My Sexy Menopause Body
My Sexy Menopause Body is a podcast that empowers women to embrace menopause as a powerful and transformative stage of life. Host Kim Nicholson shares expert advice, inspiring stories, and practical tips to help women navigate the changes in their bodies, minds, and spirits with confidence and wellness.
My Sexy Menopause Body
Age is a Number, Strength is a Choice: Marilynn’s Story
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What if everything you thought about aging was wrong?
This week, I’m sitting down with Marilynn, a 75-year-old bodybuilding champion who is redefining strength, confidence, and what it means to thrive at any age. From breaking stereotypes to proving that posture is power, Marilynn is living proof that strength isn’t about age—it’s about choice.
In this episode, Marilynn shares her secret on how to rewrite the rules on strength, inspiration, & owning your power!
How Marilynn went from everyday fitness to winning bodybuilding competitions in her 70s
The power of posture and movement in shaping not just your body, but your self-esteem
- Why waiting for the “perfect time” is a trap—and how to take action NOW
- Her journey into music and the inspiration behind her song Just Do It
- The mindset shifts that keep her strong, focused, and unstoppable
If you’ve ever felt like it’s too late to start something new, this episode will light a fire inside you. Because age is just a number, but strength? Strength is a CHOICE.
🎙️ Tune in, get inspired, and start choosing YOUR strength today.
Want to hear more from Marilynn? Follow her on https://www.getunbent.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ML.GetunbentNOW/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilynnlarkin/
Marilynn's song Just Do It: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx8eVMGMh9U
Email: Get in touch with Marilynn at getunbentnow@gmail.com
Thank you for listening to this episode of My Sexy Menopause Body! If today’s conversation inspired you, resonated with you, or made you think, I’d love to hear from you. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed what you heard, leave a review—it helps others find this community.
You can also find more resources, wellness tips, and tools to support you on your journey at KimNick.com. And hey, don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who needs to hear this—it’s how we grow this movement together.
Until next time, take care of yourself, honor your journey, and remember: you define how you age.
Welcome to MySexy Menopause Body, where we're flipping the script on what it means to feel strong, sexy, and empowered in midlife and beyond. Join your host, Kim Nicholson, as she gets real about the changes we face, body, mind, and spirit, and why this phase of life is an opportunity to redefine what sexy means on your terms. This is a space for honest conversations, expert advice, and stories from women just like you. Okay, let's go.
SPEAKER_01Imagine this. 75-year-old Powerhouse walks onto the stage, muscles beautifully defined, posture commanding attention, and a spark in her eyes that says, I'm just getting started. And then the crowd erupts with applause, not just for her physique, but for her defiance of every stereotype about aging and strength. That's the energy we're bringing to today's conversation. So welcome, Marilyn. I'm so happy to have you on our podcast today.
SPEAKER_02Oh, thanks so much, Kim. I appreciate your having me, and I'm I'm happy to be talking to your listeners about everything, including what uh breaking stereotypes and not listening to Aegist messages and so on and so forth.
SPEAKER_01Oh, exactly. But I want to first start off with I mean, I know the listeners, if they haven't seen your incredible pictures, they will be able to see the incredible incredible pictures because I have to start there. I have to start with that moment. You're standing on that stage in a bathing suit. Again, that's already scary to me, but you're standing on the stage victorious, proving that strength knows no age. So what was running through your mind in that moment? How did you feel?
SPEAKER_02Well, it's funny. I um, you know, I'm a performer from the time I was born, I think. So I generally feel comfortable on the stage. I was um, I think it was earlier when I was in workshops uh learning poses and stuff again, that I realized that uh people were, we we had some Zoom workshops and everybody was wearing their bodybuilding suits. And I was like, I gotta wear these suits. And I I just the suit, I had to get over it. So I had to watch and I had to say, you know, I'm not gonna be embarrassed. I mean, I have to say that having the tanning color on is helpful, but the bottom line is uh practice beforehand, make sure that getting on the stage is not your first time in your suit and understanding that. Um, but also there's sort of there was a really nice energy and camaraderie among the contestants. So, and everybody was walking around this high school, which is where it was held, uh, you know, almost naked. Yeah. And we just all were, it was just like normal. So it was made it easier not to be self-conscious because you in this situation at least people uh expect this. But you know, I was a little, I won't admit this because, and I think, you know, we didn't mention it, but I will, uh, that two years ago I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that metastasized to my liver, which means that that area of my body, the abs, swelled. And I always had great six-pack abs, even through my 50s, 60s, you know. And unfortunately, they're kind of hidden underneath the swelling, and that that can't be fixed. So it certainly hasn't been fixed. So if I was self-conscious about anything, it was that. And that's so ridiculous. And I think about it, even myself. But I think by telling, you know, listeners this, it's like we all have, no matter what you look at and you say, Oh my god, I could never look like that, we all have our uh points that uh we don't feel comfortable about with our bodies. I've always felt comfortable in my body mostly and all, but you know, there are always little tinge twinges of little things that bother you. And in this situation, because the six-pack is sort of so important, I was like, how am I gonna do this? And I just said you're just gonna do it. I did it.
