I am 68 with 15% body fat and my own gym imperium – my 6 secrets to be in incredible form

At the age of 68, Ellen Latham is not in good condition for her age – she is better in shape than most people her age.

“I am proud to say that I retain about 15% body fat and have a strong, well-developed muscle in my body,” the maker and co-founder of Orange Body told The Post.

“But for me it’s not just about what I look like – it’s about what I can do and how I feel.”

She can easily do the walking of a farmer (heavy weights) to the farmers’ market – this is, after all, a woman who swam the morning the morning that she gave birth to her son.

And she does it all while preaching a simple motto: “Let go of the idea of ​​perfection. Progress is about the best version of yourself.”

Here are her other secrets.

Start early, but don’t be too hard for yourself

“Fitness has always been part of my life,” she said.

“I was lucky to grow up in a household where movement was the norm – my father was a PE teacher and football coach, so physical activity and discipline were part of the daily rhythm.”

She participated in countless mini triatholones and 10k racing but, as is the case with most people, “life brought his seasons,” she said.

“Between career changes, motherhood and personal challenges there were times when I had to set up again and have had to be set up again.”

Once she got a little older, her focus shifted too

“Since my 40s, my approach has shifted to a long service life,” she said. “I started to concentrate on what would really benefit me – and my body – all the decades.”

That is what ultimately led to the model behind Orangetheory, which operates more than 1,300 studios throughout the country: “Science, structure and great metabolic work.”

Eat with intention, but don’t sell yourself briefly

“For me the diet is all about balance and lifespan,” she said. “I concentrate on feeding my body in a way that supports energy, strength and healthy aging.”

That means many whole foods, organic products, fish caught in the wild meat and grass -fed meat.

“Protein is the basis – I want to eat about my body weight in gram protein every day to support muscle maintenance and recovery, especially as I get older,” she said.

But that does not mean that there is no room for a little indulgence.

“I’m Italian too,” she joked. “So yes, a great pasta dish, pizza and occasional Cannoli definitely have a place in my life. It’s not about limiting. It’s about making conscious choices that help me feel my best and at the same time enjoy life.”

Train smart, not just difficult

Latham is absolutely not a weekend fighter.

“My weekly routine is all about structure, balance and consistency,” she said. “I train six days a week and have a goal every day.”

She follows the fitness template of Orangetheory – which combines strength training with cardio intervals – three days a week and a day of lifting heavy weights, which is especially important for older adults, because the speed of muscle loss accelerates with age.

She also does a lot of walking, of which research has shown that the risk of death can significantly reduce due to all causes.

“One day a week I make a jerk walk-in-depth 45 minutes with a weighted cardigan of 20 pounds,” she said.

She spends Zone 2 Walk one day a week, where you run at a pace that keeps your heart rate in zone 2 of your maximum heart rate range, which is usually 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.

This is known as the aerobic zone, where your body burns fat for fuel and improves endurance without bridging the heart or lungs.

Finally, she takes on a one -hour stretch routine to support long -term flexibility and mobility whenever she can.

“For me this approach is about training smart – not only difficult – and creating a sustainable movement practice that supports me in every area of ​​life,” she said.

Be consistent, but know it is never too late to start

“Consistency is the biggest ‘hack’, if you want to call it that,” she said.

“You don’t have to do an intense training every day – but you do need a routine that you can keep. Only three targeted training sessions per week, combined with daily exercise, can be transformative.”

Admittedly, sometimes tweaks have to be made as you get older. Although, if you have a solid foot, it might not be as much as you would expect.

“Adjustment in your 50s and 60s really depends on the basis that you have built earlier in life,” she said.

“If you have been consistent since the 1930s or 40s, you may be surprised by how little you should change. Personally, I still lift much of the same weight that I did years ago, apart from a few smart adjustments for areas that are orthopedically compromised.”

That said, she recognizes that – physically – everything starts to fall after the age of 45, and it only gets worse from there, especially if you have not done the work in advance.

“The 1950s can be a heavy transition, and the 60s often bring a much steeper drop-off if you don’t regularly train with both cardio and strength,” she said.

“That is why consistency is everything.”

The golden duo are cardio intervals, who, according to her, “the number one is predictor of how long you will live” and strength training, which she regards as “the number one indicator of how well you will get older.”

“Together they not only give you more years, but also better years,” she said.

“I have studied this all my career and have seen incredible examples of aging, not only in myself, but in thousands of customers over the years. This is where the real transformation takes place and it is never too late to start.”

Use every available facility for you

No training routine is the same without recovery, so Latham regularly uses an infrared sauna, a red light bed and a cold dive.

“These practices support recovery, reduce inflammation and help keep my energy high,” she said.

She also makes time to prioritize rest, which is an important factor that is easy to forget: “Don’t forget stress and don’t overlook sleep; your nervous system plays a major role in your health,” she said.

‘I always tell people: do you find’ why ‘. For me it is about seeing strong and clearly for the life I love. “

Finally, she does not shy away from the tools that women nowadays have to endure hormonal changes with APLomb.

“I am also a strong in favor of hormone replacement therapy (HST) during perimenopause and menopause,” she said. “It has helped me to maintain muscle and bone power, which becomes more difficult as we get older – especially for women.”

Measure the progress by strength, not by size

At almost 70 hours, Latham is not concerned with the number on the scale or by clothing size.

“Another important shift is how I define progress,” she said. “After 50 it is not about weight or appearance – it is about strength, energy, balance and staying independent.”

That is why she focuses on functional fitness:

• Farmer’s Walks walking with weights in each hand, to test total body strength and grip endurance
• Box jumps – jump every week on a box for a box to support bone density
• Balance exercises using a vibration plate-a platform that vibrates, which she believes to challenge coordination and stabilizer muscles in ways that support mobility in the long term “

“These are not flashy exercises, but they are useful,” she said. “They help me do the things that matter well, stay-free and live completely with energy and strength.”

Make it fun

So we have established that Latham is an absolute fitness machine – but what words of wisdom do they have for people who, well, don’t?

“My advice is simple: start where you are. You don’t have to be in top form or know exactly what you are doing,” she said.

“One class, one walk, a deliberate choice to move your body, that is enough to build a routine. It’s not about diving into the deep. It is about creating Momentum in a way that feels executable.”

And while you are busy: why wouldn’t you make it fun?

“I also believe in doing what you like,” she said. “That is one of the reasons why we designed Orangetheory to be compelling and community-controlled your training feels uplifting and less like a job, you are more likely to keep coming back.”

Finding a good community that will support you, encourages you and encourages you can make the difference.

Moreover, you can pick some of the neuroprotective benefits of social interaction while stimulating your lifespan.

The most important thing is – if you start cutting something, let it not be something as important as your health and well -being.

“You are worth the investment of time and money in yourself!” she said. “This is about your health, your energy and your ability to live the life you want.”