Every now and then, there are people who encounter a moment when they know their lives need to change.
For Leitha and Ernest Travis, of Oxford, that moment came after they each experienced a difficult health hurdle. Leitha, 89, experienced a slight stroke almost a year ago and Ernest, 88, is living with diabetes and had hip surgery this past March. He now uses a cane to get around.
‘We’d never exercised much before,? explained Leitha. ‘We wanted to strengthen our legs.?
Now the couple exercises for 30-45 minutes three days a week at the Powerhouse Gym in Oxford – and they are inspiring other people with their efforts.
‘I work with Leitha, she’s one of my clients,? explained Sharon Heskitt, who contacted The Leader about the couple. ‘I’m so inspired by the fact that they live the life they do. I’ll tell others about Leitha and so many people have commented about how amazed they are.?
Leitha and Ernest, who have been married for six years and are both members of the Oxford Free Methodist Church, began their new exercise regimen about three weeks ago. Leitha explained that she saw an ad for the gym, and decided to look into the establishment. The couple signed up for memberships soon after.
‘You don’t see many people our age in here,? Leitha said with a grin while riding a stationary bike during one of their workout sessions.
Ernest said the gym helped them to get started.
‘We worked with a girl who showed us how to use the machines and which ones are best for us,? he explained.
Ernest added that of all the machines, the couple enjoys the stationary bikes the best. However, he has set the goal for himself to be able to use the treadmill and eventually become strong enough again to walk without his cane. Leitha stated that she simply hopes to get back some of her strength and be able to walk better.
‘The important thing though is don’t do anymore than your able, don’t over do it,? emphasized Ernest.
‘You need to find an exercise that is comfortable,? added Leitha. ‘There is to much that is to strenuous for older individuals. You have to find something you enjoy.?
Mr. and Mrs. Travis also added that actually working out is not the hard part about their new life-style, getting themselves around to going to the gym is.
‘Just getting it into your head to do it can be hard,? stated Ernest.
‘You just have to make up your mind to do it, and then do it or you won’t,? added Leitha.
Despite the focus on life-style changes and their move toward physical fitness, Leitha and Ernest were by no means couch potatoes before they began working out. The couple, who are both World War II naval veterans, love to travel and spend time with their grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
In fact, just in their six years of marriage, they have traveled to Alaska three times and even went on a water rafting tour in Anchorage three years ago.
‘There was a lot of whirling and turning,? said Leitha with a broad smile. ‘It was so much fun! We would call people and tell them what we were doing and they’d say ‘Are you crazy???
The couple agreed that they have seen some minor changes since starting their workouts, but their not exaggerating their progress with only three weeks under their belts.
‘I feel I can walk a little better,? agreed Leitha.
‘I’m not seeing so much yet, we’re just getting into it,? stated Ernest, ‘but we are seeing some improvements.?
So in the end, what is the secret to these octogenarians success?
‘We just decided not to sit around and get old,? confided Ernest. ‘We decided to get old the hard way.?