This highlight concludes Fit Friday’s Health & Wellness Winter Series with a look into the spring season. It gave us the opportunity to get up close and personal with our community’s fitness leaders, who serve as role models with invaluable tips on prioritizing health and wellness. Jessica Tipton, 63, has been a fitness instructor for 30 years and a diving coach for 15 years after being a collegiate diver.
Do you change your workout routine to keep up during the winter months, and what advice do you give others?
In my personal life, I do not change my workout routine during the winter months. I do total body conditioning, which works well for me. At the senior center, I change things up to increase muscle memory in the classes I teach. We play mind games where we count down while we work out – he loves playing mental games. During the winter months, older adults are more limited and have a higher risk of depression. They’re more reflective, so I bring in guest speakers to talk about self-development. We also have cooking classes during the winter months. They are receptive to learning and quick presentations are attractive to them.
What types of classes are you offering during the winter months that you think people are most attracted to this time of year?
The most popular classes at the moment are cardio intervals, silver sneaker circuit, arthritis class, chair yoga, chair with weights, balance and tai chi. I vary the routine and they also like to play games like ‘roll the dice’ which tells them how many repetitions they have to do.
of a certain exercise.
What is your favorite aspect of teaching fitness classes?
I love interacting with my superiors – it feels like you are part of a family and brings a lot of joy to my job. Here people care about each other and hence you get benefits at personal, emotional and professional levels.
Since you have a strong community of seniors who attend your classes, do you think it helps motivate people to get out for workouts during the winter months when it’s very cold?
This motivates some people to get there, but the socialization aspect dominates the fitness, which is secondary.
What have been some of the topics of conversation in your fitness classes these days?
There is a lot of discussion about staying healthy. Along with balance, arthritis is the biggest culprit that is much talked about. Everyone is afraid of falling during the winter season, so we offer fall protection. There are also discussions about GLP-1s and other things they’re hearing in the news, so we offer speakers from Villanova and Westchester to discuss a variety of topics.
What are your personal fitness goals at this time?
I’m going to start getting back into the swimming masters program. It’s great for cross-training, and my body needed a change.
What kind of food do you crave in the winter?
My husband is a chef and I love salmon and I eat spinach every day. My diet is basically proteins, vegetables and greens.
Do you have any fitness tips to inspire people to get out of the house and hit the gym this time of year?
Working out with a friend is important because it makes fitness more fun. Whether you do weights, take a class, or take a walk together, you’ll find you’re doing more than just yourself.
