Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. Why Trust Us?
I’ve always made it a priority to be healthy, active, and strong. But for a long time, exercise used to be more of a casual activity for me. I never could’ve predicted that I’d become my strongest, most active self in my 70s.
Growing up, my mom taught me early on that exercise and eating well were important parts of taking care of myself. When I was a kid, I played tennis and racquetball and loved to run. Then, as an adult, I became a regular at the gym and loved trying different workouts, from Jazzercise and step aerobics to at-home strength-training videos. I enjoyed the way exercise made me feel, and continued all of these workouts off and on throughout the decades.
Once I hit my 70s, though, I started thinking more about how to age well—and the role that exercise could play in that. I did some research and learned that in order to stay strong, capable, and independent as I got older, I needed to build strength and muscle. So, I decided it was time to shake up my routine and get into consistent strength training.
A Burn Boot Camp studio had just opened near me, offering high-intensity group strength and conditioning workouts. I liked the idea of combining heavy lifting with the motivation of a group class, so I decided to give it a try. The first class was hard because I was lifting heavier weights than I was used to, but I loved the energy of group fitness and having a coach. For the first time ever, I got real guidance on my form, learned modifications when an exercise didn’t feel quite right, and challenged myself in a safe way. I started going to the class five days a week to build a new routine that I genuinely looked forward to.
At the same time, I tweaked my nutrition habits and began to eat more protein to support muscle growth. I ate more salmon, scrambled eggs, and tuna, and experimented with fun high-protein recipes I found online like casseroles. At the same time, I continued limiting packaged and processed foods, but I’ve always believed everything can have a place in moderation. So, if I was craving a cookie in the afternoon or ice cream after dinner, I let myself enjoy it.
After making these changes to my workout routine and diet, I started feeling good inside and out. I was growing more visible muscle in my arms and legs and felt stronger and more stable in my everyday activities. I also had more energy during the day and was more confident in what my body could do. Seeing (and feeling) these changes in my 70s showed me that I could still get stronger, challenge myself in new ways, and make meaningful progress at this stage of life.
Now, at 79, my fitness routine is centered around strength, conditioning, and Pilates.
I still go to the Burn Boot Camp classes, typically doing three strength-centered classes and one to two cardio-centered classes each week. During workouts, we hit five to seven workout stations and complete each exercise for a certain number of reps and sets, or time.
In strength classes, I use dumbbells at each station to work different upper- and lower-body muscle groups throughout the week. During upper-body workouts, some of the moves I do include overhead presses, pull-ups, pushups, triceps extensions, chest flys, and dumbbell rows. On lower-body days, I do deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, lunges, and different squat variations. Then, cardio days are more focused on bodyweight conditioning, with exercises like jumping jacks, high knees, burpees, hurdles, and explosive running drills. Some workouts also mix in strength-based movements, such as medicine ball throws or squats with an overhead press.
