Dan's story: a physician gets stronger, leaner and injury free at 59 on a whole food plant based diet
Dan, a Mavy Wellness client and physician, broke a cycle of running injuries, rebuilt his strength and brought his weight back down at 59, then completed his first sprint triathlon. He had already been eating plant based for years but relied on processed vegan foods and had no structured strength training.
Where he started: Dan kept getting injured running because of his lower back, and his weight had crept back up during a stressful few years.
What changed:
Structure. A year of planned meals and workouts that became his lifestyle.
Core strength first. Protecting his lower back so he could lift progressively heavier.
Whole food plant based cooking. Learning to cook and enjoy it for the first time.
Letting go of perfectionism. Doing his best instead of all or nothing.
A consistent bedtime and morning meditation.
Life now: Dan says he feels healthier at 59 than he did at 40, and he's training for an Olympic distance triathlon and 60 pull ups on his 60th birthday. "Keep showing up." He shared his story on the Forever Fit Podcast, episode 327.
What the research says. 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. [1] In a classic 1990 JAMA study, nursing home residents with an average age of 90 nearly tripled their leg strength after eight weeks of strength training. [2]
"After decades of working with thousands of clients, I can say with confidence that Maxime is the real deal."
Julieanna Hever Risse, MS, RD, The Healthspan Dietitian, Author, on Forever Fit
If you keep getting hurt every time you build momentum, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
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/
Fiatarone MA et al. (1990). High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians: effects on skeletal muscle. JAMA 263(22):3029-3034. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2342214/
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.
