Tessa Prieto-Valdes has never been one to simply go with the flow. The obvious testament to this is her colorful and extravagant sense of style, but not many know that even her fitness journey also veers away from the usual. People approaching midlife don’t often have sports on top of their minds as an outlet, but she was already in her 40s when Tessa started seriously pursuing physical activities.
“I had this over-the-hill sort of feeling, like I was deteriorating,” she shared. That feeling prompted her to get into yoga, then she took it up a notch by getting into swim-bike-run races, influenced by her cousin, triathlete Jonjon Rufino.
“Throughout my 40s, I got into all kinds of activities,” she said. “Yoga, scuba diving, golf, and of course swim-bike-run, and then I got into bikram yoga which is the hot yoga.”
She’s also done two marathons and half Ironman races.
“When you start moving your goals to achieve longer distances at a later age, it becomes such a fulfillment and a milestone in your life,” she said. “So whatever activity I do, I really incorporate it into my life. I think you really have to take the time.”
Now in her 50s, Tessa is not slowing down a bit. These days she’s also into Zumba, which she enjoys doing with her friends and as a fundraising activity for her many charitable initiatives.
Of course, Tessa being Tessa, she finds ways to make her fitness activities as fun and as colorful as the rest of her life. “When I started getting into extreme sports, I said I can do that in a tutu and all my outfits,” she said with a laugh.
And in the same way that she easily charms people and brings them together, she also manages to influence them to focus on their fitness.
“When you’re at this age, I think it’s even more important that you incorporate fitness in your life,” she said. “People think that if you’re already past your 50s, you just sit down and watch TV, like it’s the end or something. In fact, it’s not. Every day is an opportunity to live better, to feel better, and to make other people feel more wonderful!”
Photo and interview opportunity courtesy of GoWell, Sun Life Financial’s wellness community. Learn more at gowell.com.ph.
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