People aged 65 and older spend over four hours a day, on average, watching TV according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Ginnie Hall is not one of them.
The 67-year-old doesn’t sit much. She’d rather use the TV in her “girl cave” to stream fitness classes like Yoga Pilates Fusion, Cardio Mix, and Total Body Strength.
This former marathon runner is in it for the long haul. “Since I was 19, I’ve always had the target of living to be 107,” Ginnie shares via Zoom. “So I have 40 more good years!”
Now that she’s retired, Ginnie has even more time to do what she loves – and that’s staying fit. Her exercise regimen includes a steady diet of walking, running 5Ks, and taking live online classes through SilverSneakers. SilverSneakers is a Benefit Extra that’s available to all Blue Medicare Advantage members.
“I can’t emphasize enough the quality of the SilverSneakers® instructors. They are professional and know how to teach to all different levels of ability and fitness. You can do low impact or high impact. You can use a 20-pound or a 10-pound weight.
If you can’t do a plank, you can use the wall or chair. The instructor always gives you options,” Ginnie explains.
When she’s not working out on the home turf of her “girl cave,” Ginnie is a regular at Genesis Health Club in Ward Parkway Center, a participating SilversSneakers location. “They have great equipment and a pool. And it doesn’t cost anything. So, I mean, who wouldn’t take advantage of that?” Ginnie says.
Ginnie recognizes that mental fitness is important, too. “I try and learn something new every day,” she says. Ginnie majored in Spanish in college and is now taking Spanish classes to regain her fluency. She hopes to one day volunteer as a translator at a school or in a medical setting.
When the world looks at Ginnie, it doesn’t see a 67-year-old. It sees a bubbly, optimistic, energetic fountain of youth.
“I feel healthier now than when I was in my 40s. I wanted to run my first marathon before I turned 50 (she has completed seven marathons), which I did. And then I got hooked,” Ginnie says.