Dr. Josefina has recently published a book, Vibrant at Any Age, based on her lifelong journey of self-improvement. Josefina, 71, is glad she didn't think about her age when she took up bodybuilding at age 59.
"I reinvent myself every ten years, and so I started my 60s as a bodybuilder and now I begin my 70s as a writer," she said, "People limit themselves by age, which is very frustrating. Age is a mindset. "
Dr. Josefina started bodybuilding at an age when most are considering retirement, though she was an athlete from an early age. As a child in Venezuela she took to gymnastics and later graduated with a physical education degree. She taught at Latin High School in Cambridge, for 16 years, while raising two daughters.
"I started bodybuilding when I met Steve Pfiester, a gym guy who knew I ran and practiced yoga. He invited me to his gym and offered to train me." she said.
Dr. Josefina's photos are proof that she spends long hours taking care of her body. But she also develops her mind and spirit. On any given day, she gets up at 3:00 am to read books. At 4:30 am she's out of the door to walk three miles and run another three. This is followed by yoga and a swim at the beach while the sun rises. After writing in her journal and working on her book between 8 and 10 am, Dr. Josefina hits the gym for at least two hours.
Dr. Josefina's fight against ageism has rubbed off on her two daughters, both in their early thirties. "They both take care of their bodies and minds. They're very proud of me. If you give them a good foundation as a parent, you know that they will always come back to their roots. I tried to remind myself of that during their difficult teen years. "
