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BECAUSE of their high-pressure schedules, some health-care professionals find that they, too, can fall into the sedentary rut they so often warn their patients about. But a growing number of these medical professionals have found a variety of ways to integrate regular exercise into their hectic, frenzied lives.

While some choose to work out at local health spas, others find that they can reach their fitness goals by stretching, sweating and lifting weights in the comfort of their own home. Still others play sports to stay in shape.

Low-fat, low-calorie eating has also become a way of life for these professionals. Fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, rice, poultry and seafood are mainstays of their daily diet. Fried foods, red meat and butter-rich desserts rarely appear on their menus.

"There's so much we tell people not to do: `don't smoke, don't eat so much fat, etcetera.' Exercise is fun, and it's something to do [for doctors and patients]. It's positive," says former American Heart Association president Dr. Edward S. Cooper, who golfs and works out regularly in his home gym. "Exercise is not only relaxing and fun, but it's mandatory to good health and a well-functioning cardiovascular system. And every little bit helps."

Dr. Beverly L. Malone

Beverly L. Malone, Ph.D., president of the American Nurses Association, committed to a strict exercise regimen after the birth of her second child. "What I found with the second child is that the weight didn't just evaporate as it had with my first baby. So I had to do something that I could do for the rest of my life. And running is that kind of exercise," says the psychiatric mental health nurse, who now runs three to four miles on average, four days a week. Although she's made a firm commitment to stay in shape, Dr. Malone says she tries not to go overboard. "I try to be flexible with myself," she says. "I'm not too rigid with it." Dr. Malone, who is on an extended leave of absence as a professor and dean of the School of Nursing at North Carolina A&T State University, also follows a sensible dieting plan. "I have to taste some things," she says. "I love chocolate, so if you put a chocolate dish before me, I will taste it. But I will not eat it all. [Healthy living] is about getting to know yourself and what you can tolerate."

Dr. Randall C. Morgan jr.

Dr. Randall C. Morgan Jr., president of the National Medical Association, plays golf when his schedule permits. And these days, the busy association president--who spends much of his time darting through airports and selecting meals from vendors' limited face--says that's not often. "I need to take more time to be concerned about my own health," says Dr. Morgan, a Gary, Ind.-based orthopedic surgeon who regularly puts in 90-hour work weeks. As a youth, Dr. Morgan played high school and college sports. But he says years of building a practice and tending to others' needs always seemed to come before his own. Now he's ready for a change. "As a physician, a public servant, as well as a national officer, you constantly have priorities that keep you from having a regular routine," he says. "But I'm beginning to build [exercise] in regardless of what I have to do."

Dr. Hazel J. Harper

Dr. Hazel J. Harper, president of the National Dental Association, skis in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Canada to stay in shape. "Skiing requires that you be in top physical and mental shape," says the Washington, D.C.-based dentist and ski enthusiast. Although she does occasionally give in to her cravings for pizza, milk shakes and hamburgers, Dr. Harper says she is just as determined to do whatever it takes to burn off those excess calories. To ensure a firm and fit future, the dentist had a fitness room installed in her office 10 years ago. She also schedules workouts for herself just like they were important meetings. "I actually put my workout time in my appointment calendar so that I won't miss it. It becomes a very important part of your life."

Dr. Edward S. Cooper

Dr. Edward S. Cooper, former president of the American Heart Association and professor emeritus of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, works out in his home gym every day of the week-except on the weekend. "I take off Saturdays and Sundays to give myself a little break," says the high blood pressure and stroke specialist, who is also an avid calorie counter. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Cooper has found various ways to incorporate exercise into his life. "I work out for about a half hour, walk the dog at night, and go to the golf course at least once a week. And, when there's time," he says, "I enjoy swimming and tennis. Exercise keeps the weight down, plus, I feel better. When I don't exercise, even for a week, I notice that my body gets heavy, and I don't just bounce out of the car without thinking about it."

Dr. Ramona Tascoe

Dr. Ramona Tascoe, a senior medical consultant for Kaiser Permanente International who is currently working on a project to develop a health-care delivery system for Angola, works out in the comfort of her own home in Oakland. Dr. Tascoe performs her exercise routine nightly while watching the evening news. "I advise my patients that it's not a good excuse to tell me that it was raining and therefore they couldn't walk around the lake when they have a gym right in their bedroom," she says. "It's really very convenient, and you don't have to pay." Dr. Tascoe says she has little pity for people who complain about keeping their weight down. When she was pregnant with the first of her three children, she weighed 210 pounds. By exercising regularly and maintaining a low-fat diet, she cut her weight in half. "You struggle to get to that point," she says of her fitness finesse. "But at this stage in life, it's a very easy thing for me. Exercise is a nonissue. It's as integrated into my life as taking a shower."

# posted by Medical Information : 3:44 AM