SPEAKER_01It's amazing because you, you know, you just basically said it wasn't about winning the competition. It basically was the steps or the journey that you took to make that commitment.
SPEAKER_02Oh, thank you. Yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I know you have said to me before, and uh you've got an incredible website and incredible social media, so everybody's got to go. I will link everything uh down below. But you know, I've heard you say, and you've stated this that do nothing, nothing happens, do something, and something always happens. And I love that. So can you take us back to how did this all start for you? I mean, you had just mentioned, you know, you've had great abs in the, you know, in your early 40s, 50s, and 60s. But you know, how and why tell us about that journey uh to get you on this path.
SPEAKER_02Well, you're right. You know, it is about the journey. And I I have to say that the main drive behind it is that I love to move and I love to feel strong. Yeah, it's the feeling, you know. I'm the one that's telling my training that you can raise it, can you make it a little heavier? You know, make it a little heavier. I just love the chat. It's this is a visceral thing that, you know, not everybody feels, but I've always loved it. And so I was like here in New York back in the 70s when the aerobics first started, really coming out. That I was among the first people there, and then I went to dance, and then I remember Elaine Powers, where we had these little weights that we were doing in class. So that's where it started. But in 1993, I don't know how, I can't remember exactly why, but I got a trainer to start doing weights, and I never stopped. Yeah, I've had been a trainer since then, even though I am a trainer. Yeah, I need someone to challenge me.
SPEAKER_01An accountability partner or something.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and well, it's somebody who's gonna, I need the right person who's going to push me beyond what I may feel and or think I'm gonna be doing, or that I would do myself, even though I'm pretty much dupe push myself. I have someone who does that. And and that's the other thing, while we're, and I'm sure you know this too as a personal trainer. Um many of them, you know, when they start to have older clients, which are ones that can afford the personal training, they think they have to baby them. They think they have to to use someone, my client's term, bubble wrap older adults. Oh, I like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So uh just uh two of the listener, but if you are looking for a professional, even to get you started, make sure it's someone who understands that you have probably a lot more capability than you may think you have. And you want someone who's gonna encourage you and bring that out and not let you stay at a level that is stereotypical. Maybe not doing much.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. I agree a hundred percent with you. And I can definitely relate to your client's comment because people do have that perception that we have to baby, you know, women of our age, and we don't, we are stronger than you know, people give us credit for. But one thing I wanted to ask you too, and I know this is um this is something that motivates you, is I want to talk about something that has the power to change how people see themselves instantly. And of course, you and I know that that's we were just talking about posture. And I know you ran a couple posture awareness businesses, which I think is absolutely amazing. And um, so what made you so passionate about posture and form? I mean, that's you know, we were talking before we even started the show, and listeners, and um posture is is important and it and I want Marilyn to share kind of some of her comments about posture. So, Marilyn, tell us about your posture and form.
SPEAKER_02I will, and I will say this that a number of years ago, idea, you know, the um the fitness industry uh magazine covered me uh when I launched the first posture program and was called a passion for posture. Um, I'm pretty sure it started when I was in elementary school because I'm only five foot two. So I was always one of the smallest ones. And I think I recognized early on that if I wanted to be seen and taken seriously, I had to not only have a loud voice, but I had to stand up as much as possible. Imagine a small person bending over, which we have unfortunately now. And so it when I had to look back on it, that's what um came to my mind. But really, it was when I started my personal training business, and I there were just so many people of all ages that I worked with, and I saw it was a repeating problem that people were hunched over, they had upper cross syndrome, uh, they looked down at the floor instead of looking straight, you know, straight ahead. Right. These kinds of things. Even with I had some clients in their 30s um and their 20s that had the same issues and the same misconceptions about posture.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_02And this is another thing. They say, you know, posture. First of all, everybody beats themselves up for having bad posture. So when I mention the word posture, people start straightening up and they say, Oh, my posture's instantly.
SPEAKER_01I know I just did it myself. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I don't know where we get this message now. We all have a terrible posture, but who is reinforcing it? Yeah. So the thing is, when I saw that, I realized that this is something that we need to focus on. A, for function, you know, in the whether you're in the gym or in log shopping or doing anything, you have to have what we call the right form when you're picking things up or when you're carrying things. But really, what it is is the right posture. Posture includes that. Posture is not just standing like a soldier, posture is fluidity, it's allowing you to move in in different directions and actually be functional. So my first emphasis was on function.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And then in the next iteration, uh, which I called posturability, I had done some reading, and at that point, there was, I forgot her name at the moment, uh, who had these power poses and was trying to connect posture with self-esteem and confidence. And I said, you know, that makes total sense.
