{"id":361904,"date":"2026-04-03T12:34:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T12:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/361904\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T12:34:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T12:34:07","slug":"74-year-old-indian-mothers-secret-to-staying-fit-and-strong-not-light-exercise-but-actual-strength-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/361904\/","title":{"rendered":"74-year-old Indian mother’s secret to staying fit and strong: Not light exercise but actual strength training"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an era where fitness influencers are often in their twenties, 74-year-old Bhuvana is proving that the ‘golden years’ can be the strongest ones yet. After battling chronic health issues for five decades, Bhuvana\u2019s transformation through consistent weightlifting<\/a> has grabbed attention online, offering a blueprint for ageing with autonomy. Also read | 62-year-old grandmother shares her secret to staying fit: ‘Exercise won\u2019t make you look younger than you are but…’<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Bhuvana,Bhuvana, 74, exemplifies strength training’s importance for seniors, aligning with WHO guidelines. (Instagram\/ the_8thelement)<\/p>\n

The journey was documented by her daughter, Srividya \u2014 menopause, nutrition and lifestyle coach and founder, The 8th Element, who is \u2018working on helping women thrive at any stage of life\u2019. Worried about her mother\u2019s health after her father died, she began sharing the progress on Instagram as a way to inspire women of all ages and backgrounds to prioritise their health.<\/p>\n

A transformation decades in the making<\/p>\n

For much of her adult life, Bhuvana struggled with the physical tolls of ageing and circulatory issues. “After 50 years of varicose veins, my amma (mother) started strength training at 73,” Srividya shared in a March 25, 2026 Instagram post. “Not walking. Not light exercise. Actual strength work. Over time, her pain reduced. Her legs felt stronger. She felt more confident,” she added.<\/p>\n

The results were not merely anecdotal. According to her daughter, Bhuvana has lost 10 kilos and seen a significant change: \u201cShe started eating a little better, sleeping on time, handling stress differently\u2026 just taking better care of herself overall. Nothing extreme<\/a>. Just consistent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inside the workout: consistency over intensity<\/p>\n

Earlier, on July 30, 2024, Srividya stated in an Instagram post that Bhuvana\u2019s routine is built on the foundation of ‘shaping her environment’. To combat the friction of starting a workout, she keeps her weights by the bathroom sink as a visual cue to exercise first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n

The daily routine includes strength training<\/a>, focused movements to build muscle mass and bone density. She also swears by walking \u2013 two sessions per day, lasting 40\u201345 minutes each. If it rains or is too hot, Bhuvana moves her walking routine indoors, Srividya shared. Despite a medical history of water retention and poor circulation, she added that her mother’s commitment remained unshaken.<\/p>\n

Srividya explained: \u201cDespite having varicose veins and dealing with water retention… her doctor advised her to stay active. Even on imperfect days, she shows up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The science of senior strength<\/p>\n

Bhuvana\u2019s success aligns with global health recommendations that highlight strength training as a necessity, not an option, for the elderly. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends<\/a> that adults aged 65 and older incorporate varied multicomponent physical activity \u2014highlighting functional balance and strength training \u2014 at moderate or greater intensity on 3 or more days a week to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.<\/p>\n

Similarly, reports from the Mayo Clinic<\/a> underscore that strength training is vital for:<\/p>\n

\u29bf Preserving muscle mass: Sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) can lead to frailty.<\/p>\n

\u29bf Bone density: Critical for women post-menopause to prevent osteoporosis.<\/p>\n

\u29bf Metabolic health: Lifting weights boosts metabolism, helping to reduce visceral belly fat.<\/p>\n

A message to the next generation<\/p>\n

The goal of Bhuvana\u2019s journey is to redefine what it means to grow old in a society where elders are often expected to lead sedentary lives. “Ageing gracefully without aches and pains and achieving a better quality of life without being dependent on children is a top goal for every woman I speak with,” Srividya said in an Instagram post. She also shared, “If you\u2019re in your 40s or 50s and feel like your body is changing \u2014 it\u2019s not too late. If she can start at 73, you\u2019re not behind.”<\/p>\n

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.<\/p>\n

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In an era where fitness influencers are often in their twenties, 74-year-old Bhuvana is proving that the ‘golden…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":361905,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[190519,64943,190517,565,134,9171,190518,111,139,69,6494],"class_list":{"0":"post-361904","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-74-year-old-indian-mom-secret-to-staying-fit-strong-not-light-exercise-but-actual-weightlifting-workout-fitness-diet","9":"tag-bone-density","10":"tag-elderly-fitness","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-metabolic-health","14":"tag-muscle-mass-preservation","15":"tag-new-zealand","16":"tag-newzealand","17":"tag-nz","18":"tag-strength-training"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361904\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/361905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}