Ernestine Shepherd, 81-years-old, is the Guinness Book of World Records’ as the oldest female bodybuilder. But, 30-years ago she was an overweight middle-aged woman who hated swimsuit shopping.
“I was too prissy to exercise,” she said. “I just didn’t want to have my hair messed up. Didn’t want my fingernails broken.”
She dropped the fear and decided her health was more important. She hit the gym and never looked back. She started off slow with simple aerobics and worked her way up to lifting serious weights. She had never thought about doing bodybuilding until a trainer at her gym suggested it. Once she began to see how her body was transforming and her muscles were growing, she dedicated herself to becoming the oldest fitness competitor and succeeded.