The world came to know of Sonya Curry, first as Dell Curry’s wife, and then as Stephen Curry‘s mom. But much like Ayesha Curry, the basketball matriarch has carved out an identity for herself amidst all the star power and fame. However, those who have known her from the high school days would know that the now-58-year-old was in a league of her own. As Sonya, herself, described, she was “short, fast, and mean!”

But she wasn’t describing herself with those three words. Rather, it was her athletic abilities. A former volleyball player, Sonya did not excel in just that one sport. By the time she attended Radford High, a young Sonya proved herself as an excellent basketball and track & relay star, in addition to her volleyball prowess. 

And now with a family where fitness is pretty much of the utmost priority, what with two sons playing professional basketball and their father, a former NBA superstar, you would think fitness comes naturally. Right? Not really.

Sonya Curry touches upon fitness goal struggles in life after retirement

In a recent interview with digital health communications and patient event engagement firm, Black Health Matters, Sonya Curry reflected on the challenges athletes face transitioning to self-discipline in fitness after retiring from structured routines led by coaches and trainers.

“Because we are athletes, we’ve kind of been forced into healthy lifestyles and staying fit. And we’re very competitive, you know? And even within that I want to encourage people to know that you know, when the lights are finished and you know, they retired without having somebody there to tell us what to do, we had to be disciplined and find another uh gear to get ourselves disciplined on our own,” she confessed, highlighting a glaring issue, many retired athletes face around the world.

Sonya’s statement highlights a common challenge many athletes face: transitioning from the structure and external expectations of professional sports to a life driven by self-motivation. So what does help? Touching upon her journey, Mama Curry admitted that staying consistent was something she struggled with.

Over the years, though, the mother of three has learned to give herself a “lot of grace,” because, as she believes, “we put too much pressure on ourselves.” That said, the Fierce Love author does have solid advice. “Just start simple. So we say, ‘Keep it simple, stupid.’,” Sonya said, laughing.

Curry did say to keep it simple. But what exactly does this entail?

Mama Curry’s simple steps to getting active

Well, for starters, the Raising Fame host doesn’t believe staying active does not require major changes or overwhelming commitments. “Start with something like, just get out and walk around your block. And then if you want to add exercises, just do leg lifts or do jumping jacks. Just don’t try to overwhelm yourself. Don’t say, ‘I got to get a gym membership.’ You can do it at home,” Sonya iterates.

It’s all about taking small steps and gradually building up from there. Rather than diving into intense routines from the get-go, which only serves to tire you out faster than you can learn to stick with it, Sonya Curry emphasizes the key is consistency. The Curry matriarch also suggests that exercising can be a community activity if one so desires.

“Just get a neighbor and say ‘Hey, I’m going to walk down to your house and you walk back up.’ But just put your feet on the ground and start small, simple,” she added.

Sonya’s approach not only makes fitness more accessible but also underscores the importance of patience and self-compassion. Particularly, when transitioning from the structured routines of an athlete’s career to everyday life. Ultimately, it’s about moving forward, one small step at a time.