Body Breakthrough
At Age 53!
over 40 transformation
Why I decided to transform
At age 45, I hated the person I saw in the mirror and didn't recognize her. She had my eyes and voice, but didn't look like the image I saw in my mind.
I was a school teacher at the time, and at the beginning of every school year we had to stand and give a speech about our personal goal for that year. I proudly stood and said I was beginning a five-year plan to lose weight. I weighed 171 pounds then.
The announcement was met with laughter. Not the kind you share with someone, the kind that echoes in negative energy and hurts inside. One person said sarcastically, "Well, you better start now because you have a long way to go."
It didn't matter if there was malice in the remark or not. What mattered was how it made me feel and the steps I took after that meeting.
How I accomplished my goals
I took the negative energy and ridicule and let it fuel my every move in the gym. I loved weight training. After six months, people noticed a difference in me. I only trained for 20 minutes per day at the time (when 20 minutes hit the clock, I was halfway out the door). When the weight started coming off, I felt better, looked better, and never looked back.
I started with an ab chair, dumbbells, a broomstick, and lots of sweat. I took the cart back into the store after putting groceries in my car. I took stairs instead of the elevator. I parked in the space farthest from the entrance and shopped the perimeters of the grocery store.
I kept a daily log of exercises and marked days off a calendar when I worked out. I took hundreds of photos to track my progress. And anytime I thought of giving up, I reminded myself that I couldn't. The echoes of laughter kept fueling me.
What aspect challenged me the most
I tore my rotator cuff in the first year training. That taught me to warm up before I train. I tore my Achilles tendon last year and had to take four months off training. It was humbling, but the rest worked to my benefit and made me come back stronger.
My future fitness plans
I don't want to be skinny or shredded. I have no ambition to compete. I love inspiring people to change and transform their lives. It's about the longevity of living a healthy life with no regrets. It's a contract I have with myself.
Suggestions for aspiring transformers
- Never let negative energy keep you from becoming who you are.
- Don't become content in your discontentment and settle on being unfit.
- If someone can't cheer you on in your race to be healthy, get them out of your way.
- If you falter, start again. There are no substitutes for a winning attitude.
- Never buy into a belief that you're too old to accomplish your goals.
- Love yourself! Remind yourself of who you want to be until it becomes reality.
- Feed your mind with positive material that lifts you up.
How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals
The encouragement from BodySpace members helps. Sharing experiences with other members and keeping others motivated is amazing. I love the FitBoards! The videos and access to nutrition and diet plans are countless. All you have to do is look for help and you'll find it.
Teri's Top 5 Gym Tracks
- "Party Rock Anthem (Everyday I'm Shuffling)" by LMFAO
- "Piece Of Me" by Britney Spears
- "Bon, Bon" by Pitbull
- "Boom Boom Pow" by Black Eyed Peas
- "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC