Please pardon the errors, this was transcribed by a computer… gotta love artificial intelligence!
Teresa Burkett: [00:01:42] As a teenager, not so good. Yeah, I, was a little more into the partying and smoking and when I was a teenager, I did have a couple of fun jobs. Which is kind of funny. I don't know if your listeners are familiar with Elaine powers figure salon.

Kevin English: [00:01:56] Don't that doesn't

Teresa Burkett: [00:01:57] I worked there.

. It was like an all women's fitness center. They had The rollers where you'd jiggle the fat off your hips and they did have a lap pull down. What's really funny is we were allowed to smoke at the front desk. If we sat down on the floor, so a lot's changed since the seventies.

Kevin English: [00:02:18] Yeah, that's right.

So if it, the fitness club and you're allowed to smoke this, as long as you're sitting on the floor, huh?

Teresa Burkett: [00:02:24] yeah.

Kevin English: [00:02:24] And you mentioned that you kind of got into the smoking, maybe some other things there in the teenage years diverted away from that healthier lifestyle. So your graduate from high school, where do you go from there?

Teresa Burkett: [00:02:35] Okay. So right out of high school, I got married. Pregnant and then got divorced just way too young, you know, figured it all out a little too soon. Had beautiful son. Who's now 41 years old. Couple of years later I got remarried and I was married.

Little over 20 years had two more children. So I have three amazing kids. After that I got divorced and I remarried in July. It'll be 10 years to what I believe is my soulmate. So yeah, so he's, he's an awesome guy.

Kevin English: [00:03:10] Okay, you've obviously you've come through, you know, obviously that's a long span from high school

Teresa Burkett: [00:03:15] to

Kevin English: [00:03:16] where does the fitness kind of come into your life? When does it, when does fitness become important to you and kind of getting closer to what you're doing today?

Teresa Burkett: [00:03:26] Actually, I think my health and fitness journey first started when I quit smoking, I I would credit that to two things. my dad had emphysema and there was a very terrible long battle of not being able to breathe.

You know, it was a very strong, proud man and couldn't breathe. So I was not going to make my children, watch me kill myself like that. And I didn't know, you know, I was, I was hooked on cigarettes. I was smoking very young age and this one time, it was funny. I was in the kitchen huddled under the, a stove.

the fan in the kitchen and this one little boy that is a family member came in and he said, Theresa, I didn't know ladies smoked. And that was a light bulb moment for me. I saw it this is not the example I want to set. So I would say. That was over 30 years ago, but that was probably the beginning.

I didn't know that then, but that was the beginning of a totally different path for me. And then, then when my daughter was about three, I joined this step aerobics class. I really liked it. Cause back then Jazzercise was, and I had no rhythm. So when I found S step aerobics, that was, I could do that up and down, up and down. And I remember telling the instructor, I said, well, I'm a little out of shape. Cause I just had a baby. And she said, Oh, how old your baby? And I said, well, she's three. And then yeah, I was like, Oh my gosh, you cannot keep using that as an excuse. So made me focus and started going to that class on a regular basis.

And then I just really. Started liking that. And then before I knew it, there was a kickboxing class at a karate school in the town. And I started going to that and then I was hooked on kickboxing and I did that for a couple years, then got into yoga. And these are all, you know, within years or two, my kids were still, small

anyway, when I was going through my divorce, I was never a runner. that was not my thing. And I met this woman and she said, Oh, you should join my running group. And I've noticed that about myself is I just jumped into things. I don't really put a lot of thought into it or I'd probably wouldn't do anything.

I joined her group and did my first half marathon. Yeah, I really didn't train much at all. And that was really fun, but I decided, yeah, half marathons, you know, I did one I'm happy and actually I did it two hours and 18 minutes. So I thought that was pretty good for not being a runner. And then after that I did several five Ks.

I really liked those. Those were, getting done in. 20 to 30 minutes. And so yeah, that was I'm not so much a runner anymore because I have a, a bad foot right now, but and then I decided. To become a personal trainer. I think that was like 2009. You know, again, I had just gotten divorced and wasn't sure what am I going to do with the rest of my life?

I was pretty much a stay at home mom. And so I was going to a all women's gym at the time. And all it was so cute. These college girls were all going, we'll help you, study. They were making notes on index cards for me. And so I got through that, got my personal training certification and then certified in yoga, just very basic, you know taught yoga at a local country club for a while.

And. And then here in my home gym I know I'm jumping all over the place. I'm sorry. My life I'm going everywhere. Oh. And then I also did The fight for air. I don't have you heard of that with the American lung association? So it was, it was last year and I just got an email that they're going to do another one outdoors.

So I'm, I'm real excited. I want to sign up for that one, but it's especially close to my heart because You know, I quit smoking at a young age and saved my lungs. And so I like to do that in honor of my dad.

