Keeping fit key after retirement, say former Olympians

AFTER RETIREMENT, some athletes walk away from fitness regimes for one reason or another. But retired Olympians Jermaine Gonzales and Aleen Bailey said they try to keep active to remain as fit and healthy as possible.

They both said keeping fit and healthy is something everyone should consider important in their lives. And Gonzales said this is not difficult for him because keeping active is a part of his lifestyle.

“I think, for me, because I play different sports; I play football, I play basketball sometimes, so it’s not that difficult. I think that if I had to run, then it would be difficult because I’ve been doing that all my life, so it’s good to play sports that probably are more enjoyable than running,” the former national 400m record holder said.

The 37-year-old also said family life, along with his current career as a coach at the Sts Peter and Paul Preparatory School and Papine High School, are also key factors for him remaining fit after retirement.

“I am a father, I have two young boys who always want to go outside to just run up and down; but I am a coach as well, so I am very active every day on the field with the kids. So sometimes I have to demonstrate the drills and stuff like that, so for me it’s not that difficult to be active,” the Olympian said.

He said keeping active in this way allows him to give back to sports, which helped to build him.

GIVING BACK

“It’s good because I want to give back to a sport that has done a lot for me, and it is something that I enjoy. I am excited and I am looking forward to what the future holds,” said Gonzales.

Many people’s fitness regime includes going to the gym and following a strict diet, but Gonzales said this is not so for him.

“I think that we are fortunate in Jamaica to have healthy food, so I just try to eat our homegrown food. No dieting, no gym, just on the field with the kids,” he remarked.

The women are not to be left out, as former national sprinter Aleen Bailey said she also likes keeping fit.

“It keeps me looking young and feeling great. My health is why I keep working out,” the 41-year-old said.

Bailey is also a coach now, like Gonzales, as she coaches at Cane Bay High School in South Carolina. But unlike him, she has a more compact regime.

“I bike, walk, run, do yoga, and go to the gym occasionally,” she said.

However, she said her fitness regime is not the same as when she was a competitive athlete.

“I don’t have the same diet regimen I did when competing. I’ve taken most meat out of my diet, but I still eat a balanced meal. I can enjoy ice cream and a glass of wine or a margaritas when I hang out with my girls,” she said.