Divine Health: Six days a week, Ernestine Shepherd starts her day with a devotion, a healthy breakfast, a shower, and a trip to the gym. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, she adds a walk around her community to her routine.
Her mantra is to stay “determined, dedicated, and disciplined to fitness.” At 87, Shepherd defies aging as she continues to inspire others to join her on this tireless journey of well-being.
“My number-one passion is prayer because it’s very important to me. The next thing is eating healthy, getting out walking and then working out with weights. All these things will keep you very healthy.
“Believe you me, I’ve been doing this for the last 31 years, and I enjoy every minute of it,” said Shepherd, who holds the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest female bodybuilder.
Ernestine Shepherd travels across the country, speaking and sharing her personal journey with fitness.
Shepherd found her fascination with fitness at the age of 56 with just one goal: to look good in a swimsuit.
“When I first got into fitness by working out with my sister, it was simply wonderful. She later had a brain aneurysm. Before she died, she told me to continue what we had started. She wanted me to help as many people as I could to live a healthy, happy, positive, and confident lifestyle,” said Shepherd.
According to the Centers for Disease Control’s 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the overall percentage of adults who met the guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities decreased with age. Both categories of physical activities decreased with age, from 28.7% of those aged 18-34, to 22.7% of those aged 35-49, to 17.6% of those aged 50-64, and 10.8% of those aged 65 and over.
“In order to have a body where you can enjoy venturing out and doing activities outside, you have to build a stronger body. Yet as we age, we lose muscle and bone density. Only resistant training with weights will help improve your quality of muscle and the density of your bones,” stated Yohnnie Shambourger, a former Mr. Universe who is now Sheperd’s trainer.
Shambourger, who also manages Shepherd’s fitness career, started working with her 16 years ago.
At 87, Shepherd takes to the mat at a Fitness Festival in Dallas, Texas to show onlookers her regular workout routine.
“When Ernestine first started working out with me, she lived about an hour and a half away. We started working out with videos online, and then we would follow up with photos. As the months went by, she got stronger and stronger. Eventually, I had her come into the studio once or twice a week. In just seven months, we had transformed her body to a competitive level. By this time, she was 71 years old. Her pictures started to catch on fire on social media whenever I posted them,” recalled Shambourger.
Over the last few years, the fitness duo has traveled across the country in an effort to inspire and encourage the young and old alike to live healthier lifestyles.
Following the path of her three Ds — determined, dedicated, and disciplined — has drawn Shepherd a star-studded following. She’s worked out with Beyonce, been interviewed by Steve Harvey, and shared a Zoom call with Oprah Winfrey.
“I believe as long as you follow those 3 D’s, no matter what you’re trying to accomplish, you’ll succeed. That is the philosophy I live by,” said Shepherd.
According to the CDC, only 34% of African-American women achieve recommended levels of physical activity recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
Starting her workout routines in her late 50s, Shepherd believes it’s never too late to engage in physical activity.
“First of all, age is nothing but a number when it comes to getting fit. When I train my ladies that are 50 or older, I make sure that I am careful with them. Not one of the people that I have trained has ever been injured,” boasted Shepherd.
Shepherd, shows off her figure as she is escorted to the stage by her trainer, and manager, Yhonnie Shambourger. Shambourger is a former Mr. Universe.
Before she starts with any of her clients, she requests that they get a note from their doctors confirming that they can work out with weights. She starts her clients out with a modest 2-pound hand-held weight.
Shepherd admits that she experienced depression and anxiety after her sister passed. She even had to take medication that caused her to gain weight for a short period. Now, however, she’s dedicated to making sure she keeps a positive outlook on life no matter what life throws at her.
“Being optimistic isn’t always easy. Most of us tend to focus on the negative. We don’t realize how negative thoughts affect our minds and our bodies. Have you ever considered that everything you do today relates to your future? I read my mantra every day, and I try to focus on the positive,” explained Shepherd.
After Shepherd finishes walking with her groups, they always recite her favorite quote from Audrey Hepburn: “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”
Shepherd’s book, Determined, Dedicated, Disciplined to be Fit: the Ageless Journey of Ernestine Shepherd, is available on Amazon.
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