I am 61 but often since because they are in the forty. This is my exact routine to make it look so young – and one of them costs absolutely nothing

Last week Sharon Williams was on the back of a taxi in Bali, on his way to celebrate a good friend’s 70th birthday.

The 61-year-old made a conversation with the driver and said it was an important milestone for her friend. He then asked for her age – and was shocked.

‘Are you 61? I thought you were 35! “He panted.

Sharon was flattered by the man’s compliment, but admits that it is not the first time she heard it.

Thanks to her youthful complexion and fit physique, she is often mistaken for someone in forty – or even younger.

“There was a young guy in the swimming pool of the resort who recently gave me the eye that I thought it was exciting!” She tells me.

The mother of three, originally from the United Kingdom and now living in Sydney, mentions her remarkably youthful appearance to three non-negotiations.

They are ocean swimming, strength training and callisthenics – a kind of exercise that focuses on using your body weight as a resistance.

For Sharon it was not about the late 1950s not about the appearance – it was about survival, resilience and lifespan.

On May 8, 2014, her world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer on her 50th birthday.

“I received the non-so-good gift from breast cancer. You do not realize how good you are until it runs the risk of being omitted, “she says.

‘For me, the fear of dying and leaving my children was worse than the disease and treatment. That fear was delighted – so I made my mission to live long enough to see my youngest through high school. ‘

Despite the fact that they had four operations, the cancer returned in 2016 and again in 2018. After an extensive treatment, followed by radiotherapy, she was finally considered cancer -free.

The experience reformed Sharon’s prospect of health -especially after another wake -up call at the age of 59.

“I got out of the car at Randwick Racecourse and my Christian Louboutin – heel got stuck in a crack on the sidewalk – I hadn’t had any drinks yet!” She laughs.

It was a bad fall and she broke three ribs. The accident “changed her life,” says Sharon, because it made her realize that she should be stronger if she would stay fit in her 60s and after that.

“The fall was such a shock for my body, so I started strength and mobility lessons with Will van Total Lift Studio – he’s my outcome,” says Sharon.

‘I am not a manic athlete and have tried many things over the years – the most consistent swimming is. I am now so much more faith in my movement. ‘

Sharon says that sports with others keeps her consistent and competitive.

Ocean swimming

Every morning at 6 o’clock in the morning Sharon goes to Manly Beach for an ocean swimming with friends.

She does not wear a wetsuit – a tradition among her swimming group – and admits that it can be difficult to get out of bed in the depths of winter.

‘There are times when I don’t want to go, but there is a saying among swimmers:’ You never regret a dive. “And it’s so true,” she says.

‘Once you are in the water, it is so stimulating and great. You feel younger and great for the rest of the day. All benefits weigh heavier than the cold start. ‘

She also believes that the exposure to minerals in the seawater has drastically improved its skin texture.

“If I have a scratch, I get into the water and within a few days it is gone,” she says.

“So swimming the ocean gives me friendship, skin health, mental health, emotional health, strength, exposure to nature and a beautiful sunrise.”

Strength training and Callisthenics

Since the breaking of her ribs, Sharon has been working with a trainer to become stronger.

She trains for 45 minutes in the gym, three times a week, focused on strength and callisthenics.

‘Every week I improve step by step. When I started for the first time, I could only hang a bar on a bar for a few seconds, but now I can hang two to three minutes and lift my legs, “she says proudly.

Perhaps the most impressive, Sharon can perform the ‘Skin the Cat’ exercise, hanging on a bar, rotating your body weight back and hangs upside down.

‘It is so liberating to be able to do so much at the age of 61. I never thought I could do it! ” She shines.

She is currently working to do a chin-up, but other exercises in her routine are sit-ups, push-ups, rowing, squats and more.

Sharon also takes dance lessons, pilates, yoga and beach runs.

Regarding her youthful complexion, she owes it to spend her first 30 years in England before she emigrates to Australia.

She considers ‘sheltered against the sun for so long’ as a disguised blessing, because many Australians pay the price for a youth who are spent outside in their later years.

“My mother also had fantastic skin,” she adds. Sharon also ensures that you wear SPF sunscreen every day – ‘Even in winter’.

Although she has drunk in cosmetic treatments, including Botox, says Sharon, the most important thing she does is retained a consistent skin care routine.

“I like to take care of my skin and my schedule is super fast, with my favorite staples from Dermalogica and La Prairie – pure luxury,” she says.

Sharon also does not drink alcohol too often and looks at what she eats to prevent accidental weight gain.

She opts for an intermittent fasting style diet by starting the day with nothing but a morning latte.

For lunch, Sharon enjoys a salad with cooked eggs and nuts or avocado -tosing. Dinner is often a protein source served with mixed vegetables.

Her advice to those who think that it is too late is simple: you are never ‘too old’ to lead a better, fitter, healthier life.

‘It’s all about discipline. Of course I am not a saint, but I try – and I know that my body just needs less food to live, “says Sharon.

“At the end of the day it’s all about conscious life and minimizing nasty surprises through deliberate life.”