Kevin English: [00:07:30] what is the fight for air? What is that event?

Teresa Burkett: [00:07:32] it was called the hour of power is what I did.

And it was 40 flights of stairs as many times as you can do it in one hour

Kevin English: [00:07:41] Oh, okay.

Teresa Burkett: [00:07:42] and I did it in four. I did it four times. I had a little time to spare, but I, anyway, that was challenging. So, and a lot of firemen do it in full gear. I mean, amazing. So and then I should back up,

after I got my personal training certification, I did start a little business called home bodies, traveling trainer. And so I would travel to people's homes. I had a little black Honda element with my logo on it and take the weights to them. And, if they had little kids at home, we would do, a little workout and if they needed to stop and tend to their.

Toddler or whatever. And that was a lot of fun. And then that kind of evolved into outdoor boot camps. And we had quite a few people come into the boot camps at our local park. And then I started working people out in, at lunch on their lunch hours different businesses. So that, and all of that, that was through like a five-year time period.

And I, around that time, I did my first figure competition. I was knew nothing about it. Again, it was one of those things I just kinda jumped into. I was on the treadmill in the living room, flipping through oxygen magazine, saw a figure competitor, and I thought, wow, I want to do that. I knew nothing about it.

But I had mentioned it to my daughter who coincidentally had a friend who's his friend put these shows on a local, just a very small show. So before I knew it, I was walking across that stage. It, I think it was what, 50, 55, 51, I think 51 was the first time I did it. And then I went on to do several more and thought.

I'm going to quit. If I ever come in first place, then I'll just quit. I'll be happy with that. And finally, I came in first, I think that was 2015. It was the monster mash show in the master's division. So I placed first in that, but I was more excited. I placed second and open, but you know, that made me feel really

Kevin English: [00:09:55] Yeah, I bet. Yeah. Right. Yeah.

Teresa Burkett: [00:09:58] So that's all out of my system now. I think I'm done. Never say never, but

Kevin English: [00:10:02] Yeah. But you started then in your fifties, it sounds like 51 years old. When you did that first one, can you talk a little bit, cause it sounds like on your journey here, your fitness journey started with maybe the step aerobics and did some yoga. You did some kickboxing, I think you said you threw in there had a stint as a runner.

But. By the time you're getting to where you're going to actually start doing figure competitors. I mentioned at that point, you're going to be, if you haven't already introduced to the barbell and dumbbells free weights, right. And then resistance training with very specific, progressive overload strategies.

Can you talk a little bit about that? Part of it, the training for those shows

Teresa Burkett: [00:10:38] Yeah, I guess I left that out. Didn't I I was like the queen of cardio, you know, I was always doing cardio and I thought I lifted weights. So anyway, I was introduced to a guy who was a power lifter and he competed, I should say bodybuilder.

And he was about my age. And that was like I said, I thought I lifted weights, whole different ball game. That's the first time I ever put a bar on my back. So, he showed me the fundamentals the squats, dead lifts. And so that was the beginning of lifting heavy preparation for that a lot more than I ever imagined.

And with each show, of course, I never hired a coach. So I just kind of did my own thing. I took what Randy had taught me and then, just, you just keep educating yourself and finding out more things and of course getting stronger. And I did a I found Strong lifts. Are you familiar with that?

Five by five strong lifts that helped me so much. And I tell everybody, you got to try strong lifts. You know, it's just everything you need is right there. And so I would say that, and then just in my gym, doing my own thing, learning.

Kevin English: [00:11:45] Yeah. So I'm sure that had to be a pretty steep learning curve, right? To go from, like you said, you thought you were lifting weights and then all of a sudden you're introduced to these. Heavy compound lifts, the squat and deadlift and other things. Along with that, what was your nutrition like before you started this head?

Were you already pretty dialed in on your nutrition? And to be sure preparation for bodybuilding shows is a lot different nutritionally than most other physical activities. Is that fair? Yeah.

Teresa Burkett: [00:12:12] Yes, you're correct. About that. Before I did a competition, you know, I, I felt like they ate clean. And it's been a learning process along the way. But yeah I ended up getting like a, just a basic cookie cutter meal plan from somebody followed that to a T like, To a T would wait everything.

And it was basically, you know, tuna, chicken, egg, whites, protein shakes broccoli, fish.

Kevin English: [00:12:41] Yeah, very, very classic bodybuilding body bodybuilder

Teresa Burkett: [00:12:44] tilapia. I can't even eat tilapia anymore. But

Kevin English: [00:12:47] So it sounds like you had a, I'm guessing you would have had a calorie goal, a macro goal, and you're having to get X percent of your calories from protein, from carbs, from fats.

Were you weighing and measuring and all of that?

