A woman in her fifties has no time for the body-shamers who tell her she doesn’t look like the average mom.
Personal trainer and nutritional coach Maria Woolgar-Blacutt, 52, said she had a difficult childhood growing up in La Paz, Bolivia, but fitness helped give her the outlet she needed.
Though she was withdrawn, shy and insecure in her younger years, the Texas-based mom-of-three is now proud of her athletic, sculpted physique which she maintains by working out five times a week.
Fit for life: Maria Woolgar-Blacutt said she has listened to people criticize her for being muscular for the 30 years she has been going to the gym, but she is confident in her physique
Then and now: The mom-of-three, pictured left in 1996 pregnant with her first son, works out five times a week at present, right
The goal: The personal trainer said when she first started lifting, she was the only woman in the gym, and now her figure is considered the goal for all women who train
Maria said that she found ’empowerment’ at the gym when she was younger.
At that time, it was unheard of for a woman to be muscular or toned and the gyms were predominantly used by men.
‘I began lifting in a dark basement gym in Bolivia in the 1990s, facing many challenges, setbacks and criticism as a female lifter in those times,’ Maria recalled.
Fitness came into her life at a difficult and turbulent time.
She said: ‘I had a very difficult childhood with many painful family difficulties that prevail to this day.
‘To make matters worse, my mother suffered a brain hemorrhage when I was nineteen; she was left handicapped, unable to speak or walk.
‘This was devastating for me. Growing up I was withdrawn, shy, insecure. It seemed to me that everyone had nice families and I was the only one going through a very harsh family life.’
Memories of her mom’s struggles have reminded her how crucial it is to prioritize her health.
Active: The Texas-based fitness expert is also a nutritionist who shares tips on Instagram to her 8,500 followers
Strength: Maria, pictured, was the only female at the gym in a basement in Bolivia when she got into fitness in the 1990s
‘I have learned, (literally after walking out of the doors of hell), to take care of myself. No one else will. Self-care is key. I exercise, eat well, drink enough water, get enough sleep, take bubble baths. I also manage my stress, I mind my own business, focus on what’s important and don’t sweat the small stuff.
‘I began to train at the gym with weights and that gave me a sense of power and control. I began feeling I could change the way I looked and the way I felt about myself. I began to gain self-confidence.’
In her late 20s, she welcomed her first son Miguel, now 23.
Over the next three years she had two more children, Fabiola and Miki, now 21 and 19 respectively, but she continued to train hard five times a week after her last pregnancy to get back to her previous figure (121 lbs weight and US size 2.)
‘As cliché as it may sound, training at the gym brought a certain empowerment to my inner self that nothing else has. It was the catalyst for many positive changes. The discipline, strength, and resilience learned at the gym empowered me in every area of my life.
Family: Maria pictured with her three adult kids at Christmas time
Then: A family photo from 2009 shows Maria with her three children
‘I am proud to say that today, after thirty years of training with weights, I still maintain an impeccably lean, strong, athletic physique.’
Unfortunately, Maria has also put up with three decades’ worth of criticism.
‘I began lifting in a time and a place where lifting wasn’t even a thing for women; a lot of people expressed their disapproval and passed judgement on a lady frequenting a male dominant gym.
‘I was virtually the only female training at my gym for a decade. In the years to come, I continued battling against society’s expectations of me as a woman.’
‘It was mainly, although not exclusively, females that criticized me for being ‘too muscular’, too thin, for wearing shorts, for pursing the development of my physique.
‘It’s almost ironic, because the physique I had then, is the body that young women are in pursuit of today – but at the time, an athletic toned female body was vulgar and manly. Today, it’s the ultimate goal.’
Criticism: The mom-of-three lamented that she is often criticized by woman for looking so athletic and toned – both before and after kids
Workouts: After her mom was sick when she was growing up, Maria never forgot the importance of looking after her own health and wellness
Maria mainly focuses on weight training and only takes two rest days per week.
Her change in body and attitude has not only made an impact on the way she views herself, but how others view her. She has since been showered with compliments and attention from people who see her as a role model.
Healthy: The 52-year-old said she feels the best she ever has
‘I have a lot of energy and radiance; people approach me every day and cannot believe my age.
‘I feel healthy, strong, confident and alive – who can ask for more,’ she said.
‘I train hard five days a week, I lift heavy weights. I take two days to recover, usually Wednesday and Saturday.
‘I eat very well, sleep well, take lots of bubble baths and I invest in good face creams. I do my best to keep stress at bay.
‘I’m a transformed person, and that has been my greatest triumph; I am now a very confident, independent woman.
‘I take no sh*t from anyone,’ she added. ‘I’m empowered, yet still very feminine. I would love to teach other women how to stand strong – I wish I had the confidence I have now when I was twenty.
‘My kids inspired me; they think I am unique being so fit and energetic at my age, so they encouraged me to open an Instagram page.
‘Probably the hardest thing for me when I began (and even to this date) is the resistance I face from friends, family and society in general of my lifestyle.
Support: The Bolivia-native’s husband and children ‘always support’ her and her lifestyle
Mainstream: Maria said she has been criticized and judged for not looking like ‘a mainstream mom’
‘People have judged me, criticized me, speculated on my life, and on occasion shunned me because I was not a mainstream lady/mom/wife.
‘My kids and husband always supported me. My advice is don’t wait for the perfect moment. Just begin. The perfect moment will never come. Don’t overdo it. It’s often a recipe for failure.
‘Begin training two times per week for an hour until it becomes a habit. Then increase to three times per week. Take it slowly.
‘Most people do too much too soon and then get tired and throw in the towel because it was too hard. Same with diet, don’t go on a crazy starvation diet that you will ditch after a month; make nutrition changes that you can adhere to through time.
‘Do it for you; love yourself every step of the way and thank yourself for every positive thing you do for yourself, instead of hating yourself for every negative thing you do. Always focus on your advancements and wins.’
Rest days: Maria, pictured, exercises five days a week, takes two rest days and keeps her stress levels in check with rituals like bubble baths