Shannon Miller Online - Ask Shannon
Friday, June 02, 2006
If you would like to send a question to Shannon, please send me an email.
Q: Do you do alot of charity work, and if so, what are some of your favorite charities?
SM: I contribute to a number of different charities including Make-a-Wish, Cystic Firbosis, Alzheimers, Special Olympics, March of Dimes, and and many others. I am currently the official spokesperson for the St. Jude "Heroes" program. I love being able to help in a lot of different areas but i tend to do a lot with children and animals (Humane Society, etc.)
Q: During your career did you ever have any problems with eating disorders, or pressure from your coach to be thin? Why do you think so many young female gymnasts struggle with eating habits?
SM: I never really had any trouble staying thin while i was competing. We were working out so many hours that every thing i ate came right off. Plus my mother and sister are pretty thin so i wasn't going to be huge. But it did come into play when i retired from the sport. I kept eating like i had for 10 or 15 years (5 or 6 meals a day) but i was no longer working out 45 hours a week. I was hardly working out at all. So of course i gained weight. So i started working out a little more and eating a little less. I still have a major sweet tooth but i try my best to eat things in moderation. But if i want a cookie i'm going to havea cookie and I don't stress too much about an extra pound or two.
I also went through puberty when i was about 20 years old. That completely changed my body. All of a sudden i had hips and a chest. But it wasn't something that i though too much about. I knew it was going to happen at some point and it was just a matter of getting used to it. It's tough when you have to go through all of these changes wearing a leotard in front of millions of people. But it was basically our whole team going through it at the same time so at least we could keep a sense of humor about all of it.
I have never had any kind of eating disorder and I am thankful to my parents for helping me keep a level head about wieght. The bottom line is that you just have to be healthy about your eating habits and exercise and be the best "you" that you can be.
Q: Do you ever go check out your statue when you are home in Edmond?
SM: I love the area where the statue is in Edmond. It's in a park right beside the Edmond Public Library. It's a great area for kids to go and play and read and even hold classes sometimes. When i am in town we pass it on the way to church but I don't really make a point of going to see it unless we have friends or relatives in town that really want to see it. I am so proud of the statue and thankful to my community for all they have done for me and it's definitely something i will be able to show my children one day.
Q: Do you do alot of charity work, and if so, what are some of your favorite charities?
SM: I contribute to a number of different charities including Make-a-Wish, Cystic Firbosis, Alzheimers, Special Olympics, March of Dimes, and and many others. I am currently the official spokesperson for the St. Jude "Heroes" program. I love being able to help in a lot of different areas but i tend to do a lot with children and animals (Humane Society, etc.)
Q: During your career did you ever have any problems with eating disorders, or pressure from your coach to be thin? Why do you think so many young female gymnasts struggle with eating habits?
SM: I never really had any trouble staying thin while i was competing. We were working out so many hours that every thing i ate came right off. Plus my mother and sister are pretty thin so i wasn't going to be huge. But it did come into play when i retired from the sport. I kept eating like i had for 10 or 15 years (5 or 6 meals a day) but i was no longer working out 45 hours a week. I was hardly working out at all. So of course i gained weight. So i started working out a little more and eating a little less. I still have a major sweet tooth but i try my best to eat things in moderation. But if i want a cookie i'm going to havea cookie and I don't stress too much about an extra pound or two.
I also went through puberty when i was about 20 years old. That completely changed my body. All of a sudden i had hips and a chest. But it wasn't something that i though too much about. I knew it was going to happen at some point and it was just a matter of getting used to it. It's tough when you have to go through all of these changes wearing a leotard in front of millions of people. But it was basically our whole team going through it at the same time so at least we could keep a sense of humor about all of it.
I have never had any kind of eating disorder and I am thankful to my parents for helping me keep a level head about wieght. The bottom line is that you just have to be healthy about your eating habits and exercise and be the best "you" that you can be.
Q: Do you ever go check out your statue when you are home in Edmond?
SM: I love the area where the statue is in Edmond. It's in a park right beside the Edmond Public Library. It's a great area for kids to go and play and read and even hold classes sometimes. When i am in town we pass it on the way to church but I don't really make a point of going to see it unless we have friends or relatives in town that really want to see it. I am so proud of the statue and thankful to my community for all they have done for me and it's definitely something i will be able to show my children one day.
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