Mary Lou Retton: Still on Top of Her Game – Parade

As we watch Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and teammates completely dominate the 2016 Rio Olympic games, it’s hard to remember a time when Team USA’s women gymnasts weren’t on top. But as recently as the 1970s and early ’80s, American women trailed behind the powerhouse teams of the Soviet Block.

Then, along came Mary Lou Retton, who flashed her 1,000 megawatt smile at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic games and tumbled her way to becoming the first American woman to win a gold medal in gymnastics. (And hers was for the All Around title, no less). She also collected two silver and two bronze medals and became the first woman to grace the cover of a Wheaties cereal box.

These days, the 48-year-old mom of four, who’s been glued to the Olympic coverage on TV, spends much of her time promoting fitness and nutrition. She recently talked to Parade about the competitors in Rio and shared her tips for mapping out a healthy future.

With all you’ve accomplished, what’s it like to watch Team USA sweep the Olympics?

It’s crazy silly how good we are. We could’ve sent three teams and won gold, silver and bronze. That’s how good and deep USA gymnastics is.

Do you wish you were there?

No! I don’t want to compete against Simone Biles, are you kidding me? She’s the best gymnast I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s so different now. The first Olympics I can remember watching was the Montreal Olympics. There was a little girl named Nadia from a country I’d never heard of called Romania. I was 7 years old, that little kid doing flips out in the yard and getting in trouble for jumping on mom’s bed.

Then it clicked for me then—there’s a name for what I like to do and it’s called gymnastics!

I was enthralled with Nadia Comaneci and Olga Korbut. Then a few years later, I was in Los Angeles representing the U.S. of A. and there were a lot of little 6- and 7-year-olds watching me.

My idols were from communist Romania and the U.S.S.R. but then I kind of paved the way. I’m proud of that! You can be born in this country and trained in this country and still win gold medals in gymnastics. Now, after the fall of communism there was no more funding for athletic programs. Everyone’s coming to the United States because this is the country of freedom and the country of dreams.

You talk about balance a lot these days. Can you share what that means to you?

I think it’s important to know that at this stage, I don’t have to win at everything that I do. It really is about balance. It’s about being happy, it’s about finding passion in your life and literally having happiness and serenity. I live such a fast paced life, and just having those moments to pray or meditate are real important. And that’s something I’ll do in the morning, while I’ll wake up early and even if it’s just five or 10 minutes. That’s my time. I’ll read a devotional with my cup of coffee and have my breakfast and my vitamins. And exercise, first thing.

Why did you team up with Nature’s Bounty?

I’m at the stage in my life where I partner with people and companies and brands that believe in the same kind of lifestyle and healthy living that I do. The Dear Future Me program is focused on thinking about your health today for a healthier future.

I have a lot of issues with my body because of my training, because of the pounding! The equipment was so bad back in my day.

I took vitamins and supplements throughout my career as an athlete and I do now, as well—they fill the nutritional gaps that you’re not getting through food. I have a lot of joint issues, so I take glucosamine and fish oil for heart health. Melatonin helps me recover at night and sleep a little more soundly, because my days are busy.

Are you good about remembering to take your vitamins?

I am. I lay the vitamins out for my husband, myself and my daughters the night before because the morning, rush hour is crazy, getting out the door. So that’s just one less thing I have to do.

Tell us more about your daughters.

Three of the four are gymnasts. I have a 21-year-old who is at Baylor on the gymnastics/tumbling team. I have McKenna, who’s 19, at LSU, a little gymnast. And a 16-year-old, Skyla, who is a competitive cheerleader and my 14-year-old, Emma, is a high-level gymnast. So I’m really, really busy. I love them to death. I’m this crazy, loud, obnoxious mom in the stands. I can’t help myself. I’m screaming, I’m screaming for them!

Is it hard for them to follow their mom in this sport?

I’m probably over sensitive to this fact, asking them all the time, are you sure this is what you want to do? Don’t feel like you have to do it because I did. Obviously I put them in the sport because it’s something that I love. It’s very dear to me and literally woven into every fabric of my life. And whether it stuck or not, it’s a great foundation. They were going to be athletes. It’s in their genes. My husband was a college football player, and of course, with me. They are all very athletic. But I don’t coach them. I don’t put the pressure on them. I’m literally just the mom with the shoulder to cry on and the arms to give them a great big hug to support and lift them up.

from myhealtyze http://www.myhealtyze.tk/mary-lou-retton-still-on-top-of-her-game-parade/