In a viral post on Xiaohongshu, Zhenzhen opened up about how fitness helped her overcome the fear of ageing.
“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 said.
“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.”
Zhenzhen is the mother of a 36-year-old son, and a former project manager for a company that installs fire systems. After retiring at 55, she found she had little to occupy her time, and worried about getting old.
Her right ankle had been injured on a construction site, and became swollen when she walked. Her knee joints were also weak, which meant she struggled to bend them.
When Zhenzhen saw a hunched elderly man walking slowly with a cane, it frightened her and she thought: “I’m going to be like that.”
She decided she would start working out to develop a healthier body and a happier life. So, for the last eight years, she has trained in the gym for two hours most days.
Under the instruction of a personal fitness trainer, she prioritised strength training to protect her joints by increasing muscle strength. She combines that with balance training.
“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,” Zhenzhen said.
“There was a time when I thought I was at the age to say goodbye to tight leggings and tight skirts. Now there is so much less of the flab that plagued my waist and arms. I love my post-workout body lines.”
On Xiaohongshu, Zhenzhen explained she had never had cosmetic medical procedures to look younger, nor had she worked out before retiring.
Her words have resonated widely, as many admitted to the same fears and admired her outlook on life.
Some said she did not look her age, while others praised her discipline and persistence.
“I did not have a body like that even when I was 30,” one online observer said.
“Auntie, you have redefined 60-something,” said another.
“I hope I can be like you when I’m your age,” a third person chimed in.
“When I retired, I agreed with my fitness trainer that I would try to work out until I am 65,” said Zhenzhen on her 63rd birthday, adding: “At today’s training, I told him that I’m going to continue until I’m 70.”