Shaping Up With Shannon

Shannon Miller, a seven- time Olympic medalist and nine-time World medalist, is the most decorated American gymnast, male or female, in the history of the sport.

www.shannonmiller.com

Her signature look was a fluffy white scrunchie that encircled her golden bun, the perfect ‘90s- style accent to her wispy, light blonde bangs.

There’s a good chance you might also remember this American all star for her signature flawlessness on the balance beam. Shannon Miller, a seven- time Olympic medalist and nine-time World medalist, is the most decorated American gymnast, male or female, in the history of the sport. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Miller captured two silver and three bronze medals, and, at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, she not only led the “Magnificent 7” to team gold, but she also donned an individual gold medal for her victory on the balance beam. It marked the first time an American had ever won on what is often considered the most challenging apparatus. Sashay Magazine had the opportunity to chat with Shannon Miller about her role as a health advocate and her stance on women’s body image.

>> You’ve been involved in a lot since your medal winning days. How have you managed to take on so much and be successful?
It hasn’t always been easy and I haven’t always been successful. I take the same approach to life as I did to gymnastics. When learning a new skill I very rarely got it on the first try. You just keep trying and trying and learning from your mistakes until you finally get it right. I love to try new things and push myself to see what I can accomplish. Whether it is law school, my foundation to fight childhood obesity or starting my own business (Shannon Miller Lifestyle), it is all about following my passion, working hard and maintaining a balance between work and play.

>> Outside of your Olympic achievements, what are you most proud of? My son. No comparison. I am a new mother and absolutely loving it! My son John Rocco (we call him Rocco after his great grandfather) was born October 28, 2009, and is such a sweetie. There is nothing better than seeing him smile and watching him discover the world.

>> Women, and Americans in general, have battled weight gain and loss for decades, running the gamut of cinched to multi-rolled waists. Why is weight such a hard issue for us? I wish I knew. I think everyone is different. Sometimes we battle our genes. For some it’s emotion, time constraints, injury…The list goes on and on. We want to look good and many times get a warped perspective of what we are “supposed” to look like.

And sometimes the things people say about you can be very hurtful. You look for ways to be perfect. For me, I was always looking to please others. After growing about four dress sizes after I retired from the sport I tried every diet out there. I finally realized that a healthy and balanced approach worked best. My whole business is now centered on helping women get healthy and fit. It’s my passion because it’s what I’m going through every day.

>> Many women still believe that uber-thinness equals beauty. How can we restructure this thought process? Wow, I wish I knew. I think the first thing is to focus on our health. If we can focus on being strong, healthy women, the rest will follow. That’s not an easy thing to do when you’re trying to squeeze into your skinny jeans. But it all works together. If we work on things like our emotional eating, time management, portion size or increasing our strength and flexibility; all these things make us healthier, happier people and the side effect is looking great!

>> As a gymnast you’ve demonstrated a unique mastery of your body. What have you learned to be the most important key to maintaining health and fitness? How does the mental game play in to holding our bodies to a healthy standard?
Balance is key. I had to physically master balance in order to stay on a four-inch wide balance beam while flipping around. Of course, I also had to master balance in daily life. I had to balance going to public school with 40-plus hours of training each week. These days I have to balance a demanding work schedule, my health and fitness and of course family…including a new baby!
It’s important to create schedule for the things you need to accomplish each day. Carry that list with you. You have to prioritize your list and understand that not everything will get done every day. However, there are some “non negotiable.” You cannot forget to feed your child. And you should not forget to take time for yourself. Women tend to take care of everyone and everything else before they take care of themselves. Schedule in some “me time” to take a walk, read a book or even take a nap. You just have to do it!
As for the mental aspect. I think it’s important to keep yourself motivated. In gymnastics I would play mind games with myself. I was very very shy. So when I would get ready to perform in front of an audience I would psyche myself up by acting confident. I knew it was just a show because I was terrified inside. However, what I found was that after a few times of faking this confidence I actually started to feel confident!

>> What is your exercise routine like today? I get bored easily so I try to mix it up. I’m a multitasker so I love taking long walks. I can take Rocco in his stroller, walk our dog and make phone calls while I get a workout and some much needed fresh air. I also like the elliptical machine and yoga. I try to workout for at least 40 minutes, four to five days per week. And each workout I try to include cardio and pair that with either abs, arms or legs.

