I’m a grandmother-of-five and I became a bodybuilder at 65

A grandma who tipped the scales at 185lbs revealed how she shed the fat and became a body builder at the age of 65. 

Susan Guidi, from Tampa, Florida, set out to lose weight in December 2020 by ditching wine and her favorite Thai food. 

The grandma-of-five weighs just 129lbs, exercises five times a week and won a bodybuilding competition in October. 

Ms Guidi can confidently don a bikini thanks to her new slimmer physique and wants to be an example to women over the age of 50. 

She said: ‘Society expects women over 50 to just settle down and be a grandmother. 

Susan Guidi (above), from the US, set out to lose weight in December 2020 by ditching the wine and her favorite Thai food

‘My whole life I’d been someone’s wife, mother and grandmother, so I wanted to do something for myself.

‘I’d done every diet under the sun, just like most women my age, but I was not happy with my body at all.

‘I wanted the outside to match how I felt inside. I was a typical menopausal woman. I had fat around my stomach, drank too much wine, ate too much and slept poorly.

‘One day, I was scrolling social media for women over 60 who had achieved something incredible, and I came across Joan MacDonald who was 74 at the time and looking incredible.

‘I thought that if she could do it in her seventies, then I had no excuse in my sixties.

The grandma-of-five now weighs just 129lbs, exercises five times a week and won a bodybuilding competition in October

Ms Guidi said for her whole life she had been someone’s wife, mother and grandmother, so she wanted to do something for herself

‘So in December 2020, I signed up for a transformation program and never looked back.

‘I booked myself a professional photoshoot for nine months after I started to give myself a goal, and after I achieved this I decided I wanted to do a bodybuilding competition.’

Susan hired coaches to help her prep for her show in October 2020.

It took her 20 weeks of preparation to be stage ready and would work out for up to three and a half hours a day in the run-up to the show.

Ms Guidi said she was a typical menopausal woman. I had fat around my stomach, drank too much wine, ate too much and slept poorly

It took her 20 weeks of preparation to be stage ready and would work out for up to three and a half hours a day in the run-up to the show (Pictured: L-R Susan Guidi with Joan MacDonald)

Susan said: ‘In the bodybuilding competition, I went on to win the over 50s division and novice division. I couldn’t believe I had done it.

‘It felt incredible. I led the group of women on stage, who were all younger than I was, and as soon as I hit the lights I started pumping the audience up.

‘It was like I was made for that stage.

‘I am on fire right now and I can’t wait to see what I can do when I am 80.

‘Women don’t have enough examples of females like me, and they don’t feel like they’re worthy of feeling like this but I want to show that age doesn’t matter.

She said women don’t have enough examples of females like her, and they don’t feel like they’re worthy of feeling like this but she wants to show that age doesn’t matter

 Ms Guidi is now healthier than she has ever been, and can now run around and play with her five grandbabies

‘This is 65 and this is what it looks like on me. There was a time when I wouldn’t have even wanted to tell anyone my age, but now I put it absolutely everywhere because I am so proud.

‘I may have some loose skin and wrinkles, but I also have my health and building muscle is the best thing for ageing powerfully.

‘I loved fine wine and Thai food, but it just wasn’t serving me. I now do five weight training sessions a week and cardio four times a week, and I can’t wait to compete again this year at the age of 66.

‘I’m healthier than I have ever been, and I can run around and play with my five grandbabies.

‘I am doing this for them too as I wanted to set an example for them and leave a legacy.’