Teresa Burkett: [00:13:02] And like I said, since it was just a, like a cookie cutter meal plan. I literally just followed that. I've learned a lot along the way with nutria and I don't, I don't like to Give other people nutrition advice, because I don't have a degree in that, but I know what works for me, you know, share what works for me with others.

But all the other shows along the way, then of course I would, I learned more. I. One thing I would say is get a Fitbit or some sort of tracker that makes all, you know, you can hold you accountable, you know exactly how much protein you're taking in your calories, all of that. And then I actually, I recently did a I had a challenge of my own.

I wanted to have a six pack at 60 and I allowed myself 60 days and again, I it didn't hire a coach or anything and, you know, I just have a basic personal training certification. I'm not an expert in nutrition, but learned a lot along the way. So anyway, I tracked everything to a T I'm a wine drinker, but no wine.

When I started, I weighed 131 and I exactly lost 10 pounds, 121.6 in 60 days.

Kevin English: [00:14:18] So I, I, and I think that a lot of people hearing that, I think a lot of people assume that when you, you know, you said, Hey, I, I ha I made myself this challenge. I love that by the way, a six pack at 60 in six weeks. Is that right? Yeah. So

Teresa Burkett: [00:14:32] 60 days.

Kevin English: [00:14:33] And so 60 days, but I think a lot of people are probably envisioning just like thousands of crunches, but really your six pack has made less in the gym and more in the kitchen.

Is that fair? You had mentioned that you've dropped actually 10 pounds in order to have visible abs. So talk a little bit about that. We reducing carbs more during this time. I mean, what specifically did you do besides just kind of, obviously you had to reduce your caloric intake.

I'm guessing,

Teresa Burkett: [00:14:58] right.

I made sure I got at least one gram of protein per my body weight. I think that was really important. And the rest I just kinda filled in with carbs and fat. I wasn't so focused on that, but definitely cut my calories and I was always went, you know, went to bed under and I, again, I use my Fitbit.

You can just. Plug that thing in, and it'll, it's like a walking personal trainer for me. You know what I'm say? It, it tells you everything. It's so good at tracking your calories and your carbs, protein, everything I used. Are you familiar with intermittent fasting? I'm sure you are. I've done that off and on for years, I guess.

But I've used intermittent fasting a lot, probably. For the last 10 years off and on for a lot of different reasons. But that was really helpful for me just to you know, with the calorie restriction.

Kevin English: [00:15:51] Is this during the time when you were doing the, your six pack and 60,

60 days

Teresa Burkett: [00:15:56] Yeah. And it, and I'm still, this is still what I'm

doing, but you know, it's, it's like chest and triceps. Then it's back and biceps, legs and shoulders. And then I just repeat that and a lot of abs in between and always pull ups,

Kevin English: [00:16:12] And always pull ups.

Teresa Burkett: [00:16:14] doing those pull ups all the time.

Kevin English: [00:16:16] So let's, yeah, let's dig into that. I want, I want to go back and talk a little bit more about the training and pull that apart a little bit, but now that you brought it up, that's really how I found you. Somebody, like I said, somebody had actually sent me your, your profile and said, you really need to interview her.

And I went on your Instagram and flipped through a couple of pictures and you're just repping out, pull ups there. So talk to us about, I think you have a current goal. For pull-ups. Is that right? Talk to us a little bit about what your goal is, and then maybe where that came from and how that's going.

Teresa Burkett: [00:16:51] Well, I would say the goal came from in November. I was doing 10 good ones, all ups. And if you asked me, I'd say I can do 10 pull-ups that's. I just thought I'm there. That's what I can do. And I saw this pull up challenge 25 pull-ups a day for 25 days for Christmas on Instagram. And I thought I'm going to try that.

I can't imagine doing 25 pull-ups and you didn't have to do them all in a row. You just had to do 25 a day and that's X. I would come down here faithfully every day and you know, some days it was like five and then rest. And and I then I'm set a goal to do, I want to do like 12 by. Christmas or something like that in any way.

I beat that goal and I was like in a row and see, you know, consecutive pull-ups. So then I made the goal 15 and I was able to do that. So anyway, by Christmas, you know, I, I was doing 15 pull-ups I think. It consecutive. I started and I could only do 10, so that was really cool. So then I just decided I was going to set a goal for February to do 25 consecutive pull-ups and today I came so close.

So Yeah, I I'm, for me, setting a goal is so important because like I said, if you would have, I would have just told you I can only do 10 pull-ups and that was what I thought my body was capable of doing and never thought to say, why don't you see if you can do 12? So yeah.

Kevin English: [00:18:34] And here we are. Yeah. So for folks listening to this in the future, we're recording this, I'm the 22nd of February here and yeah, I think you're, you're right at the door of being able to knock out 25 strict. Very good form pull ups very, very close. And to your point, you, you probably wouldn't have done that.

