A philosophy for fitness.

It's been five years since I did the MS Walk (INSIDE MS, Fall, 1992). That's right, a guy with MS -- a left arm and leg that don't work well -- walked to fight MS. I'm the fellow who walked all 12 miles, 11,120 yards of it, and trained 6 days a week for almost a year to get ready.

"Could you do it today, George?"

No, I can't. On a good day I'm good for a half mile; that's all. "Oh that's too bad," you say. "I guess you've lost the battle against MS, haven't you?"

Not really. Although I may not be able to go the distances I did 6 years ago, I've redirected my energies so I do what's best for me now. And yes, for the lousy MS that accompanies me. But I'm still in charge.

I'm a college professor who is used to standing on his feet throughout a 75-minute class. Today, I do a lot of teaching sitting down, but I still work out at least 5 days a week -- frequently 6 or 7. That enables me to get to and from my classes, wherever they may be. Today I'm looking for mobility, not distance or endurance.

"What's your work-out like, George?"

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are weight-training days at the local county recreation center. I use a dozen pieces of Nautilus equipment with modest weights, just enough to stretch my arms, back, and legs. I use lighter weights on the weaker arm and leg. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are devoted to stretching exercises.

No, I'm not a 30-year-old jock pumping up the pecs. I'm a guy with MS who will fatigue if he overdoes it. So I seek a happy middle ground between fatigue at one end and do-nothing apathy at the other.

It takes me 30 to 40 minutes to do this physical conditioning. For the last 20 minutes of my hour at the gym, I walk on a treadmill, pedal a recumbent bicycle, or climb a stair-stepper -- all at low levels of 1 or 2. This conditioning is aerobic in nature, but I can't let it become fatiguing. If I do, it will take me a day or two to recover; that's what MS does.

"How did you design your workout program? How do you know you're doing the right thing?"

Since I can only spend an hour a day at it, I want to optimize the use of my time. I learned what's best for me from physical therapists in the Washington, D.C. area and at the Jimmie Heuga Center in Edwards, Colorado.

"Do you do anything else to help your physical condition?"

Yes. I've completed 7 therapeutic horseback riding lessons. My wife is an expert in dressage, and a friend of hers is trained in therapeutic riding. (Watch out for me in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney!) A month ago at this same county rec center, I also began therapeutic swimming for people with MS.

"What else, George?"

With my neurologist's questioning approval, I have started a 4-week course of acupuncture with a Chinese physician. Is it going to change the course of my MS? Probably not, but I think what counts is my philosophy and attitude. I'll do anything that's rational to keep on top of this disease, however debilitating it may become over time. Even if my physical capabilities decrease and I need to use a wheelchair next month or next year, I'll still keep doing what I can physically. I say life is an attitude. What you're seeing here is mine.

"A question, George. is there a spiritual side that has some impact on what you're saying and doing'."'

Absolutely yes! I'm on a faith journey that enables all this to happen. Without a spiritual side to my life, all this would be much more difficult to do. But that's me.

"This all sounds pretty good, George. How about your family life?"

I have the best caregiver in the world: my wife of over 30 years. Without her mix of urging me on combined with cautious optimism, I don't think I could pull this off. In addition to her counsel on physical and emotional issues, she has become my alter-ego decisionmaker. Before I decide on something I've done easily in the past, I check with her. The creative, common sense logic she's blessed with -- often very different from mine -- keeps this head-strong man aware of unforeseen difficulties. (Thanks, Joanne.)

"But what's the point of all this since you can't walk as much or as far as you used to?"

My niece, Julie, hand-painted a T-shirt for me before the MS Walk 6 years ago. It announced on the front: "Yes, I have MS." On the back it said: "No, I won't Quit!"

That's the point. I simply will not lie down and stop living. I must continue reaffirming in my mind -- not in yours -- that I'm not going to give up. I insist on giving it my best shot. So my motto is simple. When I'm tempted to pass up my daily work-out, it becomes: "Just Do It!" Do you think my program is too idealistic? Just you watch. You'll see.

Exercise and the Fight Against MS

Dr. Jack Petajan is an MS specialist at the University of Utah and principal unvestigator in a 1996 study that showed -- for the first time -- the clear benefit of a program of aerobic exercise for people with mild to moderate relapsing MS. [The Annals of Neurology, V.39, No.4.]

The exercisers showed improved strength and fitness and less depression than the control group, despite some post-exercise fatigue. This finding quenches the long-held notion that exercise is bad for people with MS.

Aerobic exercise means exertion that raises the heart rate, the kind of vigorous exercise that makes a person breathe harder and possibly break into a sweat.

Dr. Petajan reviewed Mr. McAleer's article for INSIDE MS and wanted to share some insights from his more than 20 years experience caring for people with MS.

"I've come to believe that the hardest job people with MS face is forgiving themselves for having difficulty. So I want to add a caution. In keeping active and fighting MS, be wary of what I call the siege mentality. It's easy to be convinced that willpower can overcome the weakness and loss of control caused by MS. People who refused to give in can begin seeing their own self as the enemy. The fight turns inward.

"It is always good to go for the best one can. And it is nearly always possible to continue an exercise program. People can engage in aerobic exercise while sitting down," he said. "One can even lift weights, bending forward and then raising weights over the head. But how well any one still remains the luck of the draw.

"I advise my patients to work on their spiritual flexibility too. Embracing a new definition of self which doesn't depend on having a specific ability may go a long way to helping an individual live well with MS."

George McAleer iS a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, with a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of Southern California. A former Air Force pilot, he is on the faculty at the National Defense University in Washington and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He was diagnosed with MS in 1981.