Fit Granny “Franny” Lycett is an inspiration to many because she unapologetically embraces fitness for all ages. Lycett has prioritized fitness in her life as a “granny” and inspired many along the way. 

The 63-year-old self-proclaimed “fitness freak” now exercises several times a week, with a fitness regimen that includes home workouts, jujitsu, functional fitness classes, and the Power Abs program, for which she is an ambassador. It hasn’t always been this way, though. Before becoming “fit granny,” Lycett was on-and-off with exercise for most of her life. 

In grade school, Lycett started running, which led to joining cross country teams in middle and high school. However, after starting a full-time job in her late teens and later marrying and having children, running and working out moved down the list of priorities. 

Surmounting Roadblocks to Focus on Fitness

Once Lycett turned 50, she made the decision to make fitness and health a priority. She still loved running, so she jumped right back into running for exercise and competing in 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, and half marathons. 

Unfortunately, Lycett hit a roadblock. 

“I got arthritis in my right knee and had to stop running,” she said. Without running, she gained weight. 

“I had my knee replacement in 2020 and once I rehabbed from that, I [knew] I needed to get back in shape, so I started walking. I did a lot of walking for the first year [after surgery].” 

For many, injuries seem like  the bitter end to a fitness journey, but they don’t have to be. Lycett’s resilience and adaptability in her fitness routine with low-impact exercises like walking, allowed her to bounce back. She was able to start running again in 2021. 

“My first race after knee surgery was a 15k… and that year I ran several races. I got first place in my age group in a half marathon and in some 5ks and 10ks.” 

Her return to running, however, was short-lived as Lycett suffered a hip injury. Even still, Lycett knew that fitness was important, especially as a woman over 60. Exercise boosts energy and keeps minds strong, and particularly for post-menopausal women, can improve bone density. 

So, Lycett found fitness that worked for her and her lifestyle. Currently, she focuses on building and maintaining muscle. She’s stronger than ever has been — in her golden years. 

“I started slowly doing some exercise videos online and then I [started going to a gym] and decided to take a self-defense class. The gym offered other things like fitness kickboxing … [and] jujitsu. Some days I would take four classes in one day. It was kind of crazy.” 

Making Fitness Work For You 

One of the hardest things for Lycett when she was getting back into fitness was fighting discouragement. She was often the oldest woman at the gym working out and attending classes, and battled being out of shape. She recalls, at first, not being able to do burpees and other exercises with modifying them to fit her unique fitness level. 

“I knew if I just kept progressing slowly at my own pace, I would get there. Even if I do hit a roadblock, I just keep being persistent, and focus on time under tension instead of going up in weight,” she said. 

When she felt stuck in a workout, she said it’s important to shift perspective or the workout itself so it works for her. 

Many older women who start working out feel similarly overwhelmed or out-of-their depth, but there’s nothing wrong with changing up what you’re doing so it fits your fitness goals and current ability. 

“Just don’t be afraid. Take that first step. Take things slowly. Don’t try to overdo it in the beginning, or you’ll feel like a failure or whatever. Just take it slow.”

Simplify Fitness Tracking with ZOZOFIT 

For a busy woman like Lycett, simplifying fitness tracking is key to ensure she hits her goals. Using ZOZOFIT has made it easy for her to see her fitness progress over time because of app features like Side-by-Side Comparison and ColorMetric. 

“I love all the data and I like being able to do the side-by-side comparison. It’s amazing.”

Looking at her past scans, Lycett can clearly see she is at the thinnest she’s ever been, Lycett feels a sense of empowerment. 

“I’m super proud of myself and I can’t believe I actually started,” she said. 

“I didn’t ever dream I’d be doing these kinds of things at this age.”