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. I tried jogging, then experienced the women’s fitness centers...Elaine Powers, where Danskin leotards and pink tights were all the rage, Lucille Roberts, Curves....all these figure salons were the start of the fitness craze in the 80’s and 90’s. There were also a myriad of TV shows that you could watch. I vividly remember when I was divorced and raising my two kids in the early 80’s I would get up at 5:00 a.m. and exercise in my living room to Joanie Greggains who had a great show called Morning Stretch and Aerobic Shape Up. This “boost” each morning gave me the energy to work a full time job and deal with the daily challenges of raising two young children.

"I wish I could meet Joannie Greggains to say Thank You for helping me through a difficult time in my life."

Looking back, I think I tried every form of fitness there was...from stand alone fitness centers, to TV programs, yoga, to home equipment such as the Nordic Track, to learning how to use strength building machines in my local gym But most fun was a Jazzercise class, which combined exercising and basic choreography to great music. Since I love to dance and especially love all kinds of music, this was a treat when I could get out to a Jazzercise class. Jazzercise began in 1969 and still exists today!

But then I found ZUMBA!!!! Jump to the year 2001, when ZUMBA began in the United States. An amazing man, Beto Perez, from Cali, Columbia, came to the United States, found a couple of business partners and ZUMBA came alive. Beto continues to be the “face” of ZUMBA and is the key figure on many of the videos and marketing materials. Taking a ZUMBA class at my local gym was a eureka moment. Loving music as I do, dance as I do and especially Latin songs and dance, made this the perfect next step for my fitness goals. I could not get enough....several classes a week and finally, a decision to become an Instructor. While I specialize in ZUMBA GOLD, a specific certification for teaching active older adults, I continue to take regular ZUMBA classes several times a week in order to keep fresh, learn new choreography and bring exciting hour-long workouts to my students. There’s a reason 15 million people take Zumba classes each week. It’s an environment of inclusion, all ages, all sizes and it only takes a couple of classes before the participant becomes hooked! If you’re not having fun, you won’t come back to a class.

I will celebrate my 5th anniversary this year as a ZUMBA instructor. I also took a 3-day certification class in NYC for Chair Yoga which introduces a modified yoga practice while sitting on a chair. I never thought that in my late 60’s after retiring from my corporate job that I would find a second career in fitness that would bring me such joy and well being!

#getupgetout Dyann Paoline lives in Ocean City, NJ and Philadelphia.