Can You Get Stronger After 60? Sandra's Story

Sandra: I was doing the cardio, the workouts, and my body wasn't changing. I was not toning. I wasn't losing that fat, and not to mention how my body felt. When I would go in to work out, I was tired. My body was extremely tired.

Nikkiey: What's going on, everyone? Hey, you guys. So today I have a WarriorBabe here. Her name is Sandra. Before she found WarriorBabe, she was doing everything: personal trainers, two-a-day workouts, extreme cardio, clean eating, and she was still getting nowhere. At 61, she felt like her dream body just wasn't in the cards anymore. But after taking the leap and joining WarriorBabe, everything changed. With her coach's support, she let go of old habits. She built strength that she didn't know was even possible. And she stepped into the strongest, most confident version of herself. Today she's here to tell that story, which I'm really excited about. Sandra, welcome.

Sandra: Thank you, Nikkiey. Thank you. Like I said, I'm so excited to be here. I'm so excited to share my story and what WarriorBabe has truly done for me. Like you said, I was feeling so frustrated. I had three personal trainers, the last one for a year and a half. I was working out twice a day, doing all the things I thought I was supposed to do. Tons of cardio, and seeing very minimal results. I became so frustrated because I was like, what am I doing wrong? There's got to be something that I'm missing. So I went on Facebook and I started looking, and I saw you, Nikkiey, and I thought, wow, I love everything that she's saying. I love everything that she's saying about the program, about eating and all those things. Maybe this is what I need. So I called, and long story short, of course, I joined.

Nikkiey: Before we even dive into you finding WarriorBabe and joining and starting your transformation, I want to ask about that point you just made, doing hours of cardio, working with multiple coaches. You mentioned that you were frustrated. What were some of the most frustrating roadblocks that kept you from getting to where you wanted to be?

Sandra: The thing of it is, like I said, I was doing the cardio, the workouts, and my body wasn't changing. I was not toning. I wasn't losing that fat, and not to mention how my body felt. When I would go in to work out, I was tired. My body was extremely tired. There were many mornings I'm like, I can't do this, but I pushed through and I did it. But I just did not feel good. My body did not feel good. I did not feel strong. I did not feel energetic, that I could continue to do these workouts. And I knew that I needed something different. Even though I knew I was older, I had the willpower and I have the determination, but I just didn't have the right tools to make that successful.

Nikkiey: So what was going through your mind when you saw the WarriorBabe ad for the first time?

Sandra: Well, to be honest with you, I was a little hesitant. I was excited, but at the same time I was frustrated because nothing had worked. And I'm thinking, okay, is this going to work? Is this really going to work? But at the same time, I knew I had to try something different if I wanted to reach my goals. I was determined that I was going to do this. So I decided to give it a try. And immediately, I have to say immediately, they paired me with my wonderful coach, Carrie Johnson, who I absolutely adore. And I have to say, in the beginning she put me through a retrain. I remember sitting down and I just cried, because I thought, I just don't know what she's doing. I got discouraged because I thought, oh my gosh, she has no clue. Why am I in a retrain? I was eating the food. I was not eating as much as I should have, but I thought I was doing all the right things.

Nikkiey: So when you got placed into the retrain, emotionally you had a trigger to it. You were like, does she know what she's doing? I'm eating more food. I don't understand this process. What limiting beliefs about food and about your body did you have to let go of to accept this retrain process?

Sandra: Yes, I did. I had to totally let go, because everything that I was told and was trained to do seemed like the total opposite of what I was now being told to do. And that was so difficult for me, because I wanted to go to the gym in the morning and the evening. I wanted to do all that cardio. I wanted to maybe not eat quite as much food. I wanted to do all these things. And that was so difficult for me because I had to train. I had to listen to my coach. And at the same time, I was wondering, okay, does she really know what she's doing? Is this process going to work? But I'll never forget it. My daughter came to me and she said, Mom, you've got to give it a chance. And I did. I did everything my coach told me to do. And within a few months, I was like, oh my gosh, she knows what she's doing. I started seeing some results, and my body started to feel better. And I was like, oh my gosh, I have energy. I'm not exhausted when I go.

