Spotlight on Wellness: Muriel McDaniels

Position with Enterprise: Remote Customer Service Expert for the Contact Center in St. Louis.

Age: 51

Height: 5 feet 8 inches

Initial Weight Loss: 47 pounds in the past five years

Favorite exercise: Playing tennis. I've even been known to play in the rain.

Muriel's challenge
I made a promise to myself more than 30 years ago to compete in the Senior Olympics when I turned 50. I grew up playing sports and thought I was good enough to play competitively, but never had the support or resources to do so. I first heard about the Senior Olympics in 1975 — just a few weeks before I graduated from University City High School — and I decided to make that event my chance. For the next 32 years, I focused on staying healthy enough to compete.

Staying active with age
My passion for sports developed in high school. I took part in track and field, basketball, hockey, softball, soccer and tennis. I went on to play softball for Forest Park Community College and the University of Missouri St. Louis, but I didn't stop there. Long after my college years ended, I still played on one or two coed softball teams a year. That routine stuck with me for about 25 years, but now I only play in an annual recreational tournament. A few years ago, I began walking around a nearby college campus because I had signed up for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer walk. For three months, I woke up early every morning to get my 3-mile walk in before work, and it paid off. Not only did I lose 40 pounds, but I've kept it off and have even dropped a few more.

Earning the silver medal
Unlike many others, I was actually excited about turning the big 5-0 because I was finally old enough to be in the Senior Olympics. You can participate in as many events as you want during the statewide competition. I planned to focus on running, but instead decided to give tennis a whirl. Once I saw my odds, I forgot about running, played my heart out and won quite a few singles matches. I wasn't really there to win; I just wanted to accomplish a goal I had set for myself more than 30 years ago. Honestly, I would have been happy to go home with a piece of paper proving I was there, but I ended up with a better prize. I won the silver medal in tennis singles — it felt great.

Even though I couldn't participate in the 2008 Senior Olympics, I plan to train for the 2009 event. My goal is to participate in track and field events, like the 50-yard dash and the high jump, but who knows what will look appealing when I actually get there.

Exercising throughout the day
I work from home and love it. I don't have to leave the house to get to my office, but I also don't get the exercise I would by walking to and from the parking lot or to the printer. I've improvised, though, to make exercise fit into my schedule. I walk four blocks to a corner store every day during my lunch break, turn around and head back home. I repeat that routine each evening, and yes, I'm on a first-name basis with the store workers. I spend most of my day sitting in a chair, but that doesn't mean I can't exercise. I keep a Suzanne Somers Thighmaster near my desk and will do a few reps if I have a spare minute in-between calls. It might look a bit odd in the typical office setting, but not at my home office.

Thinking outside of the gym
Even though I walk during my lunch break each day, I try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every night. I'm not a huge fan of the gym, so I try to take part in activities I enjoy. It makes exercising fun and less of a chore. Playing tennis, walking, playing with my 2- and 6-year-old grandbabies, and dancing to my Hip Hop Abs exercise DVD are what I consider fun exercise. Age doesn't matter. Like I explained to the person who sold me the exercise DVD, I might be a grandma, but I want hip-hop abs, too.

Wellness mantra
Motivation is like food … eat your dessert first. If you eat your dessert first, your problems won't seem as big.