PHYLISS

I believe one has a lot of lives. If you get stuck some place, don’t stay. So many people make that mistake. 

My mother died of a massive heart attack when she was 53. I was 22. She was morbidly obese, and I had been a morbidly obese child. I realized I had to do something or I was going to have her fate. I found a book on bodybuilding, and then I discovered the “first all-women’s” bodybuilding gym.The owner looked at me and said, “You are going to compete!” I was hooked! 

Later, I moved to New Jersey. I had just had my son and wanted to lose some baby weight, so I got back into bodybuilding. I was a power lifter. My husband said, “You live in the gym. You might as well get certified.” I became a personal trainer. Two weeks before a major competition, my disc exploded. That put an end to the personal training, and I became a stay-at-home mom. 

I got certified in nutrition and wellness. I began to work with middle-aged women who needed to lose weight. Women always asked me how I got my body, especially my arms. People wanted to know what I ate. I started a website to discuss everything I do to stay fit.

When I started my blog in November 2015, I knew nothing about social media. My personal Facebook page had seven friends. Now, three quarters of my time is spent on social media. I write a blog post, and then I have to sell it. I obviously hit a lot of nerves, because about 32,000 women follow me. I am mastering how social media works. At our age, many people are afraid of social media.

I don’t like aging. But there are parts I adore. I don’t filter myself the way I used to. I’m self-confident. I march to the beat of my own drum. 

I want to become the spokesperson for people struggling with aging, and I want to educate people. 

This is an excerpt from a comprehensive interview.