Nikkiey: I love that you trusted us along the way and you went full send into what Carrie was telling you that you needed to do. And you allowed the emotions to be present, but you accepted what your daughter said: just lean into it, accept it. And now look where you are. I'm excited to talk about your results, and we're totally going to talk about that in a second. But I want to rewind a little bit to when you saw the WarriorBabe ad. You knew you had to try something, and you were a little worried because you'd tried other things in the past and they weren't getting you to where you wanted to be. When you saw the ad and signed up and filled out the application, was there something that resonated with you in that video that was like, I just need to take the leap?

Sandra: It was other testimonies. It was other women. And you also, because to me it was so inspiring where your journey has gone. And also, I wish I could remember her name, but the woman that I signed on with was so helpful in reassuring me that this process works. But I think overall I believed in what you were saying. I knew it was about macros. I knew that's mainly where I was missing it. So I knew that I had to get into that vein, so to speak, so I could find out what I was missing in my whole workout and my whole macros and all of these things. Especially when you get older, I feel like it's so much harder to accomplish these goals. That's why I knew I needed that extra help with my macros especially.

Nikkiey: So when you heard we were macro-based and you knew that was a missing link, what were your initial thoughts about actually implementing macros? Was it overwhelming? Was it a lot of work? What did you think about it at first when you joined?

Sandra: Well, I had already been doing macros a lot on my own, but I didn't realize the extent of it. So when I started doing it, that part was actually pretty easy for me because I had already been doing it. It was just a matter of meeting all of those proteins and carbs and things like that, and fueling my body. Because I would ask other personal trainers at the gym, and like I said, I'm in an all-women's gym, so I had plenty of people I would ask, and they would all tell me something different. It seemed like, okay, no, you need to be eating 1,800 calories. You need to be eating 1,600 calories. It was always different. So then when you start doing the things that my coach, Carrie, had told me to do, and you start seeing results, then it's like, okay, this is what's working. They know the process. They know the tools, the right things to get you to where you want to be. And that's exciting. When you see things happen, you get so excited.

Nikkiey: For sure. I'm so happy that the retrain process, although it was daunting at first, made you realize, oh my gosh, I do need more food. I haven't been fueling my body the right way that it needs to get me the results that I want. And then you started to see the results, and you started to trust the process a little bit more, like, oh, this actually works. I love that it came full circle for you. Now, you mentioned that you worked with several coaches before. What felt different about the guidance, the structure, the support that you received with us through WarriorBabe?

Sandra: I think, Nikkiey, to me the most important thing with my coach, Carrie, is that Carrie is totally honest and she will tell you what you need to do. You might not like it, but if you follow this program and what the coaches tell you, you're going to see results. That's what I loved about Carrie. She was so honest, and she was so motivating, inspiring. She doesn't let you quit. I don't think any of the coaches at WarriorBabe will let you quit, as far as giving up. They just motivate you to keep going and to push forward and to know that you can do this, that you're unstoppable, as you say so many times. Age is just a number. We can be 50. We can be 60. We can do all these things. And that's what I'm most grateful for with WarriorBabe: I'm 61, but that hasn't stopped me by any means. I want to get stronger. I want to keep lifting those heavy weights. And I just want to do more and more, because I've learned that my body is as strong as I train it to be, as long as we have all the right components, the food and the rest and all these things.

And that's one thing, like I said, I loved about Carrie. She set me in the right direction, and if I ever had a question, there was immediately a response. Many times she was just encouraging me through a text message or something like that. And then you have the calls, and you have your whole team that comes and helps support you and answers your questions. The team huddle meetings every other week where we can talk about things and encourage each other. It's just a whole mountain of wonderful things that you can't get with the coaches that I had before. And that's when I knew, when I linked into WarriorBabe, I said, oh, this is it. Let me tell anybody that's going to listen.

Nikkiey: Oh, I love that. I love that. And as we were catching up beforehand, you mentioned that a lot of women come up to you and ask how long it took you to do a lunge like that, or the things that you're doing inside the gym. And you get to preach WarriorBabe to all the women that you run into. I love that. Spread the word so that everybody can get a piece of the results that they're hoping to get, but maybe they just don't know where to get it from.

Nikkiey: Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause? It's time to take control. If you're between 45 and 65 years old and tired of struggling with body fat and muscle loss, WarriorBabe is here for you. At WarriorBabe, we've helped over 18,000 women just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle, and understand their bodies better with personalized plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results, and results that last. Look, don't wait anymore. Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit WarriorBabe.com/apply today to start your transformation. That's WarriorBabe.com/apply. All right, let's get back to the show.

