A Message to Baby Boomers Who Are Still Showing Up
I’ve been teaching fitness since 1989.
I’m 69 years old now—and yes, my body looks different than it did years ago.
Recently, a viewer sent me a message commenting on my body size, suggesting that weight gain—particularly around the middle—was discouraging to others and implying that I had somehow lost credibility because my appearance has changed.
I paused before responding. Not because the message was accurate—it wasn’t—but because moments like this deserve reflection, not reaction.
Here’s the truth.
I have not gained 40+ pounds.
I have dealt with medical challenges.
And I have not slowed down.
I still show up with energy.
I still teach with purpose.
I still move with joy.
And if anything, I’m stronger now—not because of how my body looks, but because of what it has endured.
Body Changes Are Not a Failure
Weight gain and weight loss are part of life—especially as we age.
Hormones change.
Metabolism shifts.
Medical issues arise.
Life carries stress, grief, transitions, and seasons we never planned for.
For baby boomers, pretending our bodies will look the same forever is unrealistic—and honestly, unfair to ourselves.
Yet so many people quietly give up when their body changes. Not because they can’t move anymore, but because they believe movement is only valid if it produces a certain image.
That’s heartbreaking.
Because it reveals that somewhere along the way, the body became the goal instead of the vessel.
Still Showing Up Is the Victory
What some people miss is this:
Showing up with a changing body is not discouraging—it’s courageous.
Continuing to move when your body feels different is resilience.
Choosing wellness when the mirror doesn’t cooperate is strength.
Honoring body, soul, and spirit—even when one area feels challenged—is maturity.
I am living what I’ve always taught.
Health is not decided by a waistline.
Wellness is not canceled by weight gain.
Purpose is not measured in pounds.
What You Might Not Be Seeing
If your weight has fluctuated, I want you to pause and look beyond the scale.
Maybe:
You’re wiser than you’ve ever been
You’re more emotionally grounded
You have stronger faith
You manage stress better
You recover faster than before
You’ve learned compassion for yourself and others
Those are gains too.
And they matter.
A Message to My Fellow Boomers
If your body has changed, do not quit on yourself.
Do not let a season of weight gain erase decades of strength.
Do not let comparison steal your commitment.
Do not let someone else’s narrow view of fitness silence your calling to move, live, and thrive.
Movement is still yours.
Joy is still yours.
Purpose is still yours.
Your body tells a story—not of failure, but of survival, perseverance, and growth.
And I’ll say this clearly:
Still showing up is not weakness.
Still going strong is not denial.
Still loving yourself is not arrogance—it’s healing.
I’m not chasing an image.
I’m honoring a life.
And if my journey encourages even one person not to give up when their body changes, then I’ll keep showing up—exactly as I am.
Because strength doesn’t disappear with age.
It deepens.
