Women's Fitness
Proving That Age Is Just A Number
Jan Herdman wants to encourage every single woman to take responsibility for their lives, saying that “our health is so incredibly important to us, and we take it for granted when we’re younger.” A great believer in starting on the fitness journey as young as possible, so we have “more of a solid base,” Jan also believes it’s never ever too late to start, and the joy that strength training brings is “incredible.”.
She speaks of her own experience, and also those of the women and men in her programmes, who are changing their lives from week to week. “It is so rewarding to see the light in their eyes the comments of how fabulous they feel, how strong that they feel, and how it affects everything that they’re doing. It brings a real smile to my face.”
What is your proudest achievement to date?
My proudest time would be when I transformed my life at the age of 40, when I was going through my marriage breakdown. I did a 12-week strength and nutrition programme, and at the end of that, I got up on stage in a bikini and heels and competed in a “body sculpting” competition. I came second in the competition, and that led me to see myself in a completely different way. My confidence soared, my self-esteem went through the roof, I went from a heartbroken 40-year-old single woman to believing that I could do anything that I put my mind to!
Explain the catalyst around why you set out on this life path?
The catalyst was the marriage breakdown. I felt worthless and my self-esteem was in the gutter. I believed that I needed my husband to have a fulfilling life, so I was devastated when the marriage ended. I left everything behind, and I moved in with a girl who was a personal trainer, and she encouraged me to put all my frustration and despair and heartbreak into weight training. She encouraged me to work towards a goal which was to compete in a bodybuilding competition, and I did a 12-week programme where we concentrated on nutrition and weight training. Even up to the last minute I didn’t believe that I would get up on stage, but I did. In a bikini and heels in front of a crowd. That propelled me to changing the way I thought about myself. I believed that I could do things that I had never imagined before if I put my mind to it. This led me to apply for a new position in an industry that I knew nothing about. It was a rail engineering recruitment company, and it was commission only. I knew nothing about the industry, but I became the highest earner in about three months! Again, I realised that I could do things that I had never imagined before.
After a number of ventures that took me around the world, I came home to Sydney for my niece’s wedding and stayed with my mum and realised that her health had declined. At the time I was wanting to expand the business in Dubai and was looking for outside investment. I decided to stay with mum and see how I could help her, but I ended up becoming her ‘live in carer’ for eight years. After that, to gain clarity, I focused on training for another bodybuilding competition. Strength training benefits us mentally, emotionally and physically, so at the age of 63 I competed again… and won.
I had pulled myself out of the doldrums and I thought THIS is what I want to do with my life. I want to help people. I want to show them that as we age it’s not a decline, that we have a choice to be strong mentally, emotionally and physically and this is what has put me on the path that I’m on at the moment. My focus is to encourage everyone to take up weight training from as early an age as possible, but definitely for those over 40s over 50s. It is not only beneficial for our muscles, but for our bones, it is cancer fighting, its dementia fighting, it is the magical pill that everyone has been looking for. My purpose is to spread the word that we can be strong and vibrant and independent to our last days. Let’s keep our elderly out of aged care and independent!
What is it that drives you the most when you get up each day?
What drives me each day is that I I want to be strong and vibrant and independent to my last breath. I want to help others to achieve the same thing and I want to keep as many people out of aged care as possible. We need to change the thinking around ageing and yes this is what drives me every day to become better and stronger and fitter than I was the day before.
What is it that you provide for others to follow your model of fitness as a way of life?
I’m not, or should I say, I was never into social media. But I started posting some things on Instagram last year. Twelve months ago, I had 50 followers, and now I’m up to 60,000. The support I’ve had from Instagram followers encouraged me to want to share what I have learned over the last 25 years.
So, I’ve developed three online programmes which include strength training, nutrition and recommendations for cardiovascular work. They are six week and 12-week, and one to one program. We also offer a recipe hub and are in the process of adding more options. (see below for reference).
