At 59, Ashu Jain is not the grandmother many imagine. A contestant on MTV Roadies Season 20, she describes herself as a ‘hybrid athlete grandmother’ — and is making a case for what fitness can look like later in life. Also read | 91-year-old woman proves fitness has no expiration date: ‘I go for a swim, yoga, Pilates and walk 12000 steps daily’
The Dehradun mother-of-three does not spend her days knitting or babysitting grandkids. She deadlifts in the gym, does Zumba and competes in endurance races.
If it feels too hard, it won’t last. If it doesn’t fit your lifestyle, it won’t last. That same discipline carried over into her fitness transformation. It is about being able to trek, to dance, to lift your granddaughter without pain. It is about freedom. That freedom, however, requires consistency. Here are her five hacks for long-term consistency: Ashu highlighted that starting small prevents early burnout. “Starting small with achievable goals. To avoid skipping workouts attach movement to a fixed daily anchor, she shared. “Linking to an existing routine (same day, same time, same trigger). For me, my early morning bath is my trigger. Bypass morning hesitation through advanced preparation, she added. “Removing decision fatigue. “Focussing on identity, not motivation. It’s about becoming someone who trains consistently, not someone who waits to feel ready,” Ashu shared. Rigid systems often fail when life intervenes, she admitted, saying, “Make it work for your life, not against it.
Ashu’s path to redefining what late 50s life looks like began at age 44 when her children encouraged her to resume her education. She earned her MTech from Jamia Millia Islamia, followed by a PhD from IIT Delhi at 53. In a May 2025 interview with The Better India, Ashu explained the philosophy driving her routine: “Fitness is not just about looking good. In a May 22, 2026, Instagram post, Ashu reflected on how she maintained her gym habits over four years: “Here are the five hacks that helped me build gym habits that I was able to stick to (since more than four years now). I failed miserably at 75 Hard (a 75-day mental toughness and discipline program), but introducing flexibility made it work for me.”
Because that’s you, if one is someone who bathes daily, then you will simply.
Only starting with something realistic can be repeated,” she said. I always change into active wear after a bath,” Ashu said. Bus sirf plan follow karna hota hai (All you have to do is follow the plan),” Ashu said. Focusing on identity creates a stronger commitment than relying on fleeting motivation, according to her.
Preplanning the workout schedule and gym wear the previous day saves one from ‘aaj kya karna hai (what to do today)’ dilemma.
Fitness coach Raj Ganpath shares how to prioritise it Documenting her journey across multiple Instagram posts in 2026, Ashu highlighted her preparation for Hyrox — a global fitness race combining endurance running with functional exercise stations. The Better India reported that her day begins at 4 am with water, prayer, and soaked nuts. The World Health Organisation (WHO) physical activity guidelines for adults aged 18–64 recommend at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, as well as major muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week.
Ashu concluded: “Consistency doesn’t come from doing everything perfectly. It comes from repeatability, which depends on doability. So making it ‘doable’ is the mantra that worked for me. Also read | Struggling to be consistent with exercise when life gets busy? Her training includes dedicated strength and deadlift sessions, complemented by running, Zumba , and balcony walks. Ashu’s weekly routine of strength training, deadlifts, running, Zumba, and Hyrox endurance workouts far exceeds these minimum baselines. By pairing structured resistance training with daily functional movement, she provides a clear roadmap for healthy ageing. Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
She completed her second Hyrox in Bengaluru earlier this year.