Sandra: Yes. I had a goal of doing 90-pound lunges, which I have met, thanks to my wonderful coach. And I have women come up to me all the time and ask me, how old are you? And I say, look, age is just a number. That doesn't mean you can't come in here and lift these weights. It's something that I absolutely love to do. When I put those weights in my hands, I feel like, oh yeah, I got this. And even the lady that was giving me a massage noticed me changing, and she asked me about it. I told her about it. Well, she told a client of hers about WarriorBabe, and that lady called me, and I told her, oh yes, call them. And as far as I know today, she signed up.

Nikkiey: Wow.

Sandra: Yeah. It's stories like that. I want to help other women know that this program works. Ladies, take a chance. Take a chance. Dive in and try it, because it works. And since I've been with WarriorBabe, the things that I've been able to accomplish are just incredible.

Nikkiey: Let's dive into that now.

Nikkiey: Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause? It's time to take control. If you're between 45 and 65 years old and tired of struggling with body fat and muscle loss, WarriorBabe is here for you. At WarriorBabe, we've helped over 18,000 women just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle, and understand their bodies better with personalized plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results, and results that last. Look, don't wait anymore. Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit WarriorBabe.com/apply today to start your transformation. That's WarriorBabe.com/apply. All right, let's get back to the show.

Nikkiey: Where are you in your journey with us? What are the top things that you're most proud of? What are some of the results that you've seen so far?

Sandra: Oh my gosh. It has to be the 90-pound lunges. I'm doing things that I see 30-year-old women who can't do. And that is exciting to me, especially since I'm double their age. And I've told Carrie I've always dreamed about doing 30-pound bicep curls, and I'm doing them now, Nikkiey. I'm doing them.

Nikkiey: Look at you go, Sandra. Look at you go.

Sandra: I'm just so stoked. I'm doing the 60-pound 21 bicep curls. And when I do that, it feels amazing, because I see my body becoming nothing but muscle, a strength that to me is just incredible. It's totally incredible. And the thing, Nikkiey, that's amazing to me now is that when I go into the gym, I am not tired. Before, I would have to take something like Ignite, a high-caffeine pre-workout. Now I take absolutely 100% nothing except my food and my water before my workout. And I am so ready when I go to that gym. I am stoked. I'm ready to go lift those heavy weights, and I'm not tired. That to me is the biggest takeaway: my energy. It is incredible.

Nikkiey: I love that. I love that for you. I love hearing that. It's so important, because a lot of women struggle with low energy and not being motivated to get to the gym. And if you just fuel your body the right way and give it what it needs, look at you. You have all the energy, you don't need a pre-workout, and you're absolutely rocking it inside the gym. You're hitting 90-pound lunges. That's incredible.

Sandra: At 61.

Nikkiey: Yeah, at 61. That's right. And how long have you been a WarriorBabe now?

Sandra: Going into July, I'm going into my third year.

Nikkiey: Wow. That's incredible. I was reading through your form, and you said you're going into your third year and have accomplished more than you did in five years with your other coaches.

Sandra: Absolutely. Absolutely. That's what is so incredible about this program, and that's why I'm so excited to tell everybody when I have the opportunity, because it works. When you had done something for years before and it didn't work, and then you have this program and it works, you get pretty darn excited about it. And you're pretty grateful. That's what I am. I'm grateful for this program because it truly works. So right now I'm in a build. I've been in there for about seven months.

Nikkiey: Let's talk about that. What does that build look like for you? Was that a mutual decision between you and Carrie? Or was it Carrie saying, I think it's time that we spend time in a build so we can build more muscle? What was that like when you had that conversation?

Sandra: It was pretty much a mutual decision, because she knows I want the muscle. I want to build that muscle. I want to look like I can kick your tail.

Nikkiey: I'm curious, how much food are you eating in a build right now?

Sandra: 2,400.

Nikkiey: 2,400 calories at 61 years old. I just need to highlight that so a lot of people can hear it. And then talk to me about the results. Are we maintaining your weight, but you're getting a little bit leaner because you're building that muscle? What does that look like right now?

Sandra: Well, like I said, in seven months I've gained about 17 pounds.

