Try This – How This 72-Year-Old Reversed Her Osteopenia (An Inspirational Story)

In this country, a whopping 54 percent of postmenopausal women are diagnosed with osteopenia, and 34 percent will go on to be diagnosed with osteoporosis!

Unfortunately, many of these women leave their doctors’ offices with this diagnosis feeling like it’s all downhill from here and that there’s really not much that can be done to address the decline.

But what if there were something that could be done?

Today, we’re talking about someone who did not let her diagnosis stop her. In fact, she became stronger than ever and even REVERSED her osteopenia—to her doctor’s amazement. 

Her name is Virginia (“Ginny”) MacColl, and she is probably one of the strongest 72-year-old women in the world!

Her wake-up call was the doctor’s diagnosis, and this newsletter serves as a source of inspiration but also a call to action to anyone who has ever been given similar news. It’s never too late to build muscle and improve bone health! 

Let’s get into it… 

An Empowering Diagnosis 

Virginia “Ginny” MacColl is a grandmother who literally became a ninja in her 60s and 70s. And her story is wildly inspiring. 

In her 60s at a routine check-up, Ginny’s doctor told her she had osteopenia (a condition of low bone density). She knew that if she didn’t take action, those weakening bones could turn into full-blown osteoporosis, a more advanced bone disease.

Ginny knew she wanted to make a change, and she found a source of inspiration: her daughter, Jessie Graff, a record-breaking stuntwoman and American Ninja Warrior legend. Watching her daughter’s history-making run on the show ignited something in Ginny. 

Even though Ginny was always lean and slim, she was never taught that muscle was a super-critical part of staying strong and preventing bone loss. So at 63 years old, she walked into a gym for the first time in her life. 

With guidance and encouragement from her daughter, Ginny started learning the basics of strength training. Her initial goals were humble; she just wanted to be able to do a few pull-ups. In fact, she achieved her first-ever pull-up that same year! 

From there, she kept building on those small wins. She began lifting weights regularly, attending exercise classes, and practicing beginner-friendly versions of the ninja obstacles she’d seen on TV.

She also began paying close attention to her nutrition not only to support her active life but to help with muscle gains. 

Protein became a focal point of her diet (thanks to some advice from experts and her daughter). To build muscle, Giny started to eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of her target body weight. 

This combo of lifting heavy things and eating right started to work wonders.

After two years of consistent weight training, Ginny’s doctors confirmed that her bone density had returned to normal—she had reversed her osteopenia completely! And that was just the beginning. 

A Ninja Is Born 

Ginny’s training routine became the real deal. She fell in love with strength training—mixing weightlifting and bodyweight exercises—and complemented it with cardio and agility work. Even in her 70s, she keeps a weekly regimen of four days of strength/cardio workouts plus one day of obstacle training. All that hard work paid off when she took her shot at the big stage: American Ninja Warrior itself. Ginny has now competed on the televised Ninja Warrior course not once, not twice, but three times! 

At age 71, she made it into Guinness World Records as the oldest person to complete an obstacle on the show, and she’s officially recognized as the oldest competitive ninja athlete in the world. 

For Ginny, the greatest source of motivation is personal progress and showing that strong > frail at any age.

Ginny’s transformation—from a 58-year-old with weakening bones to a 72-year-old Ninja Warrior with strong biceps—holds lessons for all of us. 

Here are a few key takeaways from her journey that anyone can apply.

TRY THIS – Ginny’s Lessons for Building Muscle at Any Age 

1. Muscle Loss Is NOT Inevitable—But You Have to Fight for It

By age 60, the average person has lost 30 percent of their lean muscle, and by 70, that number jumps to 50 percent. The good news? This isn’t an unavoidable fate—muscle is built and maintained through strength training. Ginny realized that weightlifting wasn’t just about fitness—it was about staying independent, preventing falls, and keeping her bones strong.

Prioritizing strength training NOW helps to prevent frailty later. Even bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or resistance bands can make a difference.

2. Strength Training = Longevity Insurance

Prioritize strength training for muscle and bone health. The cornerstone of Ginny’s change was lifting weights and doing resistance exercises. Strength training isn’t just about “big muscles”—it’s a signal to your body to build bone density and preserve lean mass. 

Ginny started with simple bodyweight moves and gradually progressed to heavier lifting. You can do the same: whether it’s weightlifting, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats, make it a habit to challenge your muscles. This not only makes you stronger; it literally strengthens your skeleton and helps prevent conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis. 

3. Nutrition Is Just as Important as Exercise

Muscles don’t grow without fuel. Ginny focused on whole, protein-rich foods to support her strength and recovery. She learned that most people, and especially women, aren’t eating enough protein to maintain muscle. Instead of tracking calories obsessively, she tracked protein intake, aiming for 40g per meal.

4. The Power of Mindset: “I Can’t Do That…Yet”

At first, pull-ups seemed impossible. But Ginny took small, consistent steps—progressing from just touching the bar to eventually mastering full pull-ups. Her mantra? “I can’t do that…yet.” This simple mindset shift kept her going even when challenges felt overwhelming.

Growth happens in small steps. Whether it’s fitness, nutrition, or a new skill, consistency and patience win the game.

5. Your Social Circle Shapes Your Habits

Research shows that people adopt the habits of their closest friends. If your friends are inactive, unhealthy eating and a sedentary lifestyle can feel normal. But when Ginny started training at Gold’s Gym, she surrounded herself with other active seniors who inspired her to push harder.

“Go where people grow.” Surround yourself with people who challenge and uplift you—whether in fitness, nutrition, or life.

6. Never Underestimate the Power of Grit

Ginny became the oldest person to complete an obstacle on American Ninja Warrior—male or female. How? By never letting the “quit” in. She trained, failed, adjusted, and trained again, proving that while age is just a number, grit is everything.

Strength isn’t just physical—it’s mental. Whether you're 30 or 70, consistency and a never-quit attitude determine success.

Ginny's story is powerful proof that aging doesn’t have to mean decline. In fact, with the right mindset and approach, our later years can be a time of thriving and even new personal records. 

Ginny started out in midlife feeling weak, but she decided that wasn’t how her story would end. 

By embracing exercise, dialing in her nutrition, and believing in herself, Ginny completely transformed her health and fitness in her 60s and 70s. She often says, “You are never too old to get started,” and she’s living proof of that motto.

At 72, she has never felt stronger in her entire life​.

And my honest hope for my readers, regardless of how old you are, is that you read today’s newsletter and think two things:

1. My body is capable of far more than I think.

2. It's never too late to start getting strong!

If you want to learn more about Ginny, check out the podcast I recorded with her last year that’s all about her incredible story. 

Here’s to defying the odds and staying strong at every age! 🎉

Dhru Purohit