FIFTY5+ The magazine redefining age! issue 3.2019

Staying Fit No Matter What! I was a pretty sick little girl....appendicitis, tonsillitis, rheumatic fever. Even my feet were in bad shape and I had to wear orthopedic shoes, which my siblings had a great deal of fun with!! My grade school teachers would tell my Mom I was so quiet and just sat in the playground at recess. As I remember it, those years were pretty tough. Growing up, getting healthy and when I could take some control over myself and my health, I kept moving and got involved in a lot of activities. My Mom would always say that grass would never grow under my feet (whatever that meant) and she called me a Banty Rooster. In looking up the meaning I now see a Banty Rooster is a smaller, more aggressive rooster! I was small, in fact, due to the antibiotics and drugs I had to take as a sick little girl (my own analysis). I would not consider myself aggressive, but perhaps my Mom saw this in me as I was determined to stay healthy and fit. Marriage, two children, divorce...through all the ups and downs of life, I found that having a fitness goal got me through. It kept me feeling good about myself, kept me healthy and provided the healthy endorphins that are proven to bring about feelings of euphoria and well being while reducing stress. 44 Issue 3.2019