If you've put off working out because you think you can't do it, then you may want to look at 77-year-old Ernestine Shepherd for motivation. The Maryland abuela is one is the oldest female bodybuilders and has the fitness routine of woman more than half her age.
When you take a look at this woman, you probably think she's been doing this her whole life and it's routine. The shocking part? She just got into the craze close to her 60s!
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Shepherd's daily routine begins at 2:30 a.m. everyday when she goes for a 10 mile run with her hubby, 83-year-old Collin. Her diet consists of 1,700 calories a day and many bottles of egg whites as part of her meals. Along with the bodybuilding career, Shepherd does personal training at a local gym and motivates her clients with her personal mantra. Her motto is: "Dedication, Determination, Discipline to Get Fit." Her oldest client–if you can believe it–is 89 years old.
The senior citizen first got wrapped up into bodybuilding and fitness after her sister, Velvet, decided they needed to get in shape when she was 56. Unfortunately Velvet died of a brain aneurysm in 1992, but this only inspired Shepherd to keep going. She was suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other health problems, but she was determined to stay focused. In fact she took up running, which eliminated all of the health issues she was suffering from. It also inspired her to continue towards their joint goal of becoming the oldest bodybuilding woman in the Guinness World of Book Records.
The abuela now has a booked client list for her personal training sessions and still indulges in her guilty pleasures. However those don't include foods and instead is something you wouldn't expect. "I like wearing skimpy clothes. Oh, yes I do." Ha! sounds like this abuela still has it going on!
I'm inspired by this woman's determination and strength at her age. Who would have thought that you could become a body builder as a senior citizen? I'm kind of a gym rat and have joked about becoming a personal trainer after I retire and it seems like this abuela is living part of my dream! She's perfect proof that age is nothing but a number and you can begin exercising whenever you want. All you need is dedication, determination, and discipline to make it a habit!
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