Toni's story: starting strength training at 62 with a full time job and no gym nearby
Toni, a Mavy Wellness client, started strength training for the first time at 62 while working full time as a nurse and living 25 minutes from the nearest gym. Starting with 2 to 10 pound dumbbells and bands at home, she improved her body composition by 13 pounds in a few months, now trains four times a week in a basement home gym, and eats about 110 grams of protein a day.
Where she started: Toni had been plant based for three and a half years and loved cardio, but had never lifted weights. She noticed she could no longer flip a canoe onto her shoulders or lift heavy packs on her family's wilderness trips.
What changed:
Start with what you have. Her coach built the plan around her small set of dumbbells and bands, then progressed it as she bought more equipment.
Morning workouts. An earlier bedtime, two workouts on days off, and the longest sessions saved for weekends.
Calories and protein targets. Raising protein from about 80 to 110 grams helped with evening cravings.
Win the next meal. No shame after an off day, just the next good choice.
Life now: "I thought I was going to have to grit my teeth and power through it. I am having so much fun." Her next goals are flipping her canoe again and her first chin up. Toni shared her story on the Forever Fit Podcast, episode 433.
What the research says. An international expert group (PROT-AGE) recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day for adults over 65, and at least 1.2 grams for those who exercise. [1] The World Health Organization recommends muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week for adults, including adults over 65. [2]
"Maxime has created a body composition program that has worked for thousands of people, and it can work for you too."
Kiki Nelson, National Bestselling Author of Plantifully Lean, on Forever Fit
If you're busy and don't know where to start, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
Bauer J et al. (2013). Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 14(8):542-559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021
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
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.