>> For some women, being in a leotard under a national spotlight is their worst nightmare. Did you ever struggle with self-consciousness as a gymnast? Actually it wasn’t until I retired from gymnastics that I began to have body issues or at least think about my weight. Gymnastics kept me in such great shape. I never had to worry about what I ate. I had six full meals per day just to keep my energy up.

What specifically does the Shannon Miller Foundation do to raise awareness of and reduce obesity in the U.S.? I started the Shannon Miller Foundation in 2007. The foundation is dedicated to fighting childhood obesity through awareness, education and getting kids active. Our key event is called the Shannon Miller Kids Marathon where the kids (and their parents if they like) run 25 miles in the weeks leading up to race day. Then on race day everyone runs the last 1.2 miles over the Main Street Bridge in Jacksonville. The kids get a gold medal for finishing and we have a big health fair with music and games for them to celebrate their accomplishment. It’s a lot of fun and helps children enjoy the idea of physical fitness. (www.shannonmillerkidsmarathon.com)

It can be frustrating to deal with the imperfections of the human body, whether someone can’t lose that extra 10 pounds, beat their cancer, or shake a cold. But what are some beautifully amazing aspects of the human body? I think I have witnessed some of the most amazing things the human body can do in the past year. Pregnancy is this amazing. Having a baby is truly a miracle. It’s a fascinating, if not always an enjoyable, process.

Advertising, media and pop culture are saturated  with images of women with perfect skin, hair, shape, teeth—everything. We’ve lost a sense of what it means to be real, to be happy inside and to express our true selves. What quirks or personal challenges make you real? I have silly quirks that I’ve learned to embrace. I am incredibly clumsy; I have a completely reshaped body from the pregnancy and too many scars to mention.

>> We've read that you’ve done some race car driving. When did you start and what do you love about the sport? I actually was lucky to be asked to participate in the Long Beach Grand Prix Celebrity race. It was so much fun! I had never even driven stick before so I was terrified. But I love the speed and the instructors were amazing. It’s a rush!

>> If you had one whole day to yourself, a day without any speaking engagements or health/fitness promoting, what would you do?
I love spending time with my husband and son; our favorites are going for long walks or up to our favorite greasy spoon diner for Saturday morning breakfast. However, if I was on my own, I’d spend the whole day at a spa.

>> Anything particularly exciting on your schedule for 2010/2011? I have so much going on right now it’s crazy! Through my new company Shannon Miller Lifestyle I am working on a ton of projects. ShannonMillerLifestyle.com launches in July of 2010 and is all about health and wellness for women and children. I want to create a way for women to get expert information, ideas on fitness, wellness and good nutrition and have a place they can vent, talk about their concerns and bounce ideas off each other. In order to stay strong we need to communicate and learn from each other. I have a series of fitness books that are the type you can throw in your purse or gym bag for easy access to great workouts. We are starting with "Abs To Go, Yoga To Go, Office Workout To Go, Running To Go and Stretching To Go."

>> We have to ask: Can you still do the splits? Flexibility was the first thing to go for me. It was something I always had to work hard at anyway. So the second I stopped working at it was the second it was gone. I’ve been working to get it back but it’s certainly nowhere near where it once was. I feel better when I stretch so I’m going to keep at it. 

Since retiring from competition, the two-time U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame inductee has immersed herself in the community, advocating for women’s health, wellness and empowerment, and contributing her time to several charities, including Wolfson’s Children's Hospital, St. Jude, the Special Olympics, March of Dimes, Drug Free Youth, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Pediatric Aids Foundation.

Of all these causes, Miller seems to have a special interest in women’s body image and America’s overall battle with weight. In 2007, she launched the Shannon Miller Foundation, which is committed to fighting childhood obesity through offering children the opportunity to be physically active and gain greater nutritional knowledge. And, this July, Miller will debut www.ShannonMillerLifestyle.com, a website dedicated to health and fitness for women. Here you can find inspiration, useful information as well as an unveiling of Miller’s new products: a Fit Pregnancy DVD, a Body After Baby DVD, and a series of Fitness To Go books for women.