I mean, cause even being able to do, I think in the adult population, certainly let's say the adult population, females over 60, you are in the very, very small. Percentile of people who can actually do 10 strict pull-ups let alone 25, that puts you in an actually, probably an elite class. Really. So that's fantastic.

Teresa Burkett: [00:19:14] So

Kevin English: [00:19:15] had mentioned a couple of times now. I think we're, we're getting a picture here. You said you know, I wanted to make a goal for myself 60 days for my six pack on my 60th birthday. And then you said, Hey, you know, this, somebody was doing a, twenty-five pull up a day challenge for Christmas. I thought that sounded kind of neat and got me thinking about, well, w.

What can my next goal be? And you have you set this very aggressive goal of being able to do 25 and here you're right at the doorstep of being able to knock that off. Where does this goal setting behavior come from? What, what inspires you to set goals like that and really push herself?

Teresa Burkett: [00:19:47] Hmm. That's a good question. Honestly, I don't really know where it all first started. Like I'm trying to think back. I think who I am, like what, what works for me is that I I'm, I feel like it's. A very disciplined. I, it's funny that I say that because I wouldn't have imagined myself being disciplined and I am a woman of my word. And so I do, maybe that's where it comes from.

You know, it's sort of I said, I'm going to do this and I'm going to do it. And for me it keeps me accountable. It's the only thing I can think of. I, that's such a good question. I really don't know where it all first began. I'll have to,

it's hard for me to go down memory lane, you know, I, that's another important thing for me.

I always think, you know, today is, yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery. You know, that little boat, today's the gift. So yeah, I'll have to go back and. Down memory lane and figure out what first made me set those goals. Maybe it all started when I did that first figure competition, because I mean, that was probably the hardest I know.

I just kind of skimmed the surface and went over that really fast, but that was extremely hard. You know, you had to stay disciplined and focused and so. Maybe that's where it all first began

Kevin English: [00:21:10] certainly that's also an audacious goal, right? To, to say, you know, in, in my fifties, I'm going to do a figure competition and folks that don't know what that is. You're, you're getting in a rather small bikini and you're going to be up on it. I'm going to be up on stage and you're going to be judged on your body.

And just that alone is enough to just make a lot of people shut or just the thought of that, just to have the nerve, to do that, to have the courage, to get up and do that, but all the hard work and that's. To your point in terms of setting a goal. If you decide you're going to do that, then that really motivates you to do that work to cause like you said, it, that's not an easy thing and easy task to complete.

Teresa Burkett: [00:21:48] Right.

Do I, I like to set the goal and then I like to tell people, because then I am accountable and that's the whole Instagram thing, you know, I, I was petrified to get on Instagram. I, you know, is this old, what if I type the wrong thing or say the wrong thing?

I think it's one of the best things I ever did. I, the people are just amazing. I love the first time somebody said I inspired them. I just started crying. I was like, Oh my gosh, you know, you, me little on me just inspired you. And that's why I share these things. It's like, you know, I want other people to set goals and it works for me.

It, I think I just told everybody I'm going to do 25 pull-ups and it, yeah. I'm going to do them or I'm going to try really, really hard. So yeah, I think Instagram's awesome. And the people that I have been meeting and talking to, or. That's great, but yes, back to the figure competition thing. I remember the first, Oh my gosh.

I said my kids have never even seen me this exposed before talking tiny, tiny little suit, but, and I was the oldest one. I mean, I was in my fifties, all these girls were, you know, in their twenties, but I was so well-received, it was a really small show and it was a good experience for me. But I was so well-received and thank goodness, cause Made me want to now I want to do one where I'm on an even playing field with women my own age, you know?

So then that is what motivated me to do the next twin. And then I did another one. I had had a fibroid tumors removed and it rather than just laying on the couch and getting, you know, frumpy, I thought I need a, I need that carrot dangling in front of me again. So. As soon as I got the okay to start lifting again.

And I before I knew it, I was doing it again. And that one, you know, that was more, I, I had no intentions of placing or anything. I just needed the motivation to get up.

Kevin English: [00:23:45] Yeah, that's a good point. And that brings me to my next question. You're you're obviously pretty driven. You've got very aggressive goals and it looks like you achieve your goals. And like you said, you like to make those public help hold you accountable. How do you stay motivated? What motivates you to continue to push this hard and what are very difficult things, right.

Teresa Burkett: [00:24:07] Yeah. I say my, my kids and my grandkids, I I want to set a good example for them. I probably my biggest motivation Along with, I don't want to be a burden.

