Meet Laurie Willis, one of the 2025 Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes. She’ll be sharing updates on her health and wellness journey through the rest of this year. Laurie, age 67, never felt like she had a proclivity for physical activity. After retiring, she finally found a fitness activity she loves – because it feels like a fun dance outing. She now feels more people can get active if they find something that feels more like fun and can also improve your fitness.

Think back to your years in elementary/high school. Picture the kid who was good in class but terrible at anything related to physical education – always one of the last picked for any team, running away from the ball instead of trying to catch it. That kid was me. And that’s who I remained for most of my life. Occasionally, I would take a couple of dance classes or try working out in the gym. However, it never lasted very long.

Searching for the Best “Movement”

Dance was the one physical activity I did enjoy. Therefore, when I retired, one of my goals was to try some type of dance/fitness class to improve my health. I was delighted to find out that my Medicare plan included a free gym membership.

The gym I joined had Zumba (dance fitness) classes, and I started attending. It was so hard to keep up at the beginning. My brain and body had a hard time connecting and following the moves. My body had a hard time executing a lot of the moves. And I couldn’t make it through a whole class without stopping to rest several times because my stamina was low.

However, I loved the music and the fun atmosphere, so I kept attending. I stayed in the back corner and did as much as I could. I went a couple times a week and made sure I had rest days in between. Gradually, I improved.

“Moving” on Up

[W]hen a fitness class is disguised as a fun dance party, I can take care of my body while having a great time.

Fast forward to today, almost 2 years later, I’m going to classes 5-6 days a week and loving it. I feel healthier than I’ve ever been in my life. I still struggle sometimes keeping up with the moves, but I love it anyway. For me, when a fitness class is disguised as a fun dance party, I can take care of my body while having a great time.

I’ve earned my certification as an instructor for both regular Zumba and Zumba Gold, which is a low-impact version of Zumba geared toward seniors and others with a little less mobility. I’m just starting out teaching Zumba and Zumba Gold, with a focus on people like myself – those who feel uncomfortable and not good enough to participate in fitness activities, who struggle with getting the hang of things that other (usually younger) people seem to pick up easily.

Find an activity you WANT to do – instead of something you have to drag yourself to – and DO IT!

If you happen to be one of these people, let me tell you: you CAN do it! If Zumba doesn’t sound exciting to you, find another fitness activity that does. It’s OK if it takes a while to learn. It’s OK if you never learn to do it “right”. Simply moving and having fun is what counts. Find an activity you WANT to do – instead of something you have to drag yourself to – and DO IT!

Save the Date for Zumba

I look forward to sharing the activity I love with the Senior Planet community. Save the date to join me on Wednesday, June 18 at 1:30pm EDT. Stay tuned for more information coming soon. I look forward to sharing with the Senior Planet.

In need of a little motivation to get moving? Join our daily health and wellness programs, stay tuned to the latest news and articles from SeniorPlanet.org by signing up for The Orbit weekly newsletter, and follow us on social media (Facebook | YouTube | Instagram) to get to know these awe-inspiring athletes. You might just find a new love for fitness along the way!

Images courtesy of Laurie Willis