Mary Ann Wilson obit

‘Sit and Be Fit’ creator Mary Ann Wilson of Spokane dies at 87

 

She was not on the list.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Mary Ann Wilson, the Spokane woman who created the long-running PBS exercise show Sit and Be Fit, died Wednesday at age 87.

According to her daughter, Gretchen Cowan, Wilson passed away at home Wednesday morning.

Sit and Be Fit featured Wilson leading viewers through a variety of seated exercises set to music, often using household items as props.

Wilson was also the founder and host of the award-winning exercise show Sit and Be Fit, which is broadcast on over 100 PBS television stations across the United States.

In 1987, Wilson started the PBS show Sit and Be Fit which includes a variety of exercises for the elderly and people with limited mobility. The show revolves around exercises that can be done while sitting in or using a chair, with little effort.

Wilson began her career as a registered nurse specializing in geriatrics and post-polio rehabilitation. In 1985, while teaching an aerobics class, she noticed her older adult clients suffering a high incidence of injury and attrition. In response, she designed a gentle program tailored to their needs. As students began reporting marked improvement in their physical and mental health, Wilson became convinced that there was a need for this type of exercise program on a national level. In 1987, KSPS-TV agreed to produce her Sit and Be Fit television series and distributed the first 30 episodes nationwide. Sit and Be Fit has aired regularly on PBS stations nationwide ever since.

Wilson was the author of several health and fitness publications, including Chair Exercise Basics and has been featured in columns on health in the aging community. She educated healthcare and fitness professionals at national and international health conferences.

In 2017 she was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame.

Wilson's activities and history included:

 

Registered Nurse

Executive Producer/Host, SIT AND BE FIT television series

Executive Director/Founder, SIT AND BE FIT non-profit organization

Nationally certified by American Council on Exercise

Member, ASA (American Society on Aging)

Member, NCOA (National Council on the Aging)

Member, SFA (American Senior Fitness Association) National Advisory Board

Member, FEOAA (Fitness Educators Of Active Adults)

Presenter, IDEA Conventions: 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996

Presenter, 1st International Conference, Prevention: the Key Health for Life, 1994

Presenter, 4th International Congress, Physical Activity, Aging and Sports, Heidelberg, Germany, 1996