Mary Ann Wilson (May 15, 1938 – November 5, 2025) was an American nurse and television fitness instructor. Wilson was also the founder and host of the award-winning exercise show Sit and Be Fit, which is broadcast on over 100 PBS television stations across the United States.
In 1987, Wilson started the PBS show Sit and Be Fit which includes a variety of exercises for the elderly and people with limited mobility. The show revolves around exercises that can be done while sitting in or using a chair, with little effort.
Contents
Early life and career
Wilson began her career as a registered nurse specializing in geriatrics and post-polio rehabilitation. In 1985, while teaching an aerobics class, she noticed her older adult clients suffering a high incidence of injury and attrition. In response, she designed a gentle program tailored to their needs. As students began reporting marked improvement in their physical and mental health, Wilson became convinced that there was a need for this type of exercise program on a national level. In 1987, KSPS-TV agreed to produce her Sit and Be Fit television series and distributed the first 30 episodes nationwide. Sit and Be Fit has aired regularly on PBS stations nationwide ever since.
Wilson was the author of several health and fitness publications, including Chair Exercise Basics and was featured in columns on health in the aging community. She educated healthcare and fitness professionals at national and international health conferences.
In 2017, she was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame.
Wilson's activities and history included:
Registered Nurse
Executive Producer/Host, SIT AND BE FIT television series
Executive Director/Founder, SIT AND BE FIT non-profit organization
Nationally certified by American Council on Exercise
Member, ASA (American Society on Aging)
Member, NCOA (National Council on the Aging)
Member, SFA (American Senior Fitness Association) National Advisory Board
Member, FEOAA (Fitness Educators Of Active Adults)
Presenter, IDEA Conventions: 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996
Presenter, 1st International Conference, Prevention: the Key Health for Life, 1994
Presenter, 4th International Congress, Physical Activity, Aging and Sports, Heidelberg, Germany, 1996
Personal life and death
Wilson and her daughter, Gretchen Wilson, who produces and directs the Sit and Be Fit programs her mother hosted, also appear together in the Boomer Be Fit DVD, which Wilson hosts. They resided in Spokane, Washington, where both the Sit and Be Fit TV program and the SABF organization, which is non-profit, are based.
Wilson died in her sleep on November 5, 2025, at the age of 87 from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at her home in Spokane, Washington.