A woman is living proof that you can be fit and strong at 60 – but she advised people to start lifting weights young.
Jacqueline Hooton, 60, from West Sussex, is fighting against ageing with fitness. She's showing women over 50 that you can be both fabulous and fit at any age. She often shares her workouts and fitness tips with her social media followers.
Recently she said it's never too late to start lifting weights, though she admitted there are pros to starting in your 20s. For her, building strength from a young age is the key to fighting ageing.
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The 60-year-old has been a personal trainer for over 20 years and previously worked as a fitness tutor. She started taking her health and fitness seriously after the birth of her first son in 1989 – as she had a sudden realisation her baby’s wellbeing relied on her being fit and healthy.
In the early 90s, she started working out to Jane Fonda, and now she's inspiring women around the country to get fit. And it's fair to say you'd want to take her advice when you see how great she looks.
Jacqueline recently said the best time to start lifting weights is when you're young, but you can still start now, no matter what your age. She said as long as you start then your future self will thank you.
Writing on Instagram, Jacqueline said: "The best time to start strength training, if you’re a woman, is in your 20s. This is when you can maximise bone density before it starts to plateau, and then declines.
"Training in your 20s, and gaining lean muscle, is easier than when you are post menopause too. But if you didn’t start in your 20s then definitely start now, if you haven’t already.
"The sooner we start, the better. But it’s never too late. Women new to strength training in their 70s and 80s can still reap the benefits. How long have you been lifting for? Where are you on your journey?"
Since she shared the post, more than 2,400 people have liked it. And her followers were quick to comment too – with many sharing stories about how fitness has changed their lives.
One person said: "I’ve just recently turned 44. I go gym and use the weight machines, but need to do more and start using dumb bells at home. Hopefully it’s not too late for me."
Another wrote: "At 51, I joined a gym in June this year. I attend three group sessions a week with a personal trainer.
"He makes sure we are all lifting safely and progressing. I have gone from lifting nearly anything to now lifting 45kg barbell rdl's, 25kg bench press, and 15kg in inverted rows. Chuffed with my progress and loving weight training.
"The key for me is support, encouragement and working with a fabulous group of like-minded people. I am not training to lose weight specifically, but I want to be fit to enjoy retirement when I eventually get there and keep myself fit for work and living life to the full now. You are inspiring so many women, including myself."
Meanwhile, a third replied: "My mom started lifting in her 70s and she’s become a beast!"
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