Yahoo Lifestyle ‘I’m 64 and In the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine I Swear By’
Consistent exercise—let alone being “in the best shape of your life”—may feel unattainable for folks in their 60s (or even younger). At that age, it’s normal to have health problems such as arthritis, for example, that can make workouts seem or feel difficult or daunting.
And yet, they can be doable. Let’s learn about one woman with firsthand experience.
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“Completing the April 2024 High 5 at Hanging Rock and the 1st Annual Every Woman’s Marathon in Savannah, Georgia in November” is the greatest fitness achievement Patricia (Pattie) DeLoatche, a 64-year-old senior policy advisor in Washington, DC, has had at this point in her life. “And I accomplished both events after fracturing my ankle in late 2023,” she adds.
The High 5 is a 10-mile trek that includes five of the highest elevations at Hanging Rock State Park, and the Every Woman’s Marathon (like other marathons) is 26.2 miles long.
FWIW, DeLoatche wasn’t new to running at that point; she started on her high school’s track team.
“I wasn’t a super athlete, but I have always found running meditative and relaxing,” she recalls. “I joined a running group and also started weight-lifting in my 20s.”
She’s continued to put in hard work in her more recent years. For example, DeLoatche joined a women’s boot camp during the earlier parts of the pandemic. The personal trainer who led the event—Yaquay Brooks—encouraged her to push herself and gave her confidence along the way.
Brooks is still her trainer.
DeLoatche also sees Rachel Trotta as her fitness nutrition specialist, who encouraged her as she trained for that aforementioned November marathon.
Related: How Long Does It Actually Take to Run a Marathon? Fitness Experts Weigh In
“I had two amazing professionals supporting me,” DeLoatche says. “I never would have completed it without the support of Yaquay and Rachel.”
Want to learn from them? Check out DeLoatche’s weekly workout routine ahead.
Pattie DeLoatche’s Workout Routine
DeLoatche lifts weights three times a week with Brooks over Zoom. She shares most of her routine below:
Leg lunges (8 reps for each leg) 2x
Squats with two 10-pound weights (10 reps) 2x
Push-ups (10 reps) 2x
Bicep curls with 12-pound weights (12 reps) 2x
Hammer curls with two 10-pound weights (10 reps) 2x
Chest press with two 15-pound weights (15 reps) 2x
Reverse crunches on the bench (10 reps) 2x
Tricep extensions with 8-pound weights (10 reps) 2x
Besides strength training, DeLoatche also:
Rides her Peloton two to three times a week (usually the high-intensity workouts that last between 20 and 45 minutes) plus cool-down rides and stretching afterward
Runs three to four times a week (four to six miles during the week, and eight to 12 miles on the weekend)
Talks to Trotta at least once a month
What Pattie DeLoatche Wants Other Older People to Know About Getting In Shape
Feeling inspired? (Or wish you were?) DeLoatche is right there with Nike when she says this: “You have to start somewhere and just get out there and do it. I don’t even think about it; I just go.”
Another way she stays motivated and engaged is by listening to podcasts and audiobooks during her runs (Lessons In Chemistry was her most recent audiobook, and it’s a 10/10).
She’s also found it helpful to run with others and find role models who share similar lifestyles. On Saturday mornings, DeLoatche joins her running group for a run, and for friendship, too.
See? Exercise doesn’t *have* to feel like a chore. It can be a part of not only a healthier life but a happier one, too.
Up Next:
Related: 'I'm 85 and In the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine I Swear By'
Sources
Patricia (Pattie) DeLoatche, a 64-year-old senior policy advisor
The Top 10 Most Common Chronic Conditions in Older Adults, National Institute on Aging
