Stop Worrying About Decline – Her Story Will Transform Your View
Can you press overhead with 9kg in each hand and perform full range of motion Rear Feet Elevated Split Squats (a.k.a. Bulgarian Split Squat)? 🤔
At age 63, my client Fina can bang out sets of 8 Overhead Dumbbell Presses with 9kg in each hand and perform sets of 8 full range of motion Bulgarian Split Squats with a 9kg dumbbell.
If you can’t, where will YOUR strength be in your 60s if you don’t make lifting a priority now in your 30s, 40s or 50s? Consider your quality of life down the road. Will you comfortably lift luggage on trips? Play actively with grandkids? Perform daily activities with ease. A weak, fragile body severely limits participation and autonomy.
Can you perform 3 sets of 8 full range of motion Bulgarian Split Squats with 9kg? Be honest!
If you are in your fifties and you can’t, your physical capabilities are likely already declining prematurely. If you are in your late thirties or forties and you can’t do it, this should be a big wake-up call. Ignore strength training now and just imagine the impairment years from now.
Yet know this – with a SMART training and nutrition program tailored to your exact fitness level and abilities, you CAN rebuild capability and muscle at any age!
Let me tell you a bit more about Fina’s story.
It’s never too late to take control and transform your health at any age. With small steps practised regularly, you can achieve astounding strength, energy and confidence
Fina’s story
Fina and I started working together just over a year ago. When she first started working with me, she was overweight and struggled with basic mobility. She couldn’t touch her toes while standing, her belly got in the way. Just lacing up sneakers to walk was hard. Lifting 2kg weights felt impossible, she couldn’t get them over shoulder height. We couldn’t even think about push-ups at first. Even bodyweight Bulgarian split squats were exhausting and shaky.
But Fina was determined. Following smart customized programming that requires minimal equipment (resistance bands, and a pair of adjustable dumbbells) her overhaul was gradual, not instant.
We started slow, focusing on reestablishing postural stability, and mobility through the use of a customized program designed to improve her joint function, muscular endurance, flexibility, core function, static balance, and dynamic balance.
Transitioning
After reestablishing postural stability and mobility, we transitioned to developing solid movement patterns without compromising the posture or stability of the joints. About a third of the total weekly volume was still dedicated to improving postural stability and actively increasing mobility.
Once she had built a solid foundation upon which we could SAFELY build upon, we started applying external loads to the movements to increase strength and build lean muscle tissue.
Real changes
Over the past few months the changes stacked up, the progress has been gradual and real changes have happened.
Now at 63, Fina can press 9kg dumbbells overhead (9kg on each hand) for solid sets of 8 reps. She can perform controlled push-ups and descend smoothly into Bulgarian split squats with a 9kg dumbbell. Just think about that – at age 63 lifting 18kg overhead and doing deep Bulgarian split squats handling 9kg.
Check out Fina’s workout in this video:
Beyond physical gains
Beyond physical gains, Fina transformed lifestyle habits over time as her identity shifted – from sedentary and overweight, to actively nurturing her health. She educated herself on nutrition and made gradual changes. For example, after learning protein’s importance for retaining muscle, she doubled her daily intake. She ate more calories to properly fuel her activity levels, no longer neglecting her needs. Alcoholic drinks with meals became occasional weekend treats. Small steps like planning nutrient-dense meals, moving daily, and listening to bodily cues added up to sustainably caring for herself instead of just getting through each day.
And, she has lost over 10kg of body fat in the process without counting calories, following a diet, or any restrictive approach. She just learned solid nutrition principles and strategies and how to apply them to her own circumstances.
When people ask her what “diet” she follows to transform, she just laughs. “I didn’t follow some magical plan. I focused on fuelling properly, moving daily, getting stronger and appreciating my body’s capabilities. The rest came through patience and practice.”
Take control and transform your health
Fina is the perfect example that it’s never too late to take control and transform your health at any age. With small steps practised regularly, she has achieved astounding strength, energy and confidence gains that continue to progress. Fina’s dedication to strength training and nutrition is already enhancing her health and vitality day to day in her 60s. By prioritizing sustainable self-care, she is equipped to keep enjoying life’s precious moments for years to come.
It’s incredible – my 60+-year-old clients can move with ease, strength and freedom that eludes people decades younger living sedentary lifestyles. Through targeted training, nutrition and lifestyle changes, you can slow, stop and even reverse the aging process and improve quality of life.
There’s no need to fear ageing. However, neglecting your body guarantees poor outcomes. Focus on what you CAN control. Prioritize movement and strength now to thrive in the long run. You hold the power to build your best body yet, whatever your starting point.
Recommended reading
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Feeling in control of your health
If you are interested in improving your health and wellness, check out other resources such as Our Blog, Free Resources and/or join our private Body-Mind Transformation Secrets Community on Facebook, and go on an even deeper dive with me to uncover how to succeed in your health and wellness goals.
You may also be interested in our Sleep Secrets Cheat Sheet. It is a great resource with strategies to fix and optimize your sleep which is crucial to succeeding in your health and wellness goals.
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