The World’s Oldest BodyBuilder Just Turned 80! Here Are Her Secrets…

June 23, 2016December 10, 2018Diet

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This eighty-year-old bodybuilder didn’t start exercising until she was 56, but the late start isn’t slowing her down…

Have you ever seen the meme circulating which shows two elderly ladies; one fit, standing up, and seemingly happy; and another who is constrained to a wheelchair, who likely takes several medications per day?

The meme features Ernestine Shepherd, an incredibly inspiring woman who recently turned 80 years old. Shepherd isn’t like most elders. In fact, she’s the world’s oldest competitive female bodybuilder, and even holds a record in the Guinness Book of World Records!

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Born on June 16th, 1936, the octogenarian from Baltimore didn’t start exercising until she was 56 years old. As she explains in the video below, she got started with the help of her sister. After her sister passed away from a brain aneurysm, however, Shepherd gave up caring about her health. That was, until she developed high blood pressure and decided things needed to change.

Today, she regularly wakes up at 3 am, runs about 80 miles (130km) per week, and lives off a calorie-controlled diet of boiled egg whites, chicken, vegetables, and lots of water.

Ask her what her true secret of success is, and she’ll say it’s to ‘never give up.’ Keep that statement in mind next time you think about skipping the gym.