At 70, Sydney grandmother Dagmar Carr is living proof that getting older doesn’t have to mean slowing down.
With her glowing complexion, toned physique and boundless energy, she often leaves people surprised to discover her real age.
But while many women spend a small fortune chasing the latest anti-ageing treatments, the Mosman-based personal trainer insists her youthful appearance is largely down to surprisingly simple habits.
She credits regular weight training, nutritious home-cooked meals, plenty of sleep and two bargain beauty products she’s sworn by for years.
And despite only discovering the benefits of lifting weights in her late 60s, she’s since transformed her passion for fitness into a second career helping others stay strong and active.
The German-born grandmother-of-two, who retrained as a personal trainer in her late 60s, believes consistency is far more important than expensive wellness trends when it comes to looking and feeling fantastic later in life.
‘I think we owe it to ourselves that we really take good care of our bodies,’ Dagmar told the Daily Mail.
And while she admits to having a little cosmetic help along the way, she believes the biggest secret to ageing well has nothing to do with what you put on your face.
At 70, Sydney grandmother Dagmar Carr is turning heads with her youthful looks, toned physique and boundless energy, leaving many stunned to discover her real age
The exercise routine that transformed her body
Despite always maintaining an active lifestyle, Dagmar only discovered the benefits of weight training in her late 60s after the death of her husband left her physically and emotionally exhausted.
Although she had continued with yoga, Pilates and swimming, she admitted her strength had deteriorated considerably and, for the first time, she began to feel her age.
It was her son Daniel, who owns several gyms across Sydney, who encouraged her to start lifting weights, and within weeks she began noticing changes in her strength and muscle definition.
The experience proved so transformative that Dagmar decided to retrain as a personal trainer at 68, following 21 years working in a corporate environment supporting CEOs.
Today, she trains clients at her son’s boutique Northbridge gym, including couples in their 70s who want to improve their balance, flexibility and independence.
Her own fitness routine is equally impressive, consisting of resistance training twice a week, three additional balance and strength sessions, yoga and Pilates two to three times weekly, and swimming whenever she gets the chance.
Dagmar believes maintaining muscle mass, bone strength and good posture becomes increasingly important with age, and encourages women to incorporate resistance training into their routines long before retirement.
The Mosman-based personal trainer credits her glowing appearance to simple daily habits, including daily weight training, wholesome meals, quality sleep and two surprisingly affordable beauty staples
Three mornings a week, Dagmar wakes at an eye-watering 3.45am to prepare for early yoga classes or personal training clients, but despite her busy schedule, she makes a point of getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Pictured: with her son and gym owner Daniel
The diet she swears by to look radiant at 70
When it comes to food, Dagmar follows what she calls ‘nutritional awareness’, prioritising fresh, wholesome ingredients and avoiding heavily packaged or processed foods wherever possible.
‘If it’s in a packet, I tend to avoid it.’
Her supermarket trolley is typically filled with fresh fruit, vegetables, organic eggs, cottage cheese, yoghurt, rolled oats, meat and fish, while her daily meals follow a simple pattern of eating more earlier in the day, then gradually reducing her portions towards the evening.
Breakfast is a colourful combination of psyllium husks soaked in warm water, organic cottage cheese, flaxseed oil, banana, pawpaw, kiwi fruit, berries and a drizzle of raw honey, which she prepares the night before and often divides into two portions.
When it comes to food, Dagmar follows what she calls ‘nutritional awareness’, prioritising fresh, wholesome ingredients and avoiding heavily packaged or processed foods wherever possible. ‘If it’s in a packet, I tend to avoid it,’ she added. Pictured: Her signature lunch of
Breakfast is a colourful combination of psyllium husks soaked in warm water, organic cottage cheese, flaxseed oil, banana, pawpaw, kiwi fruit, berries and a drizzle of raw honey, which she prepares the night before and often divides into two portions
Lunch is a rotation of eggs, steak or fish with vegetables and plenty of olive oil, while dinner is much lighter, such as soft-boiled eggs with sourdough bread and cream cheese.
One of her biggest dietary rituals is preparing a large five-litre pot of homemade broth every week, a tradition she grew up with in Germany and continues to enjoy as part of her daily routine.