You know, I want to live, live, live, live, live, and then die. I proud to say you know, I don't take any prescriptions. That's I like to take my health into my own hands. So, you know, we all are, we're all going to be hit with certain things, but the, the stronger and the healthier you are then better shot you had about

Kevin English: [00:24:40] 100%. And I've, I can't remember who who's coined this term, but there's a term, the compression of morbidity in the ideas that you know, we have a lot of medicines and you don't have to be healthy to live along. Lifetime, you can be very, very unhealthy in your dying process can be stretched out for years, frankly.

And to your point, by staying healthy and strong and vibrant you're much less likely to have that long lingering unhealthy. Part at the end of your life, as opposed to being strong and capable and fit right up until, like you said, until the end where we're all gonna meet the same, the same end.

But yeah, I love that idea of being healthy as you age. And I think it's, maybe it's in your Instagram, you've got a little you can do it and it's never too late to start kind of a mentality. Right. And I think you may be wearing that shirt right now. Yeah. I'd never too old. And you've got that silver as the new

Teresa Burkett: [00:25:33] Silver is the new strong. My son made this logo for me and

Kevin English: [00:25:37] that's fantastic. And I see you wearing that a good bit when you're working out. And yeah, I just love that. I think a lot of people, when they think of somebody, you know, a 61 year old grandmother, they're not picturing up women, like you just repping out, pull ups, weighted, pull ups and dips, and doing heavy barbell movements and things like that.

And so that's a fantastic example to be setting for healthy aging, right.

Teresa Burkett: [00:26:01] Yeah. Well, thank you. I, I think so. The other, yeah, the whole silver thing. I quit coloring my hair.

It's been about a year now. I think silver hair is beautiful and I think we've just all of us women been, set another lie. And I want, I think I shared that, that I was when I was young. I dreaded getting older and wrinkly and gray hair and frumpy and, and I want my granddaughters and. Women young girls to know, you know, you don't, you can stay strong and you can have silver hair, you can color your hair.

If you want to, you know, be whatever you want to be. But don't fret getting old. You know, if you just take care of yourself, love your body, it's gonna serve you well. And that's another motivation of mine, I guess. I just want to get that out there that, There's a lot of grandmas that are strong and fit and healthy.

And that's another thing when I got on Instagram, I'm like, Oh my God, look at all these amazing strong women that are 70, 80 years old. So

Kevin English: [00:27:07] That's true. this whole social media explosion has made, you know, for all, it's got its pitfalls and ugly spots. It certainly has created a space for all these different communities. And in our case, the older fitness community or the female fitness community, and there's now instead of just your community being bound by who, the people that are.

Close physically to you. It could be a much larger community, right. And you kind of share successes and feed off of each other's motivations and things of that nature. And I think that's fantastic.

Teresa Burkett: [00:27:37] I agree. And I think since I've expanded my world and you know, I've met all these other women and, and see strong women, because if you stay in your own little world, people will tell you, Oh, you better not do that. You're going to hurt yourself or, you know out of concern, but you make your world bigger.

And you're like, I, you know, I. I get excited to wake up in the morning. I'm like, ah, I want to see what I can do today. I recently. Still I counted the weights like 15 times before I posted it because I dead lifted. I use a hex bar. I don't put a bar on my back anymore. And I, I always tell people that I wouldn't do it.

I, for me, it's just not smart. But so I use a hex bar from my dead list, but I dead lifted 290 pounds and I kept counting it in County that say in, did I just do that? But you know, when I think back five years ago, I think probably 95 pounds. It's like proud to say I was dead lifting 95 pounds.
Kevin English: [00:28:41] So, is it fair to say that you're as strong as you've ever been in your life at 61?

Teresa Burkett: [00:28:45] Definitely is. And

Kevin English: [00:28:46] All right.

And

Teresa Burkett: [00:28:47] on being stronger.

Kevin English: [00:28:48] I was just going to say, I suspect the best is yet to come right.

Teresa Burkett: [00:28:52] Yeah. It, it is. It's it blows my mind sometimes to think, but had I. Stayed there. Do you know what I mean in my head and, and not set goals. And you know, now I gotta, I want to hit 300 pounds, but had I not started doing all that and, committing to myself and of everybody else around me, I'd just be stuck at K I better play it safe and just keep doing my 95 pounds.

So

that's

Kevin English: [00:29:24] and I think that's fantastic. A fantastic example, especially for a lot of women, are there seems to be an aversion and this is changing. Rapidly, I think, but just an aversion to weight training and lifting heavy. I think a lot of women just automatically seem, Oh, well that will make me bulky.

And you know, what I want is feminine curves and the way you, everybody knows the way you get that, it's very lightweights and with treadmills and probably not so much. Right. And I, and like I said, I think that perception is changing, but certainly. Being, like you said, you're, you're close to down lifting 300 pounds.

