When Ernestine Shepherd was 56 years old, she decided that it was finally time to begin getting in shape. She had never been very active and was never fond of physical exercise, but felt that it was time for a change.
She and her sister embarked on their fitness journey together. They began by attending aerobics classes together and eventually progressed to participating in sports competitions.
Ernestine has since developed a highly regimented routine: She rises at 3 am to start her day with meditation and a jog. At 8 am, she starts personal training, and by 10 pm, she’s in bed to rest before the next day.
Her husband of 60 years, Colin, is very supportive of her lifestyle and has taken to cooking all the family meals, taking care to support Ernestine’s unique diet of rice, chicken breasts, chestnuts, cereals, and eggs.
Ernestine has recently turned 80, and it doesn’t seem like she’s slowing down any time soon. She has published a book about her journey and constantly encourages others to begin taking care of their bodies – regardless of their age. The hardest part, she acknowledges, is to stay your own best fan when there’s no one to make you go on.
Knowing that someone as inspirational as Ernestine is supporting all of us, though, is definitely enough for us to keep going on.
