Pilates Instructor at Hamilton Senior Center Places Third in National Fitness Contest

Mary Margaret “Eme” Mizioch owns and operates North Shore Pilates on Jefferson Avenue in Salem and can be found every Tuesday teaching Pilates at the Hamilton Senor Center.

After years of struggling with a serious bone disease, Mizioch discovered Pilates after one of her many surgeries and it changed her life. Through her studio and classes at the Hamilton Senior Center and other senior centers on the North Shore she is sharing the benefits of this exercise designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.

Mizioch saw a post on Facebook for the national Ms. Health & Fitness contest in October and entered on a whim. Feeling that she has been putting in the work to stay active and fit, she thought she should apply to represent the over 50 crowd as fitness gets harder as we get older.

Thousands of people applied for the contest, and it was just announced that Mizioch placed third.

Mizioch is excited to have done so well in the contest as she continues to grow her brand while honoring what she has gone through to get to this point in life.

The 55-year-old Mizioch was born with Dentinogenesis Imperfecta and Osteogenesis Imperfecta, disorders that cause brittle bones and teeth. Some with the disease are wheelchair-bound and have stunted growth. In its most extreme form, the disease could cut people’s lives to just 20 years old.

To try to beat the odds, Mizioch underwent her first surgery at 6-months-old at Salem Hospital. In high school, she missed classes every Wednesday to be treated and examined by doctors at Tufts Medical Center.

After high school, she studied acting in London and moved to Los Angeles, where she spent 30 years working in fashion.

At age 25, three of the discs in her spine completely ruptured, resulting in a nearly 11-month hospital stay and forcing her to use a walker.

While she recovered, she also knew that her body was still fragile. Then, in 2020, Mizioch blew out two discs in her upper neck and suffered a spinal stroke as she was going into surgery to fix them. The stroke left nerve damage in her arm that is still there today.

While in physical therapy after this surgery she was introduced to Pilates and within six months her life had changed.

“I decided to change careers and focus on Pilates full-time,” said Mizioch. “Pilates has made my life so much better, and I want to use what I have learned to help others with spinal conditions and senior citizens who need to maintain flexibility to stay active.”