How I get and stay strong, healthy, & fit at 62 - No Meds, No Magic Pills.

Photo Credit: @jessica.amity

This morning, while walking in the neighbourhood before the heat kicked in, I had a delightful chat with a lovely couple out with their horse. When I mentioned I hadn't ridden my horse for a few years because, at 62, a fall could have serious consequences, the woman responded, "Wow, you don’t look 62!" The compliment made me reflect on my journey and how far I've come.

Pictured, after my walk today wearing my “Good Luck” - Mountain Trekking Nepal cap — a symbol of one of my proudest achievements.

People often comment on how I look young, strong, fit, and healthy for my age. And while I deeply appreciate those words, I need to emphasise that my health isn’t about luck, great genes, or a magic pill. I’m not on any medication (unusual for someone in their 50s, let alone 60s), but this level of well-being hasn’t come easy. It’s the result of hard work, consistency, and resilience - having suffered grief, stress, chronic anxiety, leading to sedentary behaviour and frozen shoulder. Add autoimmune conditions to that. I'm still a Work In Progress as my goals now include body composition change (reduce body fat, build lean muscle) and to achieve some strength-based goals like full push ups and pull ups.

Should I also mention having been denied HRT by doctors who had no training in perimenopause (and most still don't!) who wanted to put me on antidepressants for perimenopause symptoms? That was a few years after the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study came out, which sensationalised several study flaws that led to incorrect conclusions about hormone therapy. So I've gone it alone through my 40s - 60s without any medical support for terrible symptoms, trying every conceivable natural alternative.

So anyway, I thought I’d share some of the specific strategies that are helping me get in shape, and helping my clients achieve their goals too.

Consistent, Progressive Strength Training

Strength training is my cornerstone. I do high impact heavy weight sessions for 45–60 minutes, 2-3 times a week, which energises me rather than leaving me drained. As an advanced lifter with over a decade of experience, I’ve earned this level of intensity! I also do walking and hiking, and my strength sessions include mobility, flexibility, whole body stability, core strength, plyometrics (jump training), and Sprint Interval Training. For beginners, the key is to start gradually and focus on progress over time. Skip the "smash yourself" beyond your limit mentality—it leads to burnout, injury, and quitting. I listen to my body: if I’m feeling off, I adapt my exercises instead of pushing through. I don't do 'to failure' regularly or care about PBs, I'm not a powerlifter.

High Impact training, lifting heavy shit, and jump training, are the most important things to build lean muscle, protect and build strong bones as we age. Best to start in your 30s to lay down strong bones! Modalities like yoga, Pilates, or even walking, running, or gardening, are simply not enough to elicit this. Muscle is the key to a healthy metabolism, and bones and muscle are interconnected. I prescribe my clients a range of exercises in all modalities at their own level, while being flexible enough to fit in with their busy lives. Don't worry, they are definitely not getting 'bulky' - unless they want to do that specific training and nutrition as a body builder or physique competitor.

Knowing my Deepest Whys

Exercise is not about burning calories. That mindset traps people in a cycle of over-exercising and under-eating, which can have devastating consequences. (I'll talk about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Low Energy Availability (LEA) another day.)

Instead, I focus on the broader benefits—such as improved strength, mental clarity, enjoyment, longevity, resilience, and becoming powerful! I want to be able to play with my grandkids one day, do mountain treks, walk on pristine beaches, explore remote forests, and remain independent.

I work with my clients to help them uncover their own "deep whys," which creates a sustainable foundation for transformation - so much more than any low calorie diet or numbers on a scale can ever do.

Tailoring Fitness to My Goals

Fitness goals evolve, and your training should change to suit. Preparing for a trek in Nepal meant prioritising hiking and endurance over building lean muscle. Hiking and trekking actually reduces lean muscle. Now, I want to get as strong and "jacked" as possible. Adapting workouts to match your current priorities ensures progress without unnecessary strain or frustration. Exercise should never be generic where everyone is doing the same thing.

Balanced Eating Without Guilt

I eat healthily 90% of the time, focus on protein, don't deprive myself, and don’t follow restrictive diets, label foods as “good” or “bad,” or punish myself for overindulging. If I have a treat, I simply get back on track with my next meal—no guilt. You don't have to 'make up' for something you ate - especially by doing more grueling exercise to try to burn off x calories - that just leads to disordered eating.

I also listen to my body. For instance, certain foods like white bread or milk chocolate affect me physically, so I mostly avoid them. Meanwhile, the glorious smell of fresh Baker's Delight long white seed rolls in the cupboard has been driving me crazy and I have not been able to say no!

In my coaching experience, talking to hundreds of women and clients, many women do not eat enough, or are always on a diet. If you're eating say 1500 calories or less, especially if you're doing extreme exercise, that is just not enough to sustain health. One option is to do 'reverse dieting' - a gradual increase in calories to avoid regaining weight and to help your body adapt to a healthier eating pattern. This is really important if you're interested in building lean muscle mass.

Quick and Simple Meals

I usually don’t stress over elaborate recipes. If I don't want to spend a lot of time cooking one day, I'll make something quick and easy — protein with frozen veggies or a simple tossed salad. Convenience is key to staying consistent. Many of my clients love my strategies and recipes for getting delicious food on the table, quickly and easily, without fuss.

Avoiding Group Fitness

I’ve had too many bad experiences participating in (or watching...) group fitness sessions where the focus seems to be on 'smashing clients' rather than effective training. Or it could just be a complete lack of understanding about appropriate exercise prescription. Exercises like endless burpees, badly done push ups on knees, long held planks with extremely poor form, excessive sit ups and crunches, or tons of box jumps for beginners? Not helpful! Doing hundreds of reps does not make you lose more weight!

Instead, I prioritise structured, purposeful workouts tailored to my abilities and goals. Unfortunately, I can't say I would ever go to a personal trainer. I do weekly sessions with an Exercise Physiologist with a biopsychosocial approach, who collaborates with me through each session to design the appropriate exercises I need on the day (like if I had poor sleep, or impacted by chronic pain that day) - and that's the exact approach I take with my clients.

Steering Clear of Generic Online Programs

Over the years, I’ve tried several generic online fitness programs from highly qualified professionals. Unfortunately, they were often too hard, too long, too many days/week, or otherwise poorly designed for my needs. GENERIC! I would never do random workouts from YouTube. Now, I only do personalised programs and that is what I provide my clients.

One more thing..... about scheduling fitness

I've finally nailed the secret sauce to scheduling! After years of trying every (expensive) diary, planner, and journal trying to become more organised (while inflicting myself with a list of habits, missions, goals, daily gratitude, self care, yada yada yada, I've finally got it down pat! And my clients are going to benefit from the same resources and strategies, including fitness scheduling and organisation methods. Flexible scheduling is also included in our intuitive all-in-one App. Everything you need is now in one place!

Final Thoughts

My health and fitness journey hasn’t been linear, and I’ve faced my fair share of setbacks. But by prioritising consistency, self-compassion, and a customised approach, I’ve built a lifestyle that works for me. My motto - be kind to yourself, and your body!

It’s not about being perfect—it’s about showing up for yourself, making small but consistent efforts, and adapting as you go.

If you’re looking to transform your health, start by finding your own “whys” and embracing the process. It’s hard work, but trust me, it’s worth it.

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If this resonates with you, and you're looking for more strategies or how we could work together on your own unique goals, check out my coaching and fitness pages for details of our programs, and join from $20 per week with a free 7 Day limited trial until 30 November.

www.strongbeyond50.com.au/fitness www.strongbeyond50.com.au/coaching