23 February 2023 , 12:11
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A 73-year-old bodybuilder has shared the secret to his success after winning 26 awards since he began weightlifting at the age of 57. Lindsay Wain has competed several times in California's famous Muscle Beach Venice competition - a former Arnold Schwarzenegger favourite - and placed in the top five.
The senior competitor used to run a gym but gave it up to be a full-time carer for wife Jean, 71, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease eight years ago. He is currently in training to compete in Mr World, where he will be decades older than most of his competitors, but will "keep on going until he can't anymore".
Lindsay (left) doesn't eat any sugar at all and has 200g of protein a day (Lindsay Wain / SWNS)
He has competed in the Muscle Beach competition on Venice Beach in LA (Lindsay Wain / SWNS)Lindsay's training regime is as fierce as ever as he works out with former Mr World competitor Jason Corrick - nicknamed 'The Mass Monster' - twice a week.
He currently aims to consumer 200g of protein a day, including "no preservatives, no cakes, no sugar, no biscuits, no chocolate".
"If everyone stuck to that they wouldn't have to go to the gym because they'd all look good already," Lindsay, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, said.
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Lindsay's daily diet:
First meal: Bowl of porridge made with water, 15g protein powder and a handful of blueberries
Second meal: Two rounds of toast and four eggs
Third meal: Rib eye steak, mushrooms, two eggs
Fourth meal: Protein drink
Fifth meal: Piece of chicken, bowl of rice, pineapple chunks
Sixth meal: Protein drink
Seventh meal: Fish, broccoli, green beans
Anytime snack: A bowl of rice pudding with peanut butter if he is hungry
Lindsay only began weightlifting at the age of 57 and has won 26 trophies (Lindsay Wain / SWNS)Lindsay started bodybuilding after his parents died and his first competition - in his late fifties - saw him come third, despite being up against men aged 22.
"As you get older it's very hard to sustain a certain weight - so you have to do it in very slow processes, with quite a few small meals," he said.
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"After that I started competing in the 60s classes and the I decided to go to LA and competed in the Muscle Beach competition at the age of 63.
"I came first in the over 60s, then two years after came third, and the last time I competed I was 68 and I came 2nd."
Meanwhile, his wife-of-40-years, Jean, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and he made the decision to care for her at home.
"As long as I've got my health then I've got everything," he said. "If I'm not fit there's no way I can look after Jean.
"When she was in hospital for two months after a fall, she didn't walk at all. I used some of my knowledge as a fitness instructor to help her to walk again.
He spends the rest of his time caring for beloved wife Jean who has Alzheimer's (Lindsay Wain / SWNS)
He wants to stay as fit as possible so he'll always be able to provide for her (Lindsay Wain / SWNS)"Now she's walking, it's remarkable. She can get out of bed with assistance - she knows what her surroundings are.
"She likes listening to music, so I'll play Abba and move her arms around like she is dancing."
Lindsay believes everyone after the age of 50 should do weight lifting.
"If you fall your muscle will take a long time to repair. That's why I do advocate that 50-year-olds do some exercise," he said.
"The amount of people who are on Zimmer frames and riddled with diseases, exercise does help a hell of a lot.
"You can't stop ageing, but from the age of 70 onwards you can see the body deteriorating - complexion changing, shrivelling up, malnutrition, all of that because of lifestyle.
"If you can exercise the energy levels are there, you can adapt your body to take on a certain amount of weight, and you'll halve the medical problems you have now.
"You don't have to do strenuous exercise like I do - if you have an active body you also have an active mind.
"It gives you great self-esteem - mentally you're on cloud 9. I'll still be looking after Jean every single day of my life. I'll keep on going until I can't any more."