{"id":15314,"date":"2025-08-22T03:28:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T03:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/15314\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T03:28:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T03:28:11","slug":"woman-68-with-15-body-fat-shares-6-habits-she-swears-by","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/15314\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman, 68, with 15% body fat shares 6 habits she swears by |"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Woman, At 68 years old, Ellen Latham doesn\u2019t just look fit \u201cfor her age,\u201d she\u2019s in better health than most people decades younger. \u201cI maintain around 15% body fat and strong, well-developed muscles throughout my body,\u201d Latham told the New York Post. \u201cBut for me, it\u2019s not just about looks, it\u2019s about strength, vitality, and how I feel every single day.\u201dHer philosophy is rooted in balance, discipline, and longevity rather than perfection. She\u2019s distilled her approach into six timeless secrets.<\/p>\n

Start early, but don\u2019t chase perfection<\/p>\n

Movement has always been part of Ellen\u2019s life. Growing up with a father who was both a physical education teacher and a football coach, she was immersed in sports and training from an early age.\u201cFitness was the norm in my household,\u201d she recalled. Over the years, she has competed in mini-triathlons, 10K races, and countless other endurance events.<\/p>\n

Poll<\/p>\n

Do you think nutrition is equally important as working out for overall health?<\/p>\n

But like anyone else, she\u2019s had to adapt through life\u2019s seasons, juggling career changes, motherhood, and personal challenges. Each time, she returned to her core principle: recommitment.Her advice: Don\u2019t strive for perfection. Instead, focus on progress. In her words, \u201cLet go of the idea of perfection. Progress is about being the best version of yourself.\u201dBy her 40s, she realized her focus had to shift. \u201cLongevity became the goal,\u201d she explained. That mindset ultimately inspired Orangetheory\u2019s model: structured science-backed workouts built to serve people for decades, not just for quick results.<\/p>\n

Eat with intention, not restriction<\/p>\n

When it comes to strength and energy, Latham swears by nutrition as much as she does by her workouts. Her plate is built around whole, quality foods\u2014think organic veggies, grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, and plenty of high-quality protein.Protein, she says, is non-negotiable. She aims to eat about as many grams of it as her body weight every day, keeping her muscles fueled and her recovery on point.But here\u2019s the thing\u2014she\u2019s not into the whole \u201cstrict deprivation\u201d lifestyle. \u201cI\u2019m Italian,\u201d she laughs, and for her, that means pasta, pizza, and yes, even the occasional cannoli still make the cut.At the heart of it, Latham\u2019s philosophy is balance. She eats mindfully, prioritizes fuel for performance, but also makes space for the foods that bring joy. No calorie-counting, no guilt trips\u2014just habits that feel good now and are sustainable for decades.<\/p>\n

Train smart, not just hard<\/p>\n

Unlike the usual weekend warriors who push themselves without a plan, Latham sticks to a carefully structured routine that keeps her balanced and consistent.She works out six days a week, with each day mapped out for a specific purpose. For her, training smart is all about sustainability.Even today, she\u2019s lifting much of the same weight she handled years ago\u2014just with a few adjustments to protect the joints that need extra care. Her approach isn\u2019t about chasing intensity for the sake of it, but about putting in purposeful effort that builds strength while keeping her body safe.<\/p>\n

Consistency is the real hack<\/p>\n

For Latham, it\u2019s not the fancy hacks or shortcuts that matter\u2014it\u2019s good old consistency.She often says you don\u2019t need to push yourself with brutal workouts every single day. What really makes a difference is building a routine you can actually stick to. Even just three solid workouts a week, combined with simple daily movement, can completely change how you feel and live.Of course, she knows that aging brings its own set of challenges. Joints demand extra care, recovery becomes more important, and workouts need small adjustments. But she believes consistency is what makes those transitions smoother.In her words, the work you put in during your 30s and 40s pays dividends later. By the time you\u2019re in your 50s or 60s, you might be surprised at just how much strength you\u2019ve managed to hold on to.That said, Latham doesn\u2019t sugarcoat the reality of biology. She points out that after 45, things do start to decline if you\u2019re not moving enough. That\u2019s why she swears by pairing cardio with strength training. \u201cCardio tells you how long you\u2019ll live, strength tells you how well you\u2019ll age,\u201d she likes to say.<\/p>\n

Use every tool for recovery and wellness<\/p>\n

Ellen doesn\u2019t limit her regimen to workouts. Recovery practices are equally important. She regularly uses infrared saunas, red-light beds, cold plunges, and structured rest.\u201cThese help reduce inflammation, boost recovery, and keep my energy high,\u201d she explained.She also advocates for stress management and proper sleep, which many overlook. \u201cYour nervous system plays a huge role in health. Don\u2019t ignore stress and rest.\u201dAs a woman, she also embraces modern medical support: hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause. \u201cIt\u2019s helped me maintain muscle and bone strength at a stage when many women lose both rapidly,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Redefine progress by strength, not size<\/p>\n

At nearly 70, Latham doesn\u2019t measure progress by dress size or the number on the scale.Her workouts include farmer\u2019s carries, box jumps for bone density, and balance drills on vibration plates. None are flashy, but they help her move with confidence and avoid injury.\u201cThese functional exercises are what let me live fully,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s about being able to carry groceries, climb stairs, or play with grandkids without hesitation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make it fun, make it last<\/p>\n

Above all, Latham believes fitness should be joyful.She emphasizes finding activities you enjoy. That\u2019s one reason Orangetheory was designed to be immersive and community-driven. \u201cWhen fitness feels uplifting instead of a chore, you\u2019ll keep coming back,\u201d she said.She also highlights the power of community. Exercising with others provides encouragement and accountability while boosting mental health and even longevity.Ellen Latham is proof that aging doesn\u2019t have to mean decline. At 68, with 15% body fat, a thriving fitness empire, and boundless energy, she\u2019s showing what\u2019s possible when balance, discipline, and joy come together.Her message is simple yet profound: fitness is not about perfection, it\u2019s about consistency, strength, and living life to the fullest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At 68 years old, Ellen Latham doesn\u2019t just look fit \u201cfor her age,\u201d she\u2019s in better health than…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15315,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[278],"tags":[13902,18,13901,525,135,19,17,13900,13904,13903],"class_list":{"0":"post-15314","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-diana-bruk","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-ellen-latham","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-ie","14":"tag-ireland","15":"tag-latham","16":"tag-orangetheory-fitness","17":"tag-orangetheorys"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}