Sit and Be Fit is an award-winning exercise program for senior citizens and individuals with limited physical motion, that is available on video tapes and is distributed to public television stations (although not by the Public Broadcasting Service

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

 (PBS)).

The show was created in 1987 by Mary Ann Wilson, a registered nurse in the field of post-polio rehabilitation and geriatrics.

Wilson recognized the need for exercise, especially for moderately active seniors or those needing rehabilitation from strokes, heart attacks or other injuries.

The shows mission statement is: Sit and Be Fit is committed to improving the quality of life of older adults and physically limited individuals through safe, effective exercises that are available through television, videos, personal appearances, classes, seminars, books, and the Internet. The show actively promotes functional fitness, healing, and independence, and is an effective resource for professionals in aging and fitness.

Organization

Sit and Be Fit is a non-profit organization that produces North America's health education and exercise television series. The series, hosted by Wilson, and developed with a team of medical and fitness professionals, has earned a loyal following due to its effectiveness in improving the health and wellness of participants. It has been broadcast since 1987 on over 100 public television stations throughout the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The first public television station that agreed to carry her show was KSPS-TV

KSPS-TV

KSPS-TV, digital channel 7, is the Public Broadcasting Service Public television station in Spokane, Washington. It also has significant viewership in the province of Alberta, Canada, including the cities of Edmonton and Calgary. The station broadcasts its main signal from its site at Krell Hill,...

.

In 2000, the corporation filed for a non-profit status, and was granted the right to be a "501(c)(3) charitable organization."

Awards

Sit and be Fit has won 17 awards including the 2006 National Health Information Merit Award for the shows Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure. It is an example of a diagnosis of exclusion...

 Workout and the Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...

II Workout. In 2003, the show won the award from Today's Caregiver Magazine for the shows Caregiver's Guide To Exercise.