Brenda's story: starting strength training at 66 after 60 pounds of plant based weight loss
Brenda, a Mavy Wellness client, had never been a consistent exerciser when she started strength training at 66. She had already lost 60 pounds on her own with whole food plant based eating. With Mavy Wellness she built a routine of three home strength workouts a week plus daily steps, moved up from 5 pound to 8 and 10 pound weights, and kept training while traveling.
Where she started: Brenda grew up in rural West Virginia, where exercise was not part of life, and spent most of her adult life yo-yo dieting. "I knew nothing about exercise."
What changed:
A plan she could check off. Workouts in an app, with a coach who saw every session.
Something every day. When she caught herself procrastinating, she set a daily step minimum plus three strength workouts a week.
An inviting home setup. Workout clothes on in the morning, music she likes, a comfortable room.
Progressive weights. From 5 pounds to mostly 8, sometimes 10, aiming for one more rep each time.
Training on the road. Bands, weights and a mat on a family trip with 21 people, with three workouts that week.
Life now: "I feel stronger. I feel like I walk straighter." She mows the whole yard in about an hour, up from 15 minutes before running out of breath. Brenda shared her story on the Forever Fit Podcast, episode 453.
What the research says. The World Health Organization recommends muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week for adults, including adults over 65. [1] A 2011 meta-analysis of 49 studies of adults over 50 found that resistance training increased lean body mass, with bigger gains from higher training volume. [2]
"Forever Fit is an inspiring, evidence-based guide to developing a strong body and sustainable lifestyle."
Brenda Davis, RD, Plant-Based Trailblazer, Bestselling Author, on Forever Fit
If you've changed your eating but never made exercise stick, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (2020); summary in Bull FC et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine 54:1451-1462. https://www.who.int/initiatives/behealthy/physical-activity
Peterson MD, Sen A, Gordon PM (2011). Influence of resistance exercise on lean body mass in aging adults: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 43(2):249-258. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20543750/
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.