SPEAKER_03Right, it does.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah. When you somebody's coming up to give a talk, yep, and they're locked, they're like looking down at the stage instead of looking up and standing, looking at the audience. Do you want to look at them? Do you want to listen to them? Or do you give them as much credibility as you know, as having being an authority? Or if somebody's standing straight and feeling, when I say straight, I don't mean like an arrow. Right. I mean not bending your head or your upper body over. Um that's that's power. It is. There's um a book actually, I was in social work school at one point called uh see The Power of Self in Everyday Life. And it's about a person wrote a book about when you're in a corporate offices, the impression that you make and how important posture is. So posture is important not just for you and for function and for how you feel, but it's how people perceive you. So it's a two-way thing, but it's also a three-way thing because it's how you perceive yourself. When you start feeling better about yourself, either by doing better posture or you're feeling better about yourself and you want to say, How can I manifest that? It's all connected. It's a body and being, we know that. So that's I mean in the that's not for more than the Cliff Notes version, but basically that has been the journey for me on posture from being seen to then being functional to then you know feeling great and wanting other people to experience that also.
SPEAKER_01Well, I love that idea, that posture. It's not just about looking better, like you had mentioned. It is exactly about confidence and presence and it's exactly how you just said how the world perceives you and how you perceive the world. So that is beautiful. I never gave it that much thought, but I absolutely think you nailed that one for sure. Well, I want to ask you another question. You are definitely living proof that, you know, age isn't define your ability. And yet, you know, a lot of my clients, and I'm sure you're some of your clients too, the first one of the first things they'll say is, you know, I'm too old to start that now. Well, what do you say to people who are maybe right now thinking that exact same thing?
SPEAKER_02Well, you reminded me too, they say something else, uh, which I'll tell you after. But what I say to them is um we all have different, you know, there are different kinds of ages, first of all. There's chronological age, which is what everybody's focused on, but there's also biological, physiological, mental, emotional, all these ages that go into who we are. So I would say A, you're listening to a message and repeating to yourself a message that could have nothing to do with you. It's just something that's out there in the environment because it's a stereotype.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_02So I tell people to wipe that out. I say, don't listen to that.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_02So you either stop listening to it, you replace it with another message like, oh man, yes, I can do this. I'm excited. And try to hook into that's the other thing, you know, the child in you could say that's exactly excited about doing this. Why are you in the gym? Are you in the gym because you think you should look good? Or are you in the gym because you're curious to know, like, how am I gonna feel when I when I'm stronger? You know, how am I gonna look? How am I gonna feel? Um, I want to try this, it's something new. It's those feelings that are gonna drive you and keep you doing it, not listening to anything about your age because you can start at any age. There are women who I've seen online that start at 70 running, and they're you know, triple marathon was and their bodybuilders also that start really late. So it's totally possible, but you have to want it and believe that you can start it.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Now I know we I want to make sure I share with all the listeners, we need to talk about your music. You just created Just Do It, which feels like the perfect theme song for your life and my life and all of our lives. But tell us, tell us what inspired this project. It's so I know you have a kind of a theatrical background, but music? Tell me about that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's kind of crazy, actually.
SPEAKER_01It's great, crazy goes.
SPEAKER_02I took guitar lessons when I was 10 years old and I enjoyed it. And I played the guitar for uh, you know, a talent show is a number of years, probably till I was a teenager. And for whatever reason, traveling around everything happening in life, I put it around away. And then I was stuck in the house during the pandemic, and uh suddenly uh a guy that had been seeing before we were locked down, uh, was an indie musician, and he introduced me to an online group of indie musicians who've been playing for 30, 40 years, a long time. And I was introduced as a medical expert on COVID because I am a medical journalist and editor. So I went on to the show talking, and then I'm staying, and they're singing and they're playing, and saying, I want to do this. So I got another friend of mine who's a composer online. He went online with me on Amazon and we chose like a hundred dollar guitar that got delivered to me. So I got a guitar and I started to realize that I actually remembered some chords and everything. Otherwise, I don't think I could have done this from when I was 10 years old and I had body memory of basic chords, and then I started singing online. And then as we progressed, I ended up going shopping with this guy when we could go out again and get a better guitar. And then I ended up singing in show in shows in the East Village and in clubs. Oh my god. Um yeah, so that was an evolution too. And and you know, I want to impress upon people because people, you know, I know that not everybody's like me, but everybody has, you know, a you have a drive, you have something you want to do. So, like we say, just do it. So I love singing and love sing doing cover songs. Um, I'd love to write, did write some other songs, but you know, then the whole process of recording it and this and that. Uh, and with my other business really taking hold, my other businesses, it was hard to do that. As it happens, I'm actually going to be starting to sing again in the next two weeks. So we'll see if that goes anywhere else in terms of my actually doing anything with the songs that I've written, or maybe we can do a duet on posture.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, oh my gosh. Yeah. So clever, so clever and so creative. Oh my gosh. You know, when I think about you, and I've talked about you um many times, is that uh to my family especially, is one of the things that I love about you is that you don't want people just to be inspired by you. You want them to find inspiration within themselves. And I know we've talked about this, and there's such a shift from how we usually think about motivation and how someone can tap into that internal fire, like the internal fire that you have. And I know that there are people who are listening right now who are feeling stuck, feeling like they've missed their window for change or opportunity. So, what's that first step? So, what's one thing that you they can do today to move forward for their own inspiration?
