She began body building when she was 40 years old.

Golden Bachelor contestant Jan Herdman has revealed how she maintains her incredible physique in her 60s.

Jan, who is a personal trainer and body builder with over 70,000 Instagram followers, told Woman’s Day that after her divorce she decided to get into the best shape of her life.

“The catalyst was my marriage breakdown, which left me feeling worthless, so a friend told me to channel my despair and heartbreak into weight training,” she told us. “I pulled myself out of the doldrums and thought this is what I want to do with my life.”

Now, the 67-year-old has channelled her passion into inspiring other women to live their best lives.

“We can be strong, vibrant and independent until our last days,” she said. “Let’s keep out elderly out of aged care and independent!”
Jan got the ‘First Impression Rose’ this season. Credit: Channel 9.
In a column for news.com.au this week, the Northern Beaches resident said women are taught to be “fade quietly” or “age gracefully” as they enter their 50s, 60s and beyond.

“But I refuse to fade,” she wrote before explaining that getting into shape and starting body building changed her entire life.

“Strength training didn’t just rebuild my body; it rebuilt my confidence and belief in what was possible,” she explained. “And what I could achieve.”

The personal trainer went on to say that this season of The Golden Bachelor is a “cultural reset”.

“It’s showing Australia that older women are funny, radiant, sensual, and still have big dreams,” she wrote. “We’re not winding down. We’re just getting started.”

Jan was the oldest contestant of the 13 women who met Barry ‘Bear’ Myrden in the season premiere of The Golden Bachelor.

The Golden Bachie seemed instantly interested in Jan when she walked down the red carpet holding a bottle of bubbles and suggesting they toast to “taking risks”.

“I couldn’t take my eyes off her,” Bear later confessed to the camera. “Jan is something very special. I think we fit each other quite well.”
Jan revealed she didn’t get the chance to have children of her own at the cocktail party. Credit: Channel 9.
The pair later spent some time chatting during the first cocktail party and Jan revealed her heartbreak over not having the opportunity to have kids of her own.

“My ex couldn’t have kids, so by the time we divorced, I was 40 and that option was kind of out the window,” she told the 61-year-old Bachelor.

“It took me a long time to get over that, and realise that I wasn’t going to be that mother.”

Later in the night, Bear presented Jan with the ‘First Impression Rose’ which guaranteed her safety from the first elimination.