That's just that strong. So yeah. Talk to, what would you say to a woman who's maybe doesn't have any background in, in kind of strength, sports, or lifting. It might be a little intimidated by going into a gym and walking over to the free weights and starting with actual resistance training.

What advice would you have from that person?

Teresa Burkett: [00:30:20] If they were in there on their own or

Kevin English: [00:30:22] Sure. Just looking for how to get started. Yeah.

Teresa Burkett: [00:30:25] Say, you know, if you're just there by yourself, you don't have a trainer or anything. Obviously if you're brand new, you gotta start out light, you know, just get, get your form down first. That's so important. The basics, you know, you want to do squats, dead lifts. If, you know, if your body allows some people now, a lot of people will say I can't squat, but I think a lot of that is because they haven't strengthened the muscles around their knees. You know, it's, it's not, they have bad knees. I mean, some people need, Medical care surgery or whatever, but overall, I think it's just, you know, getting your tendons and joints and muscles and everything conditioned to do those kinds of movements.

And, you know, everybody wants to be able to stand up and sit down. I mean, that is basically a squat and that's what I would tell somebody who's never squatted before, you know, just stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. And then once you get all of your form and you're feeling more confident than you just start increasing the weight you know, I'd say await that is challenged.

The last two or three reps, maybe 12 to 15. Once those start getting a little challenging, then it's time to lower the reps and bump up the weight a little bit. But yeah, you just want to, you know, do do the basic squats, deadlifts overhead shoulder presses,

Kevin English: [00:31:47] and these are all very functional human movements that you're describing,

right?

A squat to your point is sitting down and standing up a deadlift is picking something, whether that's a grandchild or you know, your keys off the floor it could be a barbell. It could be a kettlebell. It could be anything and overhead press or any pressing movements.

That's. If you were going to put a canister in them, cupboard overhead, or your luggage in an airplane overhead, that's, that's an overhead press. So these are very functional compound movements that you're describing. And I think the other thing you're describing there is that idea of progressive overload, right?

Or if somebody is just a very beginner, they probably, maybe they don't need weight. Maybe they just really concentrate on dialing in that movement and getting that. And then you're slowly going to add load to that and progressively overload it. And I think that's at that point to your point, you said, well, why don't you get up to where you can do maybe 15 of that movement at that particular way.

It's time to dial down your reps a little bit in that up, add your weight and then maybe it's time to set a goal. Right. I think that's one of the things that's driven you and you're like, okay, well I can do 10 of these. And that's an amazing feat and you maybe you're comfortable there. But there's, there's always, there's always more, you can do.

Right. And if you set those goals to really stretch and to reach,

Teresa Burkett: [00:32:57] And I would suggest I would also recommend they you know, work the most important muscle in their body is their heart. And, you know, so get your cardio in, whether that's, you know, again, getting that fitness tracker, I, I tell everybody to go, you know, it just, it keeps you accountable. You know, if you, if your goal is just to get.

3000 steps a day, and then you bump it up. Once you hit that. Cause you tell somebody 10,000 steps, they about pass out if they've,

Kevin English: [00:33:25] like a lot of steps. Yeah.

Teresa Burkett: [00:33:27] and it's not that hard, but you know, really before, before they know it, they're doing it. And so yeah, I get you know, and then once, once walking's. A piece of cake, you know, just maybe a little bit of a light jog and then cut back and, walk again.

And before, you know, it you'll be spreading and, jogging and spreading and jogging. So it's just, it's just constantly pushing yourself and yeah, but starting out where you are, you know, everybody's at a different fitness level and, and. You know, not every 61 year old woman can do pull-ups but if you just do one, you know, I have a lot of people say, how do you, how did you get started?

And I think back about, you know, the whole pull-up thing. And when I was at gyms, you know, you, you have the assisted pull up machine. I remember playing around on that.

Kevin English: [00:34:17] , you had mentioned that pull-ups were never really specifically a goal of yours, but I think that a lot of people that first strict pull-up is a pretty big milestone. That's that's a lot of gyms, mine included. we have a certain number of members where that is a big deal and that's something that they're, you know, they are progressing towards and working towards to your point, maybe it's the assisted machine, or you can use bands, those elastic bands to kind of help assist and people do the lat pull down machine.

There's a number of different ways. If you don't have a strict pull-up to start working towards that. And once you have one, then yeah, the very, the obvious next goal is work on two,

Teresa Burkett: [00:34:53] right?

Right. When I thought back about how did I, what made me be able to do the pull-ups and, you know, it was just, I do a lot of. Body Rose. I bought some Olympic rings and have those, those are amazing because you know, your, the range of motion.

So if you've got sore wrist, you know, shoulder issues, those are amazing. So you can do the body rows, just build that upper body strength, you know, chest presses, pushups, lat, pull downs, all those things I had. Honestly, I don't think I had much upper bodies before, and that has you definitely. And core strength that takes all that too.

