I went into the gym in my building this week. It isn’t a large gym but they have more than enough to get a good workout. I have been trying to do some weight lifting exercises in my condo over the weekend. The problem is I’m exhausting myself and my arms and I’m alone. It is causing problems for me when I’m trying to get around. Not the safest thing for someone with MS to be doing. I decided to use the gym and the weights during the week when my aid is around to help me. Over the weekend I can do my beachbody workouts in my chair. They tire me out but not as severely as weights do. I recover from that exercise.

In the gym there is an elliptical, bike, treadmills and a full multi station home gym to work every muscle of the body. I tried to warm up with the elliptical but my legs couldn’t do it. I tried the bike and my legs go so slow trying to make a rotation I couldn’t even get the bike to turn on. It was pretty pathetic but I did it for 10 minutes. Then I moved to the home gym because it was really the weights that I wanted to do not cardio.

I stayed on one area of the gym to work my shoulders and chest. I was proud of myself because I was able to adjust both the arm position and seat position for various exercises. I did two sets of three by 10 on each exercise. I was sweating when I was done and it felt great. However my arms were like jelly. My aid was there to help me and that was why I decided to do this when she was around. A much smarter decision and a better workout than I was getting in my condo. My goal is twice a week to workout my muscles keeping myself strong. Plus my wheelchair gets in the gym as well another big benefit.

Keeping my body strong has always been my mission with MS. I try to eat healthy most of the time and exercise as best as I can. My weight doesn’t reflect what I do and I can’t answer why that is but I keep working on it every day. I never give in to having MS. I, like so many of us suffering from a chronic disease, are so strong and fight every day. That says a lot!!!!