Nikkiey: Okay. How does that make you feel? Because when people hear that, they're like, holy shit, I'm going to freak out. 17 pounds. That is wild. How is that making you feel?

Sandra: You know what, Nikkiey? I'm just enjoying the process, seriously. Because now, after being with WarriorBabe and going into my third year, I realize that this process is working and I'm going to do what I need to do to get this muscle. And the thing that's incredible to me is that I'm still wearing all of my same clothes. I can still wear the same clothes. I'm thinking, how can I still wear the same clothes, especially the pants, when I've gained almost 20 pounds? And I'll tell you why. It's because I'm gaining muscle. I'm losing that fat. Yes, I've picked up weight, but I know when I go back through the maintenance and the cut, I'm going to lose that. And the muscle is definitely there. It's building. I've gained half an inch already in my biceps.

Nikkiey: Wow.

Sandra: Yeah. And I can see the huge difference when I flex. It's just so exciting to see your body totally transforming.

Nikkiey: There you go. How does it make you feel to realize how strong you've become?

Sandra: Oh my gosh. It's hard to describe, because it's just incredible. It's amazing. I tell Carrie all the time, Carrie, I'm so grateful for this program. I just can't say that enough, because I feel like a machine that can't be stopped. That's how I feel. When I go into the gym, I'm like, bring on them weights, darling. I'm ready. It's a passion of mine. And now I'm finally able to do the passion that I've always wanted to do but didn't have the energy to do. And now I know what I was missing. I was missing some of the food. And that's another thing I tell women all the time: you have to eat. You have to fuel your body. You have to have that fuel to do these things. I was just talking to a lady the other day about WarriorBabe and about how you have to eat. I asked her, if you don't mind me asking, what are you eating? She's all about 1,200 calories a day, and she's trying to lift weights and she's not able to do it. More women need to know about these things. And that's what I love about what you do, telling women that we can be strong and we can feel amazing no matter our age, no matter the stage of life that we're going through.

Nikkiey: I love the ripple effect that you have from your journey, preaching it and sharing it with other women that need to hear it. I think that's one of the coolest things about our community, and one of the most blessed things about our community. The team at WarriorBabe is only so many people, but you guys are so many more, because our community is so big now. And you preaching it to the women who don't know about us yet makes them realize, hey, there is hope. There is a program that can help them transform and gain this knowledge and this understanding. So thank you for preaching the word and getting other women on board.

The second thing I want to say is about the narrative around the build. I'm still on that from when you were talking about it a couple of minutes ago. For women to hear, oh, I gained 17 pounds, people will be freaking out. But you have the narrative of, I know that I need to eat this food. I know that I may gain some weight along the way, but I'm also gaining muscle. That's what's going to give me more of the composition that I want when I go into a cut or a fat loss phase. It's going to be revealing the work that I've already done. You've been with us for three years, so you understand the phases. You understand that you need to eat more and build muscle. But someone listening to this right now, their mind is blown. I love the narrative that you have around it, because you know what's necessary in order to achieve that goal. So I think that's really cool, and kudos to you.

Sandra: Yes. And I'll be honest with you. When I first came into the program, I was the same way. I'd have been one of those women going, oh my gosh, there's no way. But what I find is, one, I'm hungry. I want that food. Give me that food. I kid with my coach all the time: okay, Carrie, when are you going to up my food some more? Because I'm doing that hard workout, so my body is hungry, because I am burning that fat and burning those calories. But not only that, it makes me feel incredible. I'd much rather have that energy and feel the way this body does than worry about a few pounds gained. And like I said before, then you go through those other phases. It's just a process. It's a journey that you have to go through to reach the goal that you want. And again, I'm so grateful to be able to realize that at this stage of my life. It's another thing I want to share with other women. I'm actually going through training right now to be a personal trainer, because I want to empower other women about their bodies, about how we need to take care of our bodies and fuel them. And so I can tell more people about WarriorBabe.

Nikkiey: I love that, Sandra. That's awesome. That's a beautiful way of continuing to spread the word. What you said there that really resonated with me is that you're getting stronger, you have more energy, you're 61, and you're building more muscle. You're literally adding more years to your life. The trajectory of the decades ahead, to 70, to 80, to 90, is going to be drastically different than it might have been if you hadn't made a change or dove into the program, if you were still trying to figure it out or being led by coaches who weren't giving you the right information that you needed specifically for you. That's crazy to think about when you put it in that perspective.

