Strong at 51: Why I Lift
“How Lifting Rebuilt My Body, My Mind, and My Life — and Taught Me What Strength Really Means for Mental Health, Aging, and Self-Worth.”
When I started strength training in October 2024, I was still underweight — caught in the lingering grip of anorexia and body dysmorphia. My body was sagging. I had just started swimming a month earlier and was already going to the Y regularly for the pool and sauna. The weight room was right there, quietly calling to me. And I listened.
At first, I didn’t think of myself as someone who lifted weights. But I was watching. The women I admired weren’t skinny — they were strong. Toned. Confident. I started to understand that strength was beautiful, and I wanted that beauty for myself. Not the fragile kind that disappears when the wind shifts, but the kind you build, slowly and deliberately, like a sculpture in motion.
Here’s what motivated me:
To support my swimming — and see how strong I could get in the water.
To reshape my body — not for thinness, but for power and tone.
To protect my bones — because osteoporosis isn’t waiting for an invitation.
To improve my sleep and my stress levels — lifting calms my mind and makes my bed more inviting.
To stop spiraling — no overthinking, no bed rotting, no doomscrolling.
To age well — because self-care is more than candles and skincare.
To feel proud of myself — because every workout is a win.
To shift my mindset — from punishment and control to progress and possibility.
To engage in life — because strength training gets me out of the house and into community.
I do full-body workouts twice a week, usually 1 to 1.2 hours. Machines only. I pick a weight that lets me reach failure by the end of my last set. My routine:
3 sets of 12 for upper body (arms, shoulders, back, chest)
3 sets of 15–20 for core
3 sets of 15 for legs and glutes
The consistency has paid off. I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been at 51 — mentally, physically, emotionally. And yes, I love how I look in sleeveless tops and shorts. I earned that.
Working out has become a ritual. I train after work: I come home, walk and feed my dogs, then change into workout clothes and head out the door. I don’t give myself a chance to sit down or talk myself out of it. On the days I least feel like going are the days I need it most.
Lifting weights hasn’t just changed my body. It’s changed my mind. My relationship with food. My sense of agency. My future.
Strength training didn’t just support my recovery — it accelerated it. I used to feel small. Now, I feel strong.
And I’m just getting started.
🔥 Ready to feel powerful in your own skin?
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