Pam's story: building strength at 86 with home workouts and a plant based diet
Pam, a Mavy Wellness client, started structured strength training at 86 and, about two and a half months later, could lift her own carry-on into an airplane's overhead bin again. After a year of home workouts with bands and dumbbells, she has more arm definition, a smaller waist, and clothes that fit again, and is ready for heavier weights.
Where she started: Pam had eaten plant based for over a decade but stopped exercising during years of caring for her husband. She lives alone and was afraid of falling.
What changed:
Safe home workouts. Bands anchored in a doorway, a thick mat, and lunges around her kitchen counter for support.
A progressive plan. New, slightly harder exercises each month, from counter push ups to knee push ups.
Morning routine. Workouts first thing, appointments in the afternoon.
More protein. Soy milk, a plant protein smoothie, tofu and tempeh.
Leg strength for fall prevention. Her main focus after a fall in a parking lot.
Life now: A new doctor told her she looks 10 years younger than his father, who is her age. Her goal is to live to 100 to see her great grandchildren graduate. Pam shared her story on the Forever Fit Podcast, episode 423.
What the research says. 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. [1] The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older do muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days a week, plus balance activities. [2]
"Who knew kale could build both muscles and momentum? Maxime did, and Forever Fit shows you how."
Chef AJ, Bestselling Author, YouTube Host, on Forever Fit
If you think you're too old to start, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
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/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older Adult Activity: An Overview. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/older-adults.html
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.