Find Your Program
$549 US full pay
(or $183 US x 3)
KICKSTARTER
6 WEEK PROGRAM
A short sprint to get back in shape and to start your journey to meet your own goals by kickstarting your metabolism.
Suitable for all levels with an on-demand library of training material, food planner and recipes. Join Jan for 6 weekly accountability sessions and mingle with other like-minded on their own transformational journey.
✔ Screening questionnaire and nutrition goal setting
✔ 8 transformational modules for life
✔ 6 weekly community calls
✔ VIP Video interview series
✔ Member only offers & discounts
✔ Workout tracker templates
✔ Inspirational recipe packs
✔ Private WhatsApp group
✔ Nutritious meal plan with a mix and match macro guide and calorie information
———————————————————————-
$1449 US full pay
(or $483 US x 3)
TRANSFORMER
12 WEEK PROGRAM
A longer program for the committed who are there for the long term life changes with weekly consultations with a sports nutritionist. Suitable for all levels with an extended on-demand library of training material, food planner and more recipes. Join Jan for 12 weekly accountability sessions and continue as part of Jan’s community on the same mission for a life of vitality.
✔ Screening questionnaire and nutrition goal setting
✔ 10 transformational modules for life
✔ 12 weekly community calls
✔ VIP Video interview series
✔ Member only offers & discounts
✔ Workout tracker templates
✔ New recipe packs updated frequently
✔ Private WhatsApp group
✔ Nutritious personalised meal plans
✔ Weekly consultations with a sports nutritionist including modifications
———————————————————————-
$2349 US full pay
(or $783 US x 3)
ONE ON ONE
12 WEEK PROGRAM
A program for the serious who are committed to being fit and lean. You may be considering a body building competition or just want to look amazing in the swim suit.
Join Jan for regular accountability sessions with full one-to-one access to Jan for more customised advice and support to meet your own goals. You may already be very fit and keen to apply strength training.
✔ Screening questionnaire and nutrition goal setting
✔ 10 transformational modules for life
✔ 12 weekly private coaching with Jan
✔ VIP Video interview series
✔ Member only offers & discounts
✔ Workout tracker templates
✔ New recipe packs updated frequently
✔ Private WhatsApp group
✔ Nutritious personalised meal plans
✔ Weekly consultations with a sports nutritionist including modifications
✔ Weekly coaching sessions one to one with Jan for a personalised program
Golden nuggets of advice you wished you’d known sooner.
- You’re never too old to learn something new
- Believe in yourself
- You’re never too old to become the best version of you
- I believe that every cloud has a silver lining. If I hadn’t experienced the divorce, I wouldn’t have competed in a body building competition. I wouldn’t be the person that I am today, and I would not be guiding people along this fabulous path
- Being single is not being lonely. I have confidence to do things by myself. I travel on my own, I go out to dinner on my own, and I don’t feel self-conscious
- Self-love is very important. If you don’t love yourself then you can’t love others
There is a real focus now on how health and fitness can extend your lifespan. Can you add to this school of thought?
Everyone in the world is looking for the magical pill that will make them feel strong, take away pain, make them look good and I firmly believe that it is called strength training. Strength training increases your muscle mass which it increases and helps your metabolism, which it helps you to burn more calories per day, and therefore it decreases fat.
Strength training increases bone density. This is particularly important for menopausal women, as statistics show that the majority of deaths over the age of 50 is from broken bones. We trip, fall, break bones end up in hospital and then quite often die. Strength training increases the bone density which means that your bones are stronger. Strength training increases your stability so if you do trip your muscles are strong enough to help you to maintain your balance so you’re not falling. Strength Training is proven to help fight so many of the age-related diseases, including cancer and dementia.
So, my question is, if all of that is available to you, if you could extend your life, make the quality of your life so much better, why wouldn’t you do it?
For more information got to www.ageless-transformations.com
www.instagram.com/jan.herdman1
INTERVIEW: Josie Gagliano
For the full article grab the August/September 2024 issue of Women’s Fitness Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