To really start being able to do pull-ups. You know, if you, if you, if you haven't done all that and you just decided to your, your first pull-up might struggle a little, but

Kevin English: [00:35:44] You know, there's a lot of upper body strength. A lot of musculature used in, in the in the pull-up.

Teresa Burkett: [00:35:49] up. Yes,

Kevin English: [00:35:50] Absolutely. Well, let's back up a little bit. You had mentioned your workout week. It sounded kind of like you were doing a pretty classic body building type sort of thing. You had mentioned maybe a push pull legs, or I think you were doing back and by chest and Tris and legs and shoulders maybe.

But you mentioned six days a week. Talk a little bit about that workout week. How does that. Look for you. Are you, is that how many hours are you in the gym a day? And just describe a little bit more in detail of what that looks like a typical workout week.

Teresa Burkett: [00:36:20] Yeah. I'd say I'm down here probably a good two hours. And again, right. You know, and that depends on what goal I'm working on. Always doing my pull-ups, but yeah, I try to, you know, I do my chest, so it's chest presses inclined chest press pull ups, pushups. Triceps dips and lately that's another kind of a thing I've been playing around with. I went from, you know, just the tricep pull-downs and kickbacks to the dips and Started adding some weights to my dips and that's

Kevin English: [00:36:57] seen some of that. Some of your way to dips. Yeah.

Teresa Burkett: [00:36:59] And then always try to do some abs. I've been trying to do a lot of hanging leg raises along with sit-ups. What else? Oh, the Russian twist, you know, all the basic crunches, all that good stuff.

I just change it up all the time. AB roller planks and then, you know, back and bicep day back. So always like bent over rows. Those are probably the first thing I do. And I try to do those pretty heavy lat pull downs. Seated rows, bicep, curls. And again, I use my Olympic, those rings a lot too on back and bicep day, too for the Rose inverted rows.

And if you move your arms a certain way, you can just, it can all be bicep. And I do a lot of chin-ups on bicep day, too. And leg day. I usually have a, like a really heavy leg day. Cause I, I think I told you, I just keep rotating this. And it's always, first thing is I warm up with some goblet squats or something like that.

Some lunges farmer's walks a variety of things. And then it's usually one day a week, I try to lift really heavy. And then maybe on Saturdays, I don't go as heavy on leg day, but like extensions And then shoulders, I do legs and shoulders together. So it's always overhead shoulder press, lateral raises front raises.

Kevin English: [00:38:31] so that brings me to my, my next question. You've got, let's say it sounds like six days a week and you're really getting after it, a lot of heavy lifting, a lot of heavy compound lifting in there as well. So what are your thoughts on recovery? How do you recover from all of this work? So that you're ready to go and keep at it and not burn out?

Teresa Burkett: [00:38:53] Well, before I come down to the gym every morning, I do a 20 minute guided meditation and that sets. The mood for me, gets me my head all clear and it helps me to stay focused. I also use a F so after a workout, we have a hot tub. I like to get in there. I have a massage gun.

Have you ever tried one of those? Those

Kevin English: [00:39:17] have not. No,

they're all the rage though now. Yeah,

Teresa Burkett: [00:39:20] I love that thing. And it, you know, you can do it yourself. Yeah, we have this massage chair really nice, you know, you can push buttons and I like to sit in there, but recovery is really important once I'm done with my workout, I'm done, you know?

So I usually always have a healthy protein shake after my workout. My husband and I just started playing around with that, jumping in the hot tub and then laying in the snow and jumping to house that actually, I don't recommend people do that. I'm not, I don't know enough about it, but it, it, it feels good.

It's fun.

And they say it's good for inflammation and muscle soreness. Right. That's kind of fun. So That's really. I know I kind of jumped the gun on all these questions. I'm sorry. I'm all

Kevin English: [00:40:07] No, that's I think that's great. I mean, you had mentioned in there certainly meditation being really big and then the hot tub, the massage protein. So obviously the nutrition's a big piece of recovery. now, do you do de-load weeks or things of that nature?

Teresa Burkett: [00:40:22] You know, I really don't. I don't even know enough about really, I'm not a power lifter or, you know what I mean? I'm, I'm learning as I go, I'm teaching myself. I just.

I would say I do things more intuitively, so whatever feels good to me, and this workout that I've been doing, I've been doing it for a while, but I'll probably switch it up and do something completely different. But yeah, I'm not, I'm not real structured with, you know, I do the basics.

Kevin English: [00:40:52] Yeah. So it sounds like maybe you're listening, you're in tune with your body, right. You're not pushing through pain things of that nature. So I'm not hearing in your story a whole lot of injury or downtime due to injury. I think anybody who's been in any. Kind of physical endeavor long enough, it's going to come up against some types of injury, but it sounds like you're what you're doing is working for you.

