Retired 63-year-old Chinese woman uses fitness to overcome fear of growing old

Zhen Zhen, who hails from Yunnan province in southwestern China, is scared of growing old. 

To counter this, the 63-year-old mother has exercised regularly for the past eight years following her retirement, according to an article by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). 

Currently, she is 160cm tall and 46kg heavy, with an impressive body fat percentage of 17 per cent. 

In a viral post on Xiaohongshu shared in January 2023, Zhen Zhen revealed that some netizens have even called her a liar as she does not look her age. 

"I take it as a compliment! I am indeed 62 years old and will be turning 63 in October this year," she wrote. 

Overcoming her fear of ageing

Back when she was still working as a project manager, Zhen Zhen shared with SCMP that she had injured her right ankle at a construction site and it would swell when she walked. 

Her knee joints were also weak and she struggled to bend them. 

One day, she saw a hunched elderly man hobbling with a cane and this frightened her. 

Zhen Zhen had thought to herself: "I'm going to be like that."

So, to overcome her fear of ageing, she started working out and has done so consistently for eight years. 

"Now I can feel how the vitality of my body is slowly improving each day, and I sweat for the best feeling of accomplishment," she shared on Xiaohongshu. 

"I don’t think any of us can overcome ageing, but if I am healthy and happy as I get old, then I have nothing to be anxious about."

According to SCMP, Zhen Zhen would often train in the gym for two hours and sometimes shared clips of her doing so on her Douyin and Xiaohongshu accounts. 

She also prioritises strength training to help protect her joints. 

"Fitness makes me feel vitalised. I’m always so focused on exercising that I don’t have time to think about the fact that I’m the oldest auntie in the gym," she told SCMP. 

Recently, she's also picked up mountain cross-country running. 

"It was indeed a big challenge for me," she admitted in a Xiaohongshu post on April 17. 

However, she said that while her physical strength and speed are not as good as the younger folk, it felt good to be able to complete the trail. 

"I think life is an adventure. At the age of 63, I hope to still be an explorer so that I can have more exciting experiences," she shared. 

In the comments of her post on Xiaohongshu, several netizens have praised her perseverance and physique. 

One said that she "redefines the age of 62 years old". 

Others said they envied her figure, with one adding that at the age of 30, their waist has not been as slim as Zhen Zhen's. 

ALSO READ: This 78-year-old Singaporean grandma does pull-ups and strength training exercises to stay healthy

melissateo@asiaone.com