A woman who is 74 years old said she is in the best shape of her life — and even has more energy than she did as a teen.
That's even with drinking wine and munching regularly on bread, cheese and cookies.
Norma Williams, 74, is originally from Liverpool, England. She believes that mindset is everything and claims she's managed to slow down the aging process by vowing to never become "old."
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She told Jam Press that she stays active with long walks and workouts.
She also said she hopes to achieve a lifelong dream of becoming a catwalk model thanks to her youthful appearance even in her 70s.
"Doctors tell me I have the health and fitness levels of a very fit 20-year-old," Williams, who now lives in Spoleto, Italy.
Together with a partner, she runs Umbria Holiday Rentals, she told NeedToKnow.online and as Jam Press reported.
"But for much of my 20s, I was overweight and would binge-eat," she said.
"I was a wreck and felt bad all the time," she also said, those outlets reported.
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"The biggest difference between me in my 20s and me in my 70s is, quite simply, energy. My energy levels have increased exponentially over the past 50 years — and that’s what drives me to live the way I do now," she said as well.
"People are generally shocked when they discover my age."
She added, "All youngsters say the same thing: ‘When I’m older I want to look like you, Norma.'"
She also admitted that she thinks she looks "every second of my 75 years. But because I look so fit and am different to the stereotypical image we have of the ‘elderly,' people find it hard to believe. They think I seem to have defied age, but I haven’t — aging has benefited me."
Williams said she shows "no signs of slowing down — if anything, I’m faster and have more energy with every year that passes."
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Williams reportedly lived in Blackpool as a child before moving to London at age 17.
She pursued modeling as a young adult but once she gained weight, she said her career was short-lived.
She said she spent years binge-eating and calorie counting throughout her 20s — and that it took her three decades to finally feel in control around food.
She described her routine and unusual diet today to Jam Press.
"Breakfast consists of a wholemeal croissant filled with honey, plus a milky cappuccino — sometimes two or three cappuccinos a day. I also drink about six cups of tea a day, each with two sugar," she said.
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"My diet is not perfect — I can demolish four or five packets of five savory biscuits easily after my main meal."
However, she also told Jam Press, "I have two golden rules — I never eat before my daily exercises and walk, which can sometimes mean not eating breakfast until 3 p.m., and I never snack between meals."
She said that for dinner, "I have mixed nuts, selections of meats and cheeses, wholemeal breads, grilled salmon or battered prawns, potatoes and vegetables."
She also acknowledged, "I also drink a whole bottle of wine every night."
However, she's quite committed to her workouts.
Said Williams, "Monday-Friday each morning, I immediately get out of bed and do between 20 and 30 various reps with 4kg [nearly 9-pound] weights. I later do another 20 to 30 reps while I wait for the kettle to boil for my morning cup of tea."
She also said, "Then I go for a fast 9 km walk [roughly 5.6 miles], which takes 90 minutes, and on the weekend I rest."
She said bluntly, "My ultimate dream is to walk the Milan catwalk. Why can’t I strut my stuff alongside 17-year-old beauties without having the obligatory white hair? I want to show the world you don’t have to look like the stereotypical old lady."
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Williams said, "I’ve always denied there is any such thing as ‘old age’ – I continue to improve every year and see no reason why I shouldn't achieve my dreams. It’s important as you age to remain relevant. If you retire and do nothing further with your life, that’s like putting one foot in the grave."
She also told Jam Press, "It’s important to retain a spirit of adventure and to understand what’s going on in today’s world. I don’t accept that today belongs to the young as we are expected to believe — it’s up to the elders in our society to set examples and be role models."
As Jam Press reported, she said a teenager told her recently, "‘Norma, by the time I’m 40 I want to be like you!’"
