BLOG 26 ERNESTINE SHEPARD

BLOG 26 ERNESTINE SHEPARD

Ernestine Shepard impresses me. As the Guinness World Record’s Oldest Female Body Builder, she is in league of her own. She is a role model of hard work and exemplifies the fact that attitude is so important in all of our endeavors. Plus, she is a personal trainer herself and I like her style.

Shepard started her fitness journey at age 56. She and her sister had a bad run in with bathing suits and decided to get fit together. Sadly, her sister passed away and, “Shepard ended up with high blood pressure, panic attacks, acid reflex and depression. Then, Shepard says her sister appeared to her in a dream, urging her to follow through with the bodybuilding dream they had conceived together” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/27/ernestine-shepherd-bodybuilder_n_5037892.html).

She is certainly not a couch potato. In fact, “Every day, she wakes up at 2:30 a.m. and runs 10 miles before 5 a.m. After that, it’s on to the gym, where she works as a personal trainer” (http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/30/qa-worlds-oldest-performing-female-bodybuilder/). Her days start at 2:30 AM and ends at 10:30 PM. She runs at least 10 miles per day. She is very disciplined and regimented in her food intake as well. Her promise to her sister fuels her motivation and she likes the results of her hard work. Not being on medications she once was has also made her feel better and less depressed. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is her hero and she has found a new relationship with God after her sister’s passing.

Shepard puts to rest any exercise excuse related to age. Her best advice would be: “It takes four things to get fit: eat correctly, drink plenty of water, do some type of strength training and do some kind of cardio” (http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/30/qa-worlds-oldest-performing-female-bodybuilder/).  It’s never too late to start. Exercise comes in all forms, at all levels, and is suitable for everyone somehow.  She said she used to be a school secretary and a slug but all that changed. She is now helping others and says about her classes, “‘I started my class with ten people. Now some mornings people can't get in the room” (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2600455/Im-proof-age-number-76-year-old-bodybuilder-says-exercise-rescued-depths-depression.html).

Ernestine Shepard is a “fitspiration” to us all. Sometimes it takes a real wake up call to get us going, but once the journey starts, you never know what possibilities there are. Age is only a number and the scale is only a number too. We are capable of anything we set our minds to. Shepard is a great source of motivation for us all. There are plenty of videos online available is you want to check out her physique. Strong starts from within and for Shepard her promise to her sister has made her stronger inside and out.