I did not set out to become a competitive powerlifter. I set out to lose weight to avoid an obesity-related illness.
In 2023, I was 40 pounds heavier than I am now, so I started seeing a nutritionist. By 2025, I had lost 25 of those pounds and still had 15 to go. I hoped a GLP-1 could help with the rest. What I didn’t want was to lose muscle along with fat, which happens to many people on these drugs. I started weightlifting to prevent that.
The lifting was supposed to be the safeguard. It became what truly transformed my life. Lifting started as a good-for-me activity I did 3–4 days a week to stay accountable. The intensity of training for my first USAPL meet in May 2025 felt great, and after recovering from an injury last winter, I wanted to recapture that feeling, so I signed up for a second meet in July 2026.
As I got ready for that meet, I felt a lot of anxiety: would I be able to hit my May 2025 totals, or would I have to settle for less? The only way I could manage the stress was to practice my lifts and manage my rest and eating. When the meet came, I met all my goals. It was stressful and exhilarating. Fellow Masters 3 and 4 lifters were in the audience, cheering me on.
The training changed how I eat. I couldn’t add muscle and build strength without focusing on proper nutrition: protein, carbs, and eating the whole sandwich, not just half. At the same time, thanks to Zepbound, I pretty much lost my taste for both alcohol and pastries, so I mostly stopped drinking and eating baked goods. But there was still room for occasional servings of vanilla ice cream, fistfuls of Haribo Gummy Bears, and a full-blown obsession with Vermints.
It took a barbell, a coach, and eating the whole sandwich
Between Zepbound, training, and different foods, my body changed. Over the past two years, I lost 30 plus pounds of fat and gained nine pounds of muscle. Now I look more like I did at 50 than at 60. With a more defined body, I wanted to explore more interesting clothes. It turned out I’m a perfect 2010-era size 16 petite, which means Poshmark, Depop, and ThredUp are full of clothes for me.
Once I got into online resale and vintage shopping, I set aside novels and devoured fashion, vintage, and lifestyle writers on Substack, especially those who know how to find great clothes at a good price. I’m reading books again now, but I’m keeping the Substack writers as well.
Since my second powerlifting meet went so well, I’ve decided to compete in a third next February. My beloved YMCA coach suggested I also find a competitive powerlifting coach to program my training, since that was beyond his expertise. After some research, I found Josh Gibson at Philosophical Weightlifting/Max’s Gym. So psyched to be working with him. We’re training for USAPL California State in February, but the next goal is to go to USAPL Nationals next June. I want to crush it. I’m working to add weight to my squat, bench and deadlift.
What could be better than being in your 70s and being as strong as possible?
I did not set out to become a competitive powerlifter. I set out to lose weight to avoid an obesity-related illness.
In 2023, I was 40 pounds heavier than I am now, so I started seeing a nutritionist. By 2025, I had lost 25 of those pounds and still had 15 to go. I hoped a GLP-1 could help with the rest. What I didn’t want was to lose muscle along with fat, which happens to many people on these drugs. I started weightlifting to prevent that.
The lifting was supposed to be the safeguard. It became what truly transformed my life. Lifting started as a good-for-me activity I did 3–4 days a week to stay accountable. The intensity of training for my first USAPL meet in May 2025 felt great, and after recovering from an injury last winter, I wanted to recapture that feeling, so I signed up for a second meet in July 2026.
As I got ready for that meet, I felt a lot of anxiety: would I be able to hit my May 2025 totals, or would I have to settle for less? The only way I could manage the stress was to practice my lifts and manage my rest and eating. When the meet came, I met all my goals. It was stressful and exhilarating. Fellow Masters 3 and 4 lifters were in the audience, cheering me on.
The training changed how I eat. I couldn’t add muscle and build strength without focusing on proper nutrition: protein, carbs, and eating the whole sandwich, not just half. At the same time, thanks to Zepbound, I pretty much lost my taste for both alcohol and pastries, so I mostly stopped drinking and eating baked goods. But there was still room for occasional servings of vanilla ice cream, fistfuls of Haribo Gummy Bears, and a full-blown obsession with Vermints.
It took a barbell, a coach, and eating the whole sandwich
Between Zepbound, training, and different foods, my body changed. Over the past two years, I lost 30 plus pounds of fat and gained nine pounds of muscle. Now I look more like I did at 50 than at 60. With a more defined body, I wanted to explore more interesting clothes. It turned out I’m a perfect 2010-era size 16 petite, which means Poshmark, Depop, and ThredUp are full of clothes for me.
Once I got into online resale and vintage shopping, I set aside novels and devoured fashion, vintage, and lifestyle writers on Substack, especially those who know how to find great clothes at a good price. I’m reading books again now, but I’m keeping the Substack writers as well.
Since my second powerlifting meet went so well, I’ve decided to compete in a third next February. My beloved YMCA coach suggested I also find a competitive powerlifting coach to program my training, since that was beyond his expertise. After some research, I found Josh Gibson at Philosophical Weightlifting/Max’s Gym. So psyched to be working with him. We’re training for USAPL California State in February, but the next goal is to go to USAPL Nationals next June. I want to crush it. I’m working to add weight to my squat, bench and deadlift.
What could be better than being in your 70s and being as strong as possible?