14/12/2025

ON SUNDAY December 14, 2025 theSunday Special XI

“Maybe I had a midlife crisis earlier,” she joked, but the tone behind the joke was not dismissive. Her weight crept up. She stopped caring. “I was in my comfort zone without realising I had to get out,” she said. People often assume the ‘transforma tion moment’ is glamorous – a big speech or a motivating video. Hers was stairs, sweat and the sound of elderly strangers overtaking her. Restarting at 40 is not cute – it is painful The part few transformation stories talk about is the beginning – the actual begin ning, when the body resists violently. Wan calls her first stretch of training “hellish”. “It was hard. Every day I asked myself – should I just stay how I am?” she said. “Working out was a struggle. I cried and screamed in the gym. I didn’t want to be there.” She was sore every morning. She wanted to quit daily. The only thing that kept her going was a promise to test herself for three months. “I told myself, just give it three months and see what happens.” After three months, something changed, although not immediately apparent. “I felt happier. I saw a bit of improve ment. I loved myself a little more each day.” That psychological shift was more important than the physical shift. It made staying feel possible. From breathless hiker to PDUDWKRQ ¿QLVKHU Running did not come naturally to her. “I hated running. It is never comfort able,” she said without sugar-coating it. B XW VKH VDZ D À\HU IRU D PDUDWKRQ DQG GLG WKH VDPH WKLQJ VKH GLG ZLWK WKDW ¿UVW three-month promise – she signed up before she felt ready. “Don’t run away from your weakness,” she said. T KH PDUDWKRQ WHUUL¿HG KHU ZKLFK IRU KHU ZDV H[DFWO\ WKH SRLQW 6KH ¿QLVKHG it – not elegantly, not pain-free, but fully. Bodybuilding on stage The bodybuilding chapter started with D PRPHQW RI FXULRVLW\ VKH ZDV ÀLSSLQJ channels when a bodybuilding show came on. She was struck by the athletes – not RQO\ WKHLU PXVFOHV EXW WKHLU XQÀLQFKLQJ FRQ¿GHQFH RQ VWDJH “They were celebrating their hard work and physique with minimal clothing and being judged by the world. It takes guts,” she said. She decided she wanted that moment too – not the glitter or the medal, but the courage. She didn’t begin with a coach from a celebrity gym or a branded programme. She trained with discipline, mainly under the guidance of her partner, who is a former athlete himself. She learned to lift, count macros, stretch and be patient. She knew not to disappear when it got boring. When she finally stepped on stage, most recently in September at the Mr Penang 2025 bodybuilding competition, she understood that the real accomplish ment was not the posing routine under bright lights – it was the months of invisible mornings before it.

and only later became strong enough for a PDUDWKRQ DQG FRQ¿GHQW HQRXJK IRU VWDJH lighting. Her advice to late starters is simple and not romantic: show up before you believe you can. And if someone reading this secretly thinks, “It’s too late for me”, her answer is VKRUW 6KH KDV VHHQ ZRPHQ LQ WKHLU ¿IWLHV break marathon pace records and women in their sixties compete in bodybuilding. “These people didn’t start young. So what excuse do we have?” Wan concluded.

One-week ïÈ®ŒÃà challenge

THINK you can’t make noticeable fitness gains after 40? This simple one-week challenge proves otherwise. Designed to boost strength, stamina and mobility, it’s short, doable and gives measurable results. Day 1 – Cardio boost Take a brisk 20-minute walk or light jog. Focus on keeping a steady pace that lets you still hold a conversation. Day 2 – Strength starter Do two sets of 10–12 reps of body weight squats, push-ups and planks (hold for 20–30 seconds). Rest 30–60 seconds between sets. Day 3 – Mobility & stretch Spend 15–20 minutes stretching major muscle groups. Include shoulder rolls, hip openers and hamstring stretches to improve flexibility and reduce soreness. Day 4 – Cardio plus core Alternate between 1 minute of brisk walking or jogging and 1 minute of core exercises like crunches or bicycle twists for 20 minutes. Day 5 – Strength & balance Repeat Day 2 exercises, adding step ups or lunges to challenge balance and coordination. Day 6 – Active recovery Go for a light swim, bike ride or yoga session. Keep the pace gentle and focus on movement rather than intensity. Day 7 – Challenge day Combine cardio and strength in a mini circuit: 5 minutes of walking/jogging, 10 push-ups, 15 squats, 20-second plank – repeat twice. Track how you feel compared to Day 1. The key is consistency, not perfection. Even a week of focused movement can improve energy, strength and confidence. Track your progress and notice the small wins – climbing stairs, lifting groceries or feeling more alert. Fitness after 40 isn’t just possible; it can accelerate faster than you think.

Back in 2021, before her hike in Kerachut, Penang

Age is not an obstacle; the head is The popular narrative is that everything declines after 30 and collapses after 40. Wan does not buy that. “I can do more now than in my twen WLHV ´ VKH VDLG ÀDWO\ She is not saying the body doesn’t change – it does, but she believes the mind is the real saboteur. “In our forties, we are more sensible and aware. Injuries happen once in a blue moon, but they make you more careful. The most important thing is to show up for yourself. Even for ten minutes – it counts,” she said. Her home life, like everyone else’s, has obligations. Chores, work and commit ments don’t disappear. She is currently the PR manager for a company based in Kuala Lumpur and also a yoga teacher. She works around her schedule, not against it. “Gym doesn’t take more than an hour. Don’t waste time anywhere and it won’t steal from your life,” she said with a shrug. Proceeding beyond judgment Support wasn’t universal. A few people gave her the “are you serious?” look when she announced she was entering body building. Some commented negatively about her body. She didn’t dramatise it. “I don’t blame them. I surprised myself as well,” she said. Her response was not to debate them but to outgrow them. She used the com

ments as mental fuel, not emotional injury. Inside the gym, though, she found the opposite of judgment. “ 7KH ¿WQHVV FRPPXQLW\ LV WKH NLQG HVW SHRSOH \RX¶OO ¿QG