Nutrition and Physical Regeneration

One of the most popular posts I ever made was regarding Ernestine Shepard, the 73 year old marathoning and bodybuilding grandma who not only looks good for her age, but looks good for any age. I dare say that she looks better than 99% of my readership, man or woman, and would give a strong challenge to the remaining 1%. If not for her gray hair, which is barely noticeable, she could probably pass for a woman 40 years her juinor.

If you didn't see the original post with video, please check it out before venturing any further.

Since then, and I'm sure much to the delight of the original blogger, ABC News picked up the story. Now millions have been treated to the motivation and inspiration this woman's story provides. I know its not unusual to find older folks leading active and productive lives, even into their nineties. I was sent stories and videotapes as a result of my original post highlighting such people.

Even in the land of junk food, no surprise there. No, the surprising thing is not her age, but how she looks. Not just her face but her body. As far as I can tell, no non-bodybuilding persona has ever looked this good at this age both facially and bodywise.

I know it is the height of academic silliness to proclaim a universal negative, as there is invariably always an exception to the rule, and some journalistic tarbaby lurking somewhere just waiting to take some fool down a notch who is in the habit of making such statements.

Given that, if there are other folks out there with the body/face combo of an Ernestine Shepard, its safe to say they are few and far between. The kicker? Ernestine didn't start working out until she was 56 years old. Yowsa!

Now, as good as she comes across in the video, its worse than you think.

Ernestine Shepherd began working out at the age of 56. She now runs 80 miles per week and can bench press 150 pounds. She was named in the Guinness World Records as the oldest female bodybuilder. (photo: Yohnnie Shambourger)

Told you.

The video only showed part of the story.

If any of my readers look better than her right now, send me your photo with your name, city, and phone number, so I can verify that it is you. I will be happy to post it.

Those of you who don't follow me on twitter (shame on you!) missed my tweet regarding this amazing 73 year old woman.

Hat Tip: Wilt Alston

Five days a week, she trains women of all ages — three days at Energy gym and two days at her church, where she has a class of 25…

With 10 percent body fat, Shepherd is 5-foot-5 and about 130 pounds of inspiration to her clients, many of whom she includes in her routine of walking or running, which begins at 4 a.m.

Some days, even her trainer, Raymond Day, can't keep up with her…

It wasn't until she turned 56 that she began to exercise with the aid of her sister. They were both spurred on to join a gym after shopping for bathing suits and thinking they didn't like what they saw in the mirror.

If a 73-Year-Old Can Get in Shape, So Can You

What's holding you back from getting into the shape of your life or even just getting started?

photo credit: bobster855

I am working on a couple of posts that should be up tomorrow or Saturday; debuting my new blog called Michael's Daily Bread whose first post is about the Roman Polanski Affair; and I am also working on an interview about exercise for the every day man or woman who either can't or won't get to a gym.

In the meantime I thought some of you might enjoy these pictures in the forum from the post Ageless Bodies. The folks featured range from 52 to 62.

Enjoy!

Michael

Ageless Bodies

Exercising for one hour a day for 12 weeks is enough to turn the clock back nearly two decades for middle-aged women, scientists have found.

photo credit: teammarche

Research shows that over-50s who make regular visits to the gym, go for a long bike ride or enjoy a swim can regain the fitness they had in their thirties.

Tests on older women revealed that 12 weeks of exercise was enough to produce the rejuvenation.

Two studies by scientists at the University of California found that “postmenopausal women can achieve the same health benefits from regular, vigorous exercise as younger women”.

Professor George Brooks, an exercise physiologist, said: “There is some good news here for older women in the population, in that they respond much like younger women do to training.

“The women in our study had the cardiovascular and metabolic capabilities of women sixteen years younger.

Read the rest of the article here

This is one man's journey to better understand his clients by going from fantastic shape to 90 pounds overweight and then attempting to go back again.

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Just goes to show you -- there is never an excuse for not getting in a good workout.

(hat tip -- Karen DeCoster)

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