What if you decided to do something that scared you—not because you had to, but because you wanted to see what you were capable of?
In this episode of Girls Talk Healthy Aging, Alli sits down with co-host Shawna to talk about her incredible experience competing at the World Masters Weightlifting Championships in Athens, Greece, where she placed 4th in the world in her age and weight class!
But this episode isn't just about weightlifting. It's about what happens when you step outside your comfort zone, try something new, and give yourself something exciting to work toward—especially as you get older.
Shawna shares what motivated her to take on this competition, how her daughter's involvement in weightlifting influenced her, and what it's like to take up a sport in your 50s when some competitors have been lifting for most of their lives. She walks us through exactly how the competition works, including the different lifts, attempts, strategy, and how your final score is determined from your best lifts.
She also talks about the enormous amount of learning that came with taking on a completely new skill—and why being a beginner at something can be such a valuable experience.
We talk about:
- Why Shawna decided to compete on the world stage
- Starting Olympic weightlifting in her 50s and competing in her 60s
- What it was like competing against women who have been lifting for decades
- Her strategy going into the competition
- How weightlifting competitions actually work
- The lifts, attempts, scoring, and how the final score is calculated
- The importance of doing something that scares you
- Getting out of your comfort zone and being willing to be a beginner
- Focusing on what your body can do rather than how you look or how you perform
- The lessons Shawna learned from competing
- Why she plans to do it again
- How having something to work toward can give you purpose, excitement, and something to look forward to
We also talk about a conversation we had with Shawna's daughter, Hannah, in Episode 66, and a lesson Hannah shared with her mom: sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to perform that we forget to have fun.
And perhaps that's one of the biggest lessons from Shawna's experience.
She went to Athens to have fun. She wanted the experience. She wanted to challenge herself. And she wanted to see what she could do.
Watching Shawna train for this competition—and then actually step onto that platform—has been incredibly inspiring. Her story is a reminder that you don't have to stop challenging yourself as you get older. In fact, having something that scares you, excites you, and gives you something to work toward may be exactly what keeps you growing.
You are never too old to learn something new, become a beginner, or surprise yourself.
And sometimes, you just need to be brave enough to try.
Want to watch Shawna compete? You can watch the World Masters Weightlifting Championships here:
Watch Shawna compete in Athens
One of Shawna's lifts happens at approximately the 1-hour mark in the video.
If you've been thinking about trying something new, getting back into a sport, challenging your body, or doing something that feels a little scary, this episode is your sign: go for it.
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Train with Alli at The Pink Physique in person in Macon, Georgia or Online here: https://www.thepinkphysique.com