Right. you're very healthy. You're, obviously you've got a pretty high capacity, but you've worked up to that, right? It's

Teresa Burkett: [00:41:19] I've worked. Yes.

Kevin English: [00:41:20] working out in two days, two hours a week, six days a week. I think a de-conditioned person who might jump directly to that is looking for trouble, but starting, starting small and working over time

Teresa Burkett: [00:41:33] And I, you know, I have arthritis in my hands and in my neck and that's one of the reasons I don't put a bar on my back anymore is you know, it's not good for my bad for my neck.

And looking up, looking up, I found out from a doctor I shouldn't be, and I was, teaching yoga and that's all you do. You look up all the time. So had to, it's helpful to not do that, but yeah, I, Personally doing strength training, I think has helped, you know, like it keeps my joints and things supple simply because I have arthritis in my hands.

And like I said, you know, just, I think I would probably be in worse shape if I weren't moving. So it's keeps me limber and feeling good.

Kevin English: [00:42:19] Yeah, 100%. I have to agree with you there. Well, Teresa, as we're wrapping up here you've obviously you've accomplished a lot and you're, I think we could say safely, you're a goal-setter what's next for you? What's I know you've you've got this right now. This very ambitious 25 strict pull-up goal, but you're that's right here.

You're almost done with that. What's what's on the horizon for you.

Teresa Burkett: [00:42:41] I don't know sky's the limit. Well, I am, I definitely want to sign up for that. The fight for air challenge that I told you that I just got an email from.

So I'll probably do that. I like to give, this is not really a goal, but kind of is during COVID I've been giving blood faith, you know, figure. It's just a little simple thing, but it's a big can save somebody's life. So yeah. Got that scheduled on Monday as goals. I don't know. You know, I'll just be down here seeing what I can do.

With COVID, you know, that I don't have a show I want to do or, you know, plan, but, well, maybe I'll maybe the next time I talk to you, I will conquer this 300. Pound deadlift. Now that was on, I think it was a four inch block. So it wasn't a hundred percent on the floor. Maybe I'll be up to 30 pull-ups who knows?

Kevin English: [00:43:38] Yeah, that's right. Okay.

Teresa Burkett: [00:43:39] I don't know. I,

just, my goal, I think, is to just live a long, healthy life. I really, you know, the whole longevity. That it fascinates me if you just take really good care of your body, your body will serve you. You know, are, our bodies are designed to move. And when you think about, you know, you just our society, you just drive up to the window and you get your food and, you know, and if people can just, I don't know, think about those kinds of things.

Think about what your body's designed to do. When we were young, you know, our houses were small and our yards were huge. And now it's the other way around and sorry, I'm going off into.

Yeah,

Kevin English: [00:44:24] No, that's no, I love it. I'm with you 100%. Yeah. I, we are designed to move and when we stop moving bad things happen. I mean, just metabolically, bad things happen. We get sicker. And just in general, especially as we age, it's just a tough time. You know, there are, I think the societal expectation is more that we don't move as opposed to we do move.

And I think most people have a. Vague general idea that they should maybe quote, unquote, eat better and exercise more, but that's pretty vague, right? That's not specific enough. And I think that the kinds of things that you talked about today, the, getting stronger and getting into a gym, doing something for your heart, doing something for your mind, emotionally, socially, and just being a well-rounded aging person is definitely the healthier way to go at this stage in life.

Teresa Burkett: [00:45:11] Right.

Eat good food and take care of yourself and surround yourself with your loved ones.

And

life is good.

Kevin English: [00:45:21] I love it. Eat good food, take care of yourself and surround yourself with loved ones. I don't know if we're going to get better advice than that. All right. Well, Teresa, where would you like people to get in touch with you? What's

Teresa Burkett: [00:45:32] What's the best way? Probably just through the Instagram. Hello body trainer.

Kevin English: [00:45:36] Okay. And I'll drop that into the show notes as well. So people can find you there, but that's a homebody trainer on Instagram and Theresa just in wrapping up today. I wanted to thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story and your wisdom with us. You are a fantastic ambassador for healthy aging, and just encourage you to keep it up and best of luck to you and all your future

Teresa Burkett: [00:45:57] endeavors.

You're awesome. And, and I'm sorry. I know I jumped all over the place and forget things, but this was really, really fun. And thank you so much for having me. And I really hope all of your listeners reach out to me. W. Happy to answer any questions and help them get their first or their 10th.

Kevin English: [00:46:18] all right, we're going to roll. We'll extend that offer out then. Yeah. Fantastic.

Teresa Burkett: [00:46:22] Thank you so much. This was really fun.