73-Year-Old Woman With a 20-Year-Old Body (w/video)

[pacalo]

If you still doubt that exercise keeps you young, just look at Ernestine Shepherd, a 73-year-old bodybuilder from Baltimore, Maryland. I swear, that's a 24-inch waist and there's not an ounce of fat or sag anywhere on her.

And it's not just her six-pack abs, her perfectly sculpted back, or her powerhouse arms and legs, but her perfect skin, posture, and energy.

She wasn't always this way. She started working out at age 60. Now she runs 80 miles a week, bench-presses 150 pounds, does bicep curls with 20-pound dumbbells, and eats 1,700 calories a day of mostly vegetables and lean protein.

If this isn't inspiration to stay fit, I don't know what is.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/healthy_living/102346/73_year_old_woman_with

[noamnety]

1. I love this woman.

She is one of the people I saw online last summer who inspired me to drop the "I'm getting tubby because I'm getting older; it's normal" mentality. That was a kick in the ass for me to figure out that I was using age as an excuse.

It's one thing to be exercising and eating in smart ways and still gain weight as we age, that truly can be a hormonal thing. But I was pretty happy eating a half wedge of brie by myself and not doing any strength training, and then accepting the spare tire as inevitable as I near 50, instead of seeing it as a direct consequence of my actions.

[pacalo]

2. This woman is truly inspiring! Having started weight lifting at 60, she shows us the

possibilities. Not every woman may achieve as spectacular results as this woman did, but she has shown that weight lifting can certainly bring about improvements & help us to feel better emotionally as well as physically.

I'm as guilty as you in the way I eat. Whenever I buy a bag of granulated sugar, my husband tells me, you're going to be wearing that. I really taste the artificialness of the sugar substitutes & I'm hard-headed.

[silentwarrior]

3. wow

There is hope for me after all. Amazing lady. Inspiring.

[AllyCat]

4. There is always hope SW!

We can do a lot more than we think. We have to turn around negative thinking and focus on where we are each day. We also have to say ouch, this is pain and I don't want it...but recognize when it's just ugh, this is uncomfortable and I feel tense. Breathe and buck up

[silentwarrior]

5. Thanks Allycat

your post brought a much needed smile to my face, thank you

[rozidays]

6. 73-Year-Old Woman

Fantastically inspirational life she lives, thanks for sharing

[Smithfield]

8. Inspiring to men too

Wow, I'm a young man and I run a few miles everyday with a high of 46 miles per week. 80 miles on top of other things is incredible. Retirement has been good to her! Any idea what she was like or did professionally when she was younger?

Keeping pace and not losing momentum once you starting building it up is crucial.

[pacalo]

9. I don't know her background other than what was provided in the video.

I was just blown away by it when I found it. She's such an inspiration!

Welcome to DU, Smithfield!