[Annietp]

Hi there,
You never said what your age was but one thing for sure is that you need to commit to some sort of exercise that you really feel good about. I am 57 years old and I have Fibromyalgia -- it is a terrible condition that got a bum rap for several years but is now discussed openly and freely and even has support groups. I spent 10 years doing nothing and let myself get old. I am now on a list of medicines that work quite well at surpressing the pain so I am able to work out to a certain point. I took up Pilates back in late Spring and I love them. I have managed to keep them in my everyday schedule for 8 months or more and I intend to keep using my new found aerobics in my life forever. I spend only 30 minutes each morning and I really enjoy them! This exercise also gets your metabolism going for the day. As for a new kind of diet that might be suitable for your MS and your lifestyle, you need to think "common sense". Fruits are good for you and they work for you, as well. They can work on your metabolism and rev it up pretty good. They can actually help you lose weight! Everytime you feel hungry or even want a snack -- pick up a peice of fruit and eat it -- don't feel guilty!! If you need to eat a lot of protein, go ahead but choose your foods wisely. Poultry, as well as beef has lots of protein. Peanut butter has protein but must be used in moderation but it has the "good" fats in it so you can have it a couple of times a week as well as some nuts. They too, have lots of protein. Go light with the beef, it has protein but it has a lot of fat and calories in it that can cause weight gain or it can hinder the results that you are looking for. I hope this helps you because I feel like I wasted so many years by not doing any exercise because I was afraid of the pain that it might cause. The Pilates that I do are concentrated more on the certain parts of the body. I use the abs, butts and legs routine and it takes exactly 30 minutes -- 10 minutes per each area. I think it's time for me to advance a little to some new areas so that is the next step for me. One step at a time. Have a great day! Annie