‘I’m 61 and in the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine That Transformed My Body in 3 Months'

Emily Laurence
·5-min read

It was a milestone birthday that prompted Fiona Lambert to get in the best shape of her life. “I wanted people to know it was okay to be 60. I was frustrated as a woman that I didn’t feel I could say my age [proudly],” Lambert says. “I decided to get as fit as possible to prove that 60 can be a beginning rather than an end. It’s a great age!”

Lambert made her goal a reality—and more than a year later, she’s still feeling better than ever. How did she do it? Here, she shares her tips.

Related: Want to Lose Weight? Here Are 16 Actually-Doable Ways To Do It Quickly and Safely

How She Transformed Her Body in 3 Months

Prior to setting her goal, Lambert says she was reasonably fit, which she credits to working out a few days a week and receiving guidance from a personal trainer.

Over the years, she’d dabbled in various fitness trends, following along to Jane Fonda workout videos and taking step aerobic classes. In her late 30s, when her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, she started running, training for a 5k to raise money for cancer research. But with the big 6-0 coming up, she wanted to go from reasonably fit to super fit—and she only had three months to make it happen.

How did she do it? First, she started walking more, upping her daily step count from 10,000 to 15,000 a day. “Walking is the secret weapon for getting in shape,” she says.

Scientific research shows that walking can be an effective way of losing weight. In one study, participants who walked 10,000 steps a day—with at least 3,500 of those steps being at a brisk pace—lost weight. Another small scientific study found that adults with obesity who walked 10,000 steps a day experienced more weight loss than adults with obesity who did not walk 10,000 steps a day.

Related: Looking to Lose Weight? Get Started With These 40 Expert- and Science-Backed Foods and Drinks

In addition to walking more, Lambert says she started doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) four days a week. “HIIT workouts burn a lot of energy really quickly,” she says. Scientific research shows that HIIT workouts are an effective way to lose weight. The reason why HIIT workouts are so effective for weight loss is that you burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time through continuous, short bursts of exercise that require maximum effort. HIIT workouts also integrate strength training—with dumbbells or your own body weight—which increases muscle mass, while burning fat.

Here's exactly what her HIIT workout looked like, with each move done for 45 seconds followed by a 15-second rest:

  • Mountain climbers

  • Squats

  • Jumping jacks

  • Push-ups

  • High knees

  • Forward lunges

  • Shoulder taps

  • Glute bridge

  • Bicycle crunches

  • Tricep dips

If you're looking for another specific HIIT routine to try, the 20-minute video below is a great example.

In terms of diet, Lambert says she follows a high-protein, low-carb diet and drinks two liters of water a day. “I eat lots of fish, lean meat and lots and lots of vegetables,” she says, saying she aims to get 80 grams of protein a day. Studies show that it’s important for older adults to up their protein intake because muscle starts to decline after 70 and consuming more protein can help maintain muscle mass.

In addition to prioritizing vegetables, fish and lean protein, Lambert says she doesn’t eat foods with added sugar and she also cooks the bulk of her meals instead of eating out.

Related: 10 Real People Share the One Change They Made That Finally Helped Them Lose Weight 

Tips for Starting Your Own Health Journey

Feeling inspired? Lambert’s advice to other people in their 50s, 60s and older who want to become their fittest self is to start small. Going from not working out at all to having a goal of doing four HIIT workouts a week can be too drastic of a change for many people to stick with it long-term. “The key is creating new habits that are going to last,” Lambert says.

Like she did herself, Lambert recommends finding ways to work walking into your day more. “You’ll be surprised how quickly the steps add up,” she says. Some ways to do this are integrating a 15-minute neighborhood walk into your morning and evening routines, walking while you talk on the phone or scroll social media and setting alerts on your phone to go off every couple of hours, reminding you to take a short walking break—even if it’s just a lap throughout the house.

Lambert also recommends writing in your calendar when you’re going to do your workouts, scheduling them the same way you would an appointment or meeting. “Schedule just a 15-minute workout—everyone has time for that!” she says. If you want to do HIIT workouts like Lambert did, search YouTube for at-home HIIT workouts based on the amount of time you have to devote to them, whether it’s 15 minutes or a full 45.

What you put into your body is just as important as how you move it. Lambert says cooking more is a great way to know exactly what’s in your meals as well as better control the portion sizes. She also emphasizes the importance of getting enough protein, since scientific research shows that a high-protein diet reduces body weight while preserving muscle.

No matter how old you are, it’s never too late to start prioritizing your health. “It’s never too late and you're never too old,” Lambert says. “That’s my mantra.”

Next up, find out how doing this one morning habit can help you lose weight faster.

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