Fitness is the gift that keeps on giving. Well, maybe not a gift because it takes so much work, but it’s definitely the work that keeps paying off. Keeping up the momentum can be an absolute nightmare, never mind the diet that goes into staying in top form, too.
It’s impressive at any age, as far as I’m concerned, but to be in peak condition when you’re pushing 60, and have the guts to put it all on display in competitions? My hat is off to this lady.
RELATED STORIES
Society has a lot of ideas about what a typical 58-year-old grandmother “should” be doing, but Terry Coulter is definitely not typical.
At 58, the Tennessee-based personal trainer is a mother of two, grandmother of one, and says she’s stronger now than she was in her 20s — and that’s saying something because she’s been active all her life. Even though she hears people say women over 50 shouldn’t wear bikinis, she goes ahead and wears them in competitions.
Terry says that her passion for fitness began in her early 20s, however.
She would lose her breath after running a short distance and realized she had gotten out of shape, so she started running more to combat it, putting in the miles jogging around her pasture three times a week. “Running kept me slim and trim,” she told MSN . “I continued this through my pregnancy with my son who was born when I was 23.”
After the birth of her son, she took up teaching aerobics, and after eight years of that, she went back to running.
She used to run 50 to 80 kilometers a week, while sprinkling in some weightlifting sessions. However, those weightlifting sessions became more frequent, and the cardio less frequent, after knee surgery. Now, she lifts weights four or five times a week and does only 30 to 45 minutes of cardio.
As her muscle tone increased, people around her started to take notice, and that only inspired her to work harder.
“Everyone was asking, ‘What have you been doing?’ Of course, when people notice, it’s motivating to do more, and so I did. My arms were sculpted and looked great and that’s when women would say, ‘I want your arms, would you train me?’ Looking great and feeling strong just fueled me to do more.”
She also said that people find her intimidating at times.
“I actually had a friend meet my daughter recently and she said to her, ‘I would be intimidated to have your mom as my mom,’ my daughter said yes, it was a little intimidating to have me as her mom at my age and so fit.”
“Also, I remember thinking, reading, and hearing that women over fifty shouldn’t be wearing bikinis.”
“Well, at the ripe old age of 56 I did my first bodybuilding bikini competition. Really? Who would have thought?” You sure can’t tell Terry that she shouldn’t be wearing bikinis at her age!
She credits her ability to stick with it for her success at this point.
“All these years of consistency have paved the way to where I am now,” she said.
She has a few tips for those out there who are trying to stay as fit as she is.
“If you sit all day then set a timer and get up and move every hour,” she suggests.
“Learn how to use weights by hiring a trainer so that you can become knowledgeable about your body and how it functions. This knowledge empowers you to do it yourself. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people who want to transform their lives is vital for your success. It may take a year or two, but I don’t know about you, but time is flying, so start now, you won’t regret it.”
h/t MSN
