Amy's story: why a 30 year fitness instructor hired a coach at 55
Amy, a Mavy Wellness client, is a fitness instructor of 30 years who hired a coach at 55 after three years as a caregiver pulled her away from her own training. In about two and a half months with Mavy Wellness, she improved her body composition by 9 pounds, returned to strength training four hours a week, and learned to eat about 80 grams of plant protein a day.
Where she started: Amy was already plant based and teaching eight hours of classes a week, but she had stopped lifting for herself and wasn't eating enough protein. Conflicting advice online left her confused.
What changed:
Someone else writes the plan. Her coach added single leg work for a balance issue she had lived with for years.
Protein. Tofu, tempeh and beans to reach about 80 grams a day.
Volume eating. Plenty of vegetables, a little less starch while losing fat.
Lifting again. Starting light, focusing on form and slower lowering.
Rest and recovery. A nap before a workout when needed, and no screens after 7 PM.
Life now: "If I don't have 100% energy, I give 100% of whatever that energy level is for that day." Amy shared her story on the Forever Fit Podcast, episode 440.
What the research says. A 2018 review of 49 studies in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that protein helps resistance training build muscle, with the benefit leveling off around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. [1] A 2019 analysis from the large SWAN study of midlife women found that during the menopause transition, fat gain speeds up while lean mass starts to decline, even when the scale barely moves. [2]
"As a physician, I deeply appreciate the strategic, nuanced approach of his 5-Phase Blueprint. The emphasis on reverse dieting is brilliant."
Angie Sadeghi, MD, Gastroenterologist and Plant-Based Health Expert, on Forever Fit
If you know what to do but life knocked you off track, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
Morton RW et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine 52(6):376-384. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/
Greendale GA et al. (2019). Changes in body composition and weight during the menopause transition. JCI Insight 4(5):e124865. https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/124865
About the author. Maxime Sigouin is the founder of Mavy Wellness (formerly FitVegan Coaching) and the author of Forever Fit, a book endorsed by physicians including Neal D. Barnard, MD, Laurie Marbas, MD, and James F. Loomis, MD. He has coached for more than six and a half years and, with his team, has coached nearly 1,300 adults over 50 on a whole food plant based diet. He hosts the Forever Fit Podcast, with more than 450 episodes.
Last updated: October 26, 2026. Results vary from person to person. This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise or nutrition program.
