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Connie Ferguson dishes her secrets to looking this good at 49

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Connie Ferguson. Photographs by Sean Laurenz
Connie Ferguson. Photographs by Sean Laurenz

Connie Ferguson, TV actor and producer and all-round media powerhouse, is 49. She’s amazingly ageless — this much you can deduce through her pics or posts (and still they do no justice to the real thing). But it’s her positive attitude towards all things healthy that leaves us in awe. This mom of two and grandma of one credits her shape to her new boxing workout. WH ventured with her down the road of exercise and life lessons and found she wasn’t short of valuable parting shots.

Working out is not just for exercise

Despite her hectic filming and production schedule, Connie always finds time for a sweat sesh. “I think it’s important to feel good, and exercise makes you feel good.” A typical exercise session for Connie consists of a mix of cardio-intense pad work, weight training and resistance training. “I don’t want to be skinny — I want to be fit. I work out four to five times a week; the other days are my rest days. And people are discovering that it’s not just about physical health, it’s actually about mental health [as well]. The combos that I do are long; they’re great for mental fitness as well.”

READ MORE: Unathi on how she is no longer trying to lose weight 

Don’t sweat the small stuff

It’s difficult to imagine someone like Connie having body hang-ups. “I was very skinny when I was young. I used to hate my long arms. I’m naturally petite. I used to worry about my A-cups. I couldn’t find my comfort. Until life made me comfortable. After [second daughter] Ali, I went slightly bigger.” Mother nature left her with womanly curves and a B-cup. But her long slim arms didn’t change. She still struggles to fit into suits — even doing push-ups. But that doesn’t stop her. She finds different variations of push-ups to keep going. “I’m trying to work my arms every day.”

Stay true to yourself

Biggest life lesson? “Remain humble. This industry is very tough and it’s very easy to get a big head. I’ve been in the industry for 30 years and people always ask me ‘how do you remain relevant?’ My thing is that I always knew why I was doing what I’m doing. And it was never for the glory or for the fame. It was simply because I was/am passionate about it. It’s what I do — and I do it well. It makes me happy, it makes the people that watch me happy.”

READ MORE: Keeping fit: how to do the right exercise for your age 

Make time for happiness

The little time Connie finds for herself she directs to the things that matter to her — family and health. “… Whatever time I have I want to spend with family.” And her family extends to her fit fam too. “… These gym sessions have kind of filled [a] void, for not being [good at] the friends thing. So now I have gym buddies. It’s nice to have that female energy. Female friendship has become important.”

This article was originally published in Women's Health SA. 

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