The health conscious trainer is also a fan of healthy fats, including avocado, nuts and olive oil, although she happily indulges in almond-flour vanilla crescents, dates with peanut butter and the occasional alcoholic drink with friends as a treat.
She takes several supplements, including magnesium, vitamin D3, vitamin K2, probiotics and flaxseed oil, and believes looking after her gut health is particularly important.
However, she insists eating well doesn’t mean depriving yourself of the foods you love, instead focusing on quality ingredients and habits she can maintain for life.
A fan of healthy fats, including avocado, nuts and olive oil, Dagmar also happily indulges in almond-flour vanilla crescents, dates with peanut butter and the occasional alcoholic beverage with friends as a treat
Her supermarket trolley is typically filled with fresh fruit, vegetables, organic eggs, cottage cheese, yoghurt, rolled oats, meat and fish, while her daily meals follow a simple pattern of eating more earlier in the day, then gradually reducing her portions towards the evening
Dagmar takes a range of supplements, including magnesium, vitamins D3 and K2, probiotics and flaxseed oil, but believes the key to healthy eating is choosing quality ingredients without depriving yourself of the foods you love
Her affordable beauty buys
While her approach to nutrition and exercise is meticulous, Dagmar’s skincare routine is refreshingly uncomplicated, with two inexpensive supermarket staples taking pride of place in her bathroom cabinet.
‘I’ve been around long enough to have tried a variety of things, and you know, the one thing I always come back to is the good old Nivea creams.’
Despite regularly receiving compliments on her glowing complexion, she says people are often surprised to discover she doesn’t rely on an expensive collection of anti-ageing serums and moisturisers.
Instead, she removes her makeup, washes her face and applies a generous layer of the iconic dark-blue Nivea Creme ($10) before bed, while her morning routine involves massaging Nivea Rich Body Lotion ($6.99) into her skin all over.
She rarely wears foundation during the day, preferring a little blush, lipstick, eyebrow makeup and mascara, and refuses to obsess over the pigmentation and imperfections that naturally come with age.
‘I do have some, you know, as you age, there are some spots there, but I’ll be darned if I’m worried about them.’
However, she is open about having undergone upper eyelid surgery approximately 15 years ago to address inherited heavy eyelids, and admits she still has Botox around twice a year.
Despite her glowing complexion, Dagmar swears by two affordable skincare staples rather than expensive anti-ageing products: Nivea Creme ($10) before bed and Nivea Rich Body Lotion ($6.99) every morning
Early mornings and the importance of sleep
Three mornings a week, Dagmar wakes at an eye-watering 3.45am to prepare for early yoga classes or personal training clients, but despite her busy schedule, she makes a point of getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
Rather than rushing out the door, she prefers to begin her mornings mindfully with a shower, time in the small infrared sauna on her veranda and a proper sit-down breakfast.
Making her bed, leaving the house tidy and preparing meals in advance are also important parts of her routine, which she believes contribute to her overall sense of wellbeing.
While her early starts might not appeal to everyone, Dagmar says the consistency of her routine has helped her maintain the energy needed for her active lifestyle.
Despite her dedication to fitness, nutrition and skincare, she credits the most powerful anti-ageing tool of all being a positive mindset, something she developed after losing her mother in her 30s. ‘I think to age well, it’s to do with attitude,’ she said
Dagmar’s biggest secret to ageing well
Despite her dedication to fitness, nutrition and skincare, she credits the most powerful anti-ageing tool of all being a positive mindset, something she developed after losing her mother in her 30s.
‘My mum died when she was 39. So, for me, ageing is something absolutely wonderful and something I’m very grateful for.’
‘And I think to age well, it’s to do with attitude.’
Rather than viewing another birthday as something to dread, she considers growing older a privilege and encourages women to remain curious, maintain meaningful relationships and appreciate what their bodies can still achieve.
She also believes the way people carry themselves can make an enormous difference to how youthful they appear, from standing tall and maintaining good posture to smiling and engaging with the world around them.
And for women in their 40s and 50s hoping to look and feel their best at 70, her advice is refreshingly simple.
‘Get moving, value your relationships and choose good relationships.’