Sandra: Yes. And that's why I think a lot of women get so frustrated, because they don't see the results happening. And it doesn't happen, I know you've preached this so many times, in three months. It doesn't happen in six months. Yes, you will start to see some changes, but you do have to be patient. You have to trust the process. If you want it and you work hard and you're consistent, you're going to see results. There's no way around it. This past week, my daughter and I were at the beach on vacation. She was walking beside me, and she turned and looked at me and said, Mom. I said, what? She said, look at your booty. And I just started cracking up. I said, what about my booty? She said, Mom, it's looking amazing. Look at you. Look at the biceps. You are looking amazing. And she tells me all the time, I'm so stinking proud of you, Mom. I brag about you all the time, because you've taken this journey and you won't let anything stop you. You're going to reach your goals. And it's made her want to be more fit and watch what she eats and all of these things, which is so important to me. And it makes you feel good when someone looks at you and says, man, look at that booty, or man, look at them biceps. It really does make you feel good.

Nikkiey: That's a great support system to have. A great support system to have.

Sandra: Absolutely, yes.

Nikkiey: Now, we're going to be wrapping this up, but I have a couple more questions for you. You mentioned endless amounts of cardio at the beginning. How much cardio were you doing?

Sandra: Oh, I was running. I was running probably a couple of miles a day. Plus I was doing a 10 or 12 incline on the treadmill, doing a lot of walking. I was rowing. I was doing jumping jacks. You name it, I was pretty much doing it. And again, I saw minimal results. I was always told you've got to do cardio. You've got to do cardio. That's what's so important. You've got to eat less and do more cardio, and you'll get the results that you want.

Nikkiey: Yes. Eat more, do less cardio and strength train.

Sandra: Absolutely. One hundred percent.

Nikkiey: So for somebody who's watching this right now and feels stuck like you once did, what would you tell them about WarriorBabe?

Sandra: I would tell them, 100%, give WarriorBabe a try. If you're on the fence, if you're thinking about it, if you're wondering, hey, does this program really work, I'm here to tell you I've tried just about everything. This program works. Give it a try. Meet your fabulous coach and have that one-on-one relationship with your coach. Give this program a try. You will not be disappointed. If you trust the process, are patient and consistent, and do the work, you're going to see results. There's no way that it will not happen. You just have to believe in yourself and believe that you can do this, no matter what phase of life you're in, no matter if you have to lose weight, build muscle, tone, lose fat, whatever your goals are. This program will get you to where you want to be. I have 100% no doubt whatsoever.

Nikkiey: I love it, Sandra. Thank you so much for sharing your journey and being here with us. You're living proof that transformation is possible at any age. If you have the right support, the right strategy and the right belief, you can become the woman that you've always wanted to be. And that's exactly who you are now. It's so cool to see what you've done. You should be so proud of the work that you've done, and I'm really excited to see what more is yet to come for you.

Sandra: Thank you, Nikkiey. I am very proud of myself. But I also just want to tell you personally that I'm so grateful that you co-founded and started this program, because so many women out there needed this. And I'm just so grateful that I have the opportunity to be a part of this program. And I just have to give one little plug for my coach.

Nikkiey: Yeah, of course. She deserves it. She's been with us for so long. She's an incredible human.

Sandra: She is an incredible human being, and I just love her so much. I love her for being patient with me. Even though in the beginning I doubted her, I know now she's just amazing.

Nikkiey: She deserves all the plugs. She's a great person and a great coach. And as you said earlier, a lot of our coaches do this, but Carrie is really good at it: we will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear, to get you to where you want to be. It's got to be brutal honesty. Sometimes it can be a tough love, love-hate relationship. You know what I mean? Well, Sandra, thank you for being here. I appreciate your time, and keep crushing it.

Sandra: Okay. Thank you, Nikkiey.

Nikkiey: Hey, really quick before you go, I have one small favor to ask. If this episode brought you value or sparked something in you, take just a moment to hit that review button. Your rating and review make all the difference, helping more women discover the tools they need to transform their fitness and their confidence. It takes less than a minute, but it can change the path of someone else's journey. Thank you so much for leaving that review. I appreciate you so much.