessed with children. This mentality is great for MS fighters because you don't get discouraged. Each time your feet hit the road and your butt is off the couch, it's meeting a goal that you set for yourself.

Pray

I pray when I run, I thank God for giving me the ability to run and not having to be contained in a wheelchair. What an easy way to get my mind off of nearly dying to focus on my Creator.

Congratulate Yourself

I'm super proud every afternoon that I motivate myself to exercise. I sleep better at night due to the exhaustion from my afternoon run. I feel like I'm winning, I'm beating this disease one step at a time, and to me, that's all I need to keep myself motivated.


Take a look at this video that motivated me to get my rear in gear and I hope it does the same for you. Watch this inspiring story of an MS fighter who exercises with P90X to improve her MS!

The 5 Things To Help Me Stay Positive

Staying positive during this whirlwind is sometimes difficult. It's easy to get caught up in what hurts, the reality that you will never get better, and the fact that you are always so darn sleepy. Can I get an Amen?

These are things that I try to focus on when I start to feel a little down, it typically seems to help.

1. My Family

I am blessed with a wonderful husband who is the most patient and supportive person I have ever met. When the dreadful fate was revealed to us earlier this year, I was so thankful to have him by my side.

Blessings come in big packages and I have the best support system in the form of parents, siblings, and in-laws. Without them I wouldn't be able to stay positive and realize that this disease doesn't define me, it makes me stronger.

2. My Dogs

I don't have children but I have two dogs, a laid-back Snorkie named Trixie and an ADHD Husky named Mia. These little ones are always happy to see me and they really help to keep a smile on your face. You can be yelling at them for barfing on the floor one minute and they will be wagging their tail the next...always bring happiness.

3.My Job

Working allows me to realize that I am not disabled, it lets me know that I can accomplish things just like a regular person. It keeps my mind focused and busy. It really is something that I enjoy doing which also helps me to stay positive.

4. Exercising

Now don't freak out, this is something I hated doing my entire life. I was in the band...band people aren't athletic. However, I knew that this was something I needed to do in order to keep my strength and agility. I began walking short distances. The moment my feet would tingle, I would head inside. I kept building up and finally run every other afternoon for 2 miles without any body part going numb. Exercising releases endorphin and that actually makes you happy.

5. Sleeping

This is by far the thing I look forward to every weekend. I typically nap on both Saturday and Sunday and don't feel bad about it one bit. Sleeping always make me happy. End.Of.Story.


I'm not tooting my own horn, trust me, sometimes I'm just cranky and can't do a thing about it. However, I always tell myself that it could always be worse.