Picture of Health: Mac Spitzer

Mac Spitzer wakes up every morning between 4 and 4:30 without an alarm.

She doesn’t know why. She just does.     

But, the early wake up call gets her morning started on the right foot.

To begin her day, Spitzer, 70, walks up and down the stairs of her condominium. Then she goes on a 6-mile walk. Once she walks, she heads back to her apartment and uses a pulley to stretch her shoulder that has tears in it from tennis. When her shoulder is stretched, she spends the 20 minutes stretching out the rest of her body. Then she rides her bike for an hour.

The Longboat Key resident finishes her morning with tennis.

Sunday, of course, is a day of rest — from tennis. She and her husband, Bob, walk the stairs and try to get in a little bicycling.

“I’ve always been active,” Spitzer said. “I’ve always liked doing stuff, but after we got married, I got my thyroid out, and my doctor said, ‘You’re going to gain weight,’ and I’m like, ‘No I’m not.’ That’s when I started running.”

Spitzer would get up and run at 3 a.m. and then walk. She did that until she was 50, when she decided to save her knees for retirement. She said that was the best decision she could have made.

“There are times when I know I should have fallen or I can catch myself,” she said. “Or if I fall, I know how to roll over. I think it makes a big difference just being able to move.”

Today, Spitzer is an expert when it comes to knowing when her body needs a break. She knows when it’s time to get new walking shoes. And as long as she keeps doing her stretches, her shoulder doesn’t bother her.

“You have to know who you are and what you can do," she said. "Anyone that’s starting, first time, do a 10 minute walk,” she said. “If you’re not tired, then take it up to 20 or 30.”

When Spitzer first moved to Longboat Key, she rode her bike, but not as much as she does now. On the flip side, she doesn’t play as much tennis anymore. In fact, she’s taking a break from her tennis team this year.

“You have to know who you are and what you can do"

“I learned who I am,” Spitzer said. “I love my morning walks when I’m alone because I can either not think, I can analyze, I can see what needs to be done, or [think about] what I want to do, or where I want to go with my life.”

Spitzer’s advice to others is be to keep moving, whether it’s yoga or golf. Spitzer even counts working on her flowers as exercise because she’s constantly moving and lifting pots. For those starting out, Spitzer recommends talking to a doctor first. If people are going to join a gym, to meet with a trainer so they know how to use equipment properly.

As for why she continues, her reason is simple.

“I feel good. I’m relaxed. All my numbers [blood pressure, etc.] are down,” she said. “I’m so hyper that my numbers would probably go off the chart if I wasn’t doing all of this. I can’t sit still, so I just do it.”