5 min readAs a kid, I was fascinated with the idea of being strong. I was drawn to women who challenged expectations and pushed boundaries—Wonder Woman was my hero and I admired powerhouse female athletes like bodybuilder Rachel McLish. I always loved sports and got into weightlifting in college, but for most of my adult life, fitness was only something I managed to squeeze in here and there.
However, at 47, after raising three kids and going through a divorce, I finally felt ready to invest more time and energy into myself. I knew I had untapped potential in the gym and I was eager to see what I was truly capable of. After years of admiring strong women, I wanted to become one, so I took a leap of faith and entered into a bodybuilding competition.
I began working with a local coach who brought structure and intensity to my training. Suddenly, my workouts weren’t just occasional—they were deliberate, consistent, and focused. I did a mix of heavy strength training and cardio almost every day to build muscle, and I became more serious about nutrition. I’d always tried to eat well, but I increased my protein intake to support muscle growth, eating one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Within weeks, I noticed I had more muscle definition, was lifting heavier weights with better control, and felt more focused and confident in and out of the gym.
Around four months later, I stepped on stage for my first bodybuilding competition. Posing under bright lights in a bikini in my late 40s was intimidating, but I was so proud of myself. I had put in the hard work and could finally show that I was as strong as the women I’d always looked up to. Competing proved that age didn’t define what I was capable of. It also reinforced the idea that it’s never too late to take on a challenge, pursue a goal, and discover new strengths.
After that experience, I kept training—but menopause hit, life got busy, and my consistency in the gym ebbed and flowed. Still, the competitor in me never disappeared. At 65, life was a little less busy, and I knew there was still more in my tank, so I entered another bodybuilding show. The training process demanded the same discipline, consistency, and willingness to step outside my comfort zone. But this time, the experience felt even more meaningful and rewarding. As I pushed myself through each phase of training, I was reminded that the drive to challenge myself hadn’t diminished with age. If anything, it had only grown stronger.
After my second bodybuilding competition, I was motivated to keep fitness a constant in my life and continued strength training three to four days a week from then on.
Now, at 69, my fitness routine is centered around strength and mobility work.
Shortly after my second bodybuilding show, I had my hip replaced, so the last two years have been focused on rebuilding my body. I strength train four days a week with a coach at my local gym, doing one lower-body day, one full-body day, and two upper-body days. Most sessions include five to six exercises, with three sets of 8 to 12 reps and a steady focus on progressive overload (gradually increasing the intensity, volume, or duration of my workouts over time to become stronger). My coach switches up the moves every few weeks, but I regularly do deadlifts, squats, bench presses, Romanian deadlifts, and Turkish get-ups.
In addition, I do some form of cardio every day, switching modalities to challenge my agility and keep my routine interesting. Some mornings, I’ll go for a 40-minute power walk to kick-start my day, while on other days, I’ll spend 15 minutes on the Jacobs Ladder (a non-motorized machine that feels like climbing a never-ending set of rungs). Occasionally, I’ll even flip heavy tires with my trainer to combine cardio and strength.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that recovery matters just as much as the workout itself. So, I also stretch daily and regularly incorporate mobility work to help prevent injury and improve my range of motion.
My nutrition is still anchored by protein since it supports my strength, muscle maintenance, and recovery. I aim for at least 130 grams a day, which means chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, salmon, and lean beef are always in rotation. More recently, I’ve also been focusing on increasing my fiber intake to support digestion and gut health. So, fruits, veggies, oats, and chia seeds have become everyday essentials.
3 Fitness Products I Can’t Train Without
I rely on this spring-loaded stool to improve my squat mobility and range of motion, especially after my hip replacement. It helps me reach a deeper, more comfortable position in a deep squat.
Peluva Strand Lightweight Trainer
I love my Peluva sneakers because they give me the stability and natural feel of barefoot training while still offering the support and protection I need in the gym.
Barebells Protein Bars Variety Pack
I do my best to prioritize whole foods, but Barebells are perfect for on-the-go snacking since they taste like a candy bar and pack 20 grams of protein.
As I approach 70, these three factors are key to my athletic success:
1. I take recovery seriously.
I prioritize at least seven and a half hours of sleep each night, stretch daily, and stay consistent with mobility work to protect my joints. On top of that, I use the sauna every day to boost circulation, so my muscles recover and feel less stiff. More than anything, though, time in the sauna gives me the chance to slow down, reset, and check in with my body. If something feels sore or achy, I’ll sometimes follow it up with an ice bath. All of these practices add up to keep me healthy, strong, and ready for my next workout.
2. I lean into discomfort.
When I started bodybuilding, I finally understood that growth doesn’t happen when things are easy. That’s why I began pushing myself to pursue challenges that are hard and uncomfortable at times. I began squatting deeper and striving to complete one more rep than I had in previous workouts. And, eventually, I stepped on stage in a bikini at 47 and again at 65. I’ve learned to see discomfort as a sign that I’m adapting and getting stronger. Continually challenging myself is what keeps me progressing at every age.
3. I show up as the strong woman I know I am.
There’s this idea that as we get older, we slow down and can’t do the things we used to, but I’ve spent years proving that notion wrong. Whether it’s putting my strong body on display in midlife, trying the Jacob’s Ladder for the first time in my late 60s, or hitting a new PR in the gym—I feel stronger, more confident, and more grounded now than ever before. Consistent strength training and dedication to myself has shaped the way I move through life, giving me energy, resilience, and a mindset that extends far beyond the gym.
I don’t train out of obligation. I train because it’s part of who I am. I show up just like the strong women I’ve always admired: fully committed, unapologetically present, and always striving to improve. At this stage of life, I’m not winding down. I’m still evolving, challenging myself, and proving that strength doesn’t have an expiration date.
Andi Breitowich is a freelance writer who covers health, fitness, relationships, beauty, and smart living. She is a graduate of Emory University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, POPSUGAR, Food & Wine, What To Expect, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, and elsewhere. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she loves all things fitness and has yet to meet a group workout class she doesn’t like.