SPEAKER_02I'll tell you what I do periodically to help direct myself. But before I do that, I want to say I'm so glad you brought that up. And it's such an important aspect, and I'm glad that you, you know, are really reinforcing it. It's not about imitating other. That's that's the what I was the other question I was gonna tell you that clients always say, or people say even today, and how long will it take till I look like you?
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02You know, and I say, You will never look like me. Yep. But if you work out or you do what you want to be doing, you will look like the best you you can be. And that's really what it boils down to. It's not about looking like me or anybody else. It's about who are you, and you know, sometimes I reach a crossroads too, and I say, like, so many things I want to do, what I want to do. I lie down on the couch and I like listen to all it's like a show where I think, even though it's an audio thing, of all these voices inside me. And maybe it's partly because I had uh transactional analysis games people play when I was in therapy. We we looked at things that way. So is it the parent, is it my parent that's maybe judgmental or nurturing that's talking now? Is it my child that wants something, not that should do something? Or is it is it the part of me that's just like looking dispassionately at my options? The key is when I'm lying down, I'm in myself. I am watching myself, I am listening to myself, and I'm saying, hmm, I go with the child, I go with the want. And then see how can I make that want happen? Because it may be a want that seems like impossible, like you said, how can I do it at my age? But no, there's a way because wants it's not just one thing. There are different ways of getting there. So then you need to come out of there and say, okay, I want to get strong. What are the steps that I need to take? And it's it's not just about finding the right place or the right exercise. It's it's about eating, it's about your diet. Um it's about the people that you choose to be around. Are they going to be supportive or are they gonna feel competitive? You know, I I unfortunately had a life where where um you know a lot of women made nasty remarks because they felt competit, you know, they felt competitive with me, and I didn't I certainly didn't feel competitive with them. So you want the right people around you. So I think that's it. But I think it really starts with looking inside yourself and accepting all the different things that are within and thinking if it's in me, I can do it, I will find a way to do it.
SPEAKER_01I just got goosebumps, and you're absolutely right. That is incredible, incredible advice. Well, you know, you've accomplished so much, but I know I have this sneaky feeling that you are not done yet. So what's next? What's your next challenge on your horizon? Okay.
SPEAKER_02My next challenge is to not only I want to reach as many people as possible with breaking stereotypes. So one of those challenges is just making sure that I get the right people who can help get that word out. But for me personally, I want to do another competition. I never thought I'd say this. I did do a natural bodybuilding competition 23 years ago, uh, 22 years ago. I don't know, I was 54 at the time. And uh then I I did it and that was it, you know. But having done this last one and having, you know, realized the effect and also the great um, you know, again, the camaraderie with the World Natural Bodybuilding Foundation, the people who run it, the couple who run it, and they want older people in particular to be participating. You know, I want to be part of that again.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02That'll be in June. We'll have another one in the New York area. So that's my near, you know, plan for the near term.
SPEAKER_01Well, we will be watching you for sure and keeping up with you and all of your successes. But Marilyn, I this has just been absolutely incredible. Every time I talk to you, I learn something even more that I can take away for myself. So your story, your mindset, and especially your energy, it is so contagious in the best way. So I just want to say thank you for showing us all what is possible. And to everyone listening, you know, just like Marilyn said, we want you, you know, stand tall, move forward, and remember it's never too late to start something new. So until next time, stay strong, stay sexy, and keep showing up for yourself. Thank you, Marilyn.
SPEAKER_02Thank you, Kim. This has been an amazing experience, and I'm so happy to have met you. I know we're gonna work together more to play together, and uh I appreciate this opportunity.
SPEAKER_01Oh, well, thank you so much.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for being here with us on MySexy Menopause Body. Remember, this is your journey, your chance to own your body, mind, and spirit. And define sexy on your terms. If today's episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others. Let's keep building this conversation and this community together. Until next time, take care of yourself and keep showing up.