Ageless fitness: Susan Omondi’s two-hour gym routine at 59

It is 6.30 am and beads of sweat are already glistening on her forehead, soaking through her purple gym top.

“I'm an early riser, you can always find me at the gym at 5am. I prefer to get there early and do my two hours of training, which sets the mood for my day,” she says.

At 59, Susan is passionate about her fitness routine. Hers is an almost unwritten rule that she must train for at least two hours.

“I know there is an argument that 30 minutes is enough. But that has never made sense to me and I have a problem with those who use that argument. In my opinion, you need at least an hour of varied, easy exercises to warm up your body and get it in the right mood for training,” she argues.

Even at her age, Susan insists a solid workout should last at least an hour and a half. The insurance finance consultant's journey into fitness began many moons ago when she was a schoolgirl.

“I have always been active throughout my life. I swam for our school, played netball and all sorts of sports,” she says.

When she got her first job in Mombasa in the 80s, she switched to the gym. “With work, the gym was a good balance. I used to exercise in the evenings after work until I moved to Nairobi in 2007 and switched to mornings,” she says.

Menopause struggles

Susan’s fitness routine has helped her weather the challenges of ageing. Many of her friends have struggled with menopause, a phase that can cause weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. But Susan’s experience has been smoother.

“I think it is because I have always had an active lifestyle. Going through the menopause can be a carnage. It messes with your hormones—one minute you’re too hot, then too cold. And the cravings, oh my! Sometimes, all you want is something sweet to make you feel better. There are times when you can’t sleep because your body is on fire,” she says.

For her, the symptoms of menopause have not been as severe, which she attributes to exercise. Research shows physical activity during the menopause transition and post-menopause, offers many benefits such as weight gain prevention, strengthening bones and increased muscle mass and reduces the risks of diseases.

“Exercise helps to regulate the hormones and keep them in balance thus reducing the intensity of the side effects. When you go through menopause, you also gain a lot of weight, especially if feeding the crazy cravings that come. If not careful you might end up with knee problems and hip joint pains,” she says.

The cravings have been Susan's nightmare but she has found a good substitute for refined sugars or empty-calorie sweets.

“Oh boy, I have such a sweet tooth. I love my cakes, cookies and chocolates. But I have found a healthy substitute in date fruit. I have dates at home and also carry some to work. So whenever I feel the craving, I snack on dates instead. Dates have high sugar content but they also have a lot of fibre, which makes it harder to indulge. This helps me keep my weight down as I cannot eat too many dates,” she says.

Unlike many women her age who stick to cardio exercises such as aerobics or Zumba, Susan gravitates towards weight training.

“I always encourage women to lift weights because as we age, our bodies tend to lose muscles. Low levels of muscular fitness is a major risk factor for illness. The idea that women will look like men if they lift weights is a myth. Our bodies are different from men, so we build muscle in proportion to our body type. Unless you’re training at an extreme level, it’s not going to make you bulky,” she says.

Does she diet? The mother of two is not a fan of the word “diet.”

“It's funny that eating right these days is seen as being on a diet. But without digressing, any food that comes from the soil is good enough for me,” she says.

After her workout session, her go-to meal would usually be yams and eggs.

“Because I drink a lot of water at the gym, which fills me up, I usually eat breakfast around 11am. I keep it simple. I try to eat more organic food,” she says.

When it comes to portions, Susan keeps her carbohydrates small, focusing more on proteins. “I make sure my plate is mostly protein,” she says.

No excuse in fitness

For the quinquagenarian, there is no excuse for not exercising.

“Fitness is a lifestyle. Everyone should make time for it. Nobody should have an excuse not to exercise,” she insists.

“You don’t have to wait until a doctor tells you to get moving. Exercise improves health, boosts your mood, and makes you feel better. Even if you can’t go to the gym, get outside—take a walk or run. A smartwatch can help you track 10,000 steps a day.”

She also encourages younger generations to embrace fitness, saying, “I see a lot of young people not wanting to exercise because they feel they are young enough to get away with not exercising. But they should know that you can't stay young forever. One way or another (health problems) will catch up with them. Exercise is not just for older people.”

→ [email protected]