One look at Jacqueline Hooton’s Instagram and it’s easy to understand why her 58,000 Instagram followers look to her for fitness inspiration for the over 50s.
At 61, Jacqueline is toned, strong and the ultimate poster girl for active ageing, which she defines as staying fit and well in midlife and beyond, rejecting the notion that getting older is a bad thing.
“We’re told that a woman’s worth diminishes the older she gets,” laments Jacqueline. “We absorb messages from society that growing older is a problem and being an older woman is one of the worst things you could be.
“On the contrary, I’m encouraging people to embrace their age and look at the positives,” she continues. “We’re taught to believe that everything is going downhill but in reality, there’s a lot we can do to support our health and wellbeing as we get older.
“We must challenge our own internalised ageism and our beliefs around what age might mean because if we don’t challenge that at the outset, we’re already setting ourselves up for failure,” Jacqueline enthuses.
Jacqueline certainly rejects the concept of how someone “should” be in their sixties, taking to social media in activewear and swimwear to prove that we’re never “too old” to do anything. “If you believe you’re too old to do something, question who told you that – it’s unlikely to be true.”
A changing routine
At 61, Jacqueline acknowledges that her fitness routine has changed as she’s got older, accommodating osteoporosis and injury.
“In my twenties, I used to do Jane Fonda aerobics, but fitness is forever evolving. As I’ve got older I’ve experimented with different things including competitive bodybuilding and marathon running, but it’s strength training that has become most important to me.
“It has nothing to do with stripping body fat or dropping a dress size, it’s about retaining my functional ability, strength, bone health and muscles.”
Jacqueline is pragmatic about ageing, noting: “As we get older, there are multiple systems within the body that start to not function as well as they once did, but there’s a lot we can do to support the healthiest version of ourselves.
“If we continue to be physically active, we can slow down the rate of deterioration and continue to enjoy the things we love, be that travel, fitness, spending time with family or working.
“Women often spend the last 15 to 20 years of their lives in poor health – but I don’t plan to do that.”
Here’s how Jacqueline looks and feels brilliant at 61…
1. Lifting weights
To maintain her sculpted figure, Jacqueline does four training sessions a week, split into areas of the body, which allows her to work out a different body part each day, lifting heavy weights.
2. Cardio activity
On top of that, she walks, runs and cycles for cardiovascular health. “I cycle everywhere because it’s a way I can integrate cardiovascular activity into my daily life.”
3. Mobility
Jacqueline also stretches and does mobility work to stay well and includes explosive training in her regime.
4. Explosive training
“Explosive training is really important for our muscles and our joints. Foot stamping, slam balls, box jumps and kettlebell swings are all explosive training examples that support my muscles and strength as I age.”
5. A healthy lifestyle
Though Jacqueline has never been on a diet, she eats healthily, incorporating lots of different vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and fish into her meals.
6. Supplements
Supplement-wise she takes protein and creatine for strength, and recommends vitamin D to stave off deficiency.
Strong: The Definitive Guide to Active Ageing by Jacqueline Hooton is out now
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