Ernie proves it’s never too late to lift weights

Ernestine “Ernie” Shepherd, declared by the Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest female competitive bodybuilder, is turning 81 years old this year.
They say everything drops south at a certain age, but you don’t see that in any of Ernie’s photos. Last year, she released a book Determined, Dedicated, Disciplined To Be Fit to inspire more people, including seniors, to exercise. Her latest gym video has 25.5 million views on her Facebook fan page. 

When did she start working out? It all started when she went bathing suit shopping with her sister Velvet. They made fun of each other while trying them on. They realized they have to get in shape. So they joined a gym and started lifting weights. Ernie was 56 years old when she signed up as a gym member for the first time in her life.

Velvet was very excited and committed to transform her body and even came up with a fitness mantra that they had sewn on their workout tops — Determined, Dedicated, Disciplined to be Fit. Ernie was not as determined as her sister though in building muscles.

Her sister died of aneurysm not long after they joined the gym. Ernie was devastated and stayed away from the gym for a while. After mourning her sister’s loss, she realized that returning to the gym to fulfill her sister’s dream for both of them to get fit was the proper way of honoring her.

Ernie had little interest in athletics or exercise in her younger years. At 56, she was a sedentary school secretary. She started slowly but regularly with her gym routine. Over time, she transformed not only her body but her life as well.  She suddenly had a life mission and started a new career training a group of women, from 20 to 80 years old, five days a week in the gym.

From someone who was always behind her office desk, Ernie started to run races and marathons. She competes in 5K and 10K races, getting up at 4 a.m. to get in her daily 10-mile run. She strength trains three to four times weekly.
Ernie spends the rest of her life working out, eating clean, and wearing her Determined, Dedicated, Disciplined to be Fit tops to honor Velvet. “My sister left me with a dream to fulfill and that was to let everyone know that age is nothing but a number. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.”

At the age of 71, Ernie asked former Mr. Universe Yohnnie Shambourger to train her to compete as a bodybuilder. After seven months of training, she entered her first bodybuilding competition. In this first contest, she took first place in her class at the Natural East Coast Tournament of Champions.

Ernie happily reports that she has no aches, pains or injury. At 5 feet-5 inches, she weighs 130 pounds with nine to 10-percent body fat (percentages usually reserved for elite-professional male athletes). She has no maintenance medications to this day.
She hired an expert personal trainer to gradually transform her body. Ernie also got the services of a nutritionist. Her husband Collin prepares her seven small balanced daily meals. Ernie makes sure she gets sufficient rest and tries to be happy and optimistic at all times. She believes in encouragement, inspiration, and family support as well as her mantra “Determined — Dedicated — Disciplined To Be Fit.”

Ernestine Shepherd feels younger and more alive at an age when many have surrendered themselves to declining. She looks better now than when she was half her age. She is so passionate about her fitness and prays for a longer life to inspire others to take her lead. Truly, it is never too late to improve your fitness.

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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.