Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
In this latest episode of our Rebuilding Mum & Dad series, we witness another incredible breakthrough.
At 83, my mum has found a whole new level of strength that has quite literally changed how she feels when she walks. For the first time in nearly 20 years, she describes her back as feeling "weightless".
We’re joined by my parents' coach, Chris Reis (Doctor of Physical Therapy), who explains why this surge in strength is happening now — over 18 months into her journey —and the vital role that nutrition and a "mindset shift" around eating have played in her progress.
We also check in on my 82-year-old dad, Michael, who is still making progress through progressive weight training.
Whether you’re just starting your own strength journey or helping a loved one, we hope this update shows that it's truly never too late to rebuild.
🏋️ START YOUR STRENGTH JOURNEY
Special thanks to our series sponsor Starting Strength Gyms. Learn More About Online Coaching or Find A Location Near You at honest.startingstrengthgyms.com
🎥 WATCH MORE EPISODES IN THE REBUILDING MUM & DAD SERIES
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwJwOmOzK8TBO3RfJC4LXOvzShe2ALNds
1-Year Summary: youtu.be/xEh1akDooZc
Safety discussion with Chris youtu.be/EiVcO8jakAc
✨ Join The Honest Channel Membership for behind-the-scenes content and vlogs: youtube.com/channel/UC4qU47VfUwFLDzolJEczYCA/join
📩 Sign up for my free newsletter to get every episode delivered to your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/honest/the-honest-channel-newsletter
📖 Full info about our training regimen and more at http://www.honest.scot/rebuild
🛍️ Shop & Save on The Products We Use
⭐ HEALTHY AGING SUPPLEMENTS & TOOLS → shopmy.us/collections/408665
⭐ MY SKINCARE ROUTINE → shopmy.us/collections/243245
🏋 Strength training equipment shopmy.us/shop/collections/1979957
⭐ MY BOOKS (I'm an author too!) → shopmy.us/TheHonestChannel/books-i've-written!
BROWSE MY FULL RECOMMENDATIONS: shopmy.us/shop/TheHonestChannel
I use affiliate links where available which means I earn a small commission on purchases made. This supports the channel at no extra cost to you.
👋 About The Honest Channel
I’m Clare Johnston — a journalist in my 50s on a mission to share the best information and advice on how to age well, look and feel great for longer. I do that here on YouTube and on my website honest.scot
✅ Subscribe for new weekly episodes → youtube.com/thehonestchannel
Connect with me on social media:
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/honestclare
🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@honestchannel
👥 Facebook: facebook.com/honestclare
#RebuildingMumAndDad #StrengthTraining #HealthyAging #StartingStrength #FitnessOver80 #MuscleHealth #Osteoporosis #TheHonestChannel
Timestamps: 00:00 Getting stronger at 83 01:11 Overcoming the "plateau" and hitting new PRs 03:51 The "weightless" revelation out walking 05:46 How we train: The Starting Strength approach 07:14 Dad’s progress: deadlifting 200lbs+ at 82 08:01 The Surge: Why nutrition changed everything 09:11 Linear vs. Non-linear progression explained 11:55 The Mindset Shift: Eating to build muscle & bone 14:38 Why aging is catabolic (and how to reverse it) 15:49 Protein and calorie goals for older trainees 17:46 "Strong people are harder to kill" 18:59 Our biggest lessons from this stage
Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice and should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice.
In this latest episode of our Rebuilding Mum & Dad series, we witness another incredible breakthrough.
At 83, my mum has found a whole new level of strength that has quite literally changed how she feels when she walks. For the first time in nearly 20 years, she describes her back as feeling "weightless".
We’re joined by my parents' coach, Chris Reis (Doctor of Physical Therapy), who explains why this surge in strength is happening now — over 18 months into her journey —and the vital role that nutrition and a "mindset shift" around eating have played in her progress.
We also check in on my 82-year-old dad, Michael, who is still making progress through progressive weight training.
Whether you’re just starting your own strength journey or helping a loved one, we hope this update shows that it's truly never too late to rebuild.
🏋️ START YOUR STRENGTH JOURNEY
Special thanks to our series sponsor Starting Strength Gyms. Learn More About Online Coaching or Find A Location Near You at honest.startingstrengthgyms.com
🎥 WATCH MORE EPISODES IN THE REBUILDING MUM & DAD SERIES
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwJwOmOzK8TBO3RfJC4LXOvzShe2ALNds
1-Year Summary: youtu.be/xEh1akDooZc
Safety discussion with Chris youtu.be/EiVcO8jakAc
✨ Join The Honest Channel Membership for behind-the-scenes content and vlogs: youtube.com/channel/UC4qU47VfUwFLDzolJEczYCA/join
📩 Sign up for my free newsletter to get every episode delivered to your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/honest/the-honest-channel-newsletter
📖 Full info about our training regimen and more at http://www.honest.scot/rebuild
🛍️ Shop & Save on The Products We Use
⭐ HEALTHY AGING SUPPLEMENTS & TOOLS → shopmy.us/collections/408665
⭐ MY SKINCARE ROUTINE → shopmy.us/collections/243245
🏋 Strength training equipment shopmy.us/shop/collections/1979957
⭐ MY BOOKS (I'm an author too!) → shopmy.us/TheHonestChannel/books-i've-written!
BROWSE MY FULL RECOMMENDATIONS: shopmy.us/shop/TheHonestChannel
I use affiliate links where available which means I earn a small commission on purchases made. This supports the channel at no extra cost to you.
👋 About The Honest Channel
I’m Clare Johnston — a journalist in my 50s on a mission to share the best information and advice on how to age well, look and feel great for longer. I do that here on YouTube and on my website honest.scot
✅ Subscribe for new weekly episodes → youtube.com/thehonestchannel
Connect with me on social media:
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/honestclare
🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@honestchannel
👥 Facebook: facebook.com/honestclare
#RebuildingMumAndDad #StrengthTraining #HealthyAging #StartingStrength #FitnessOver80 #MuscleHealth #Osteoporosis #TheHonestChannel
Timestamps: 00:00 Getting stronger at 83 01:11 Overcoming the "plateau" and hitting new PRs 03:51 The "weightless" revelation out walking 05:46 How we train: The Starting Strength approach 07:14 Dad’s progress: deadlifting 200lbs+ at 82 08:01 The Surge: Why nutrition changed everything 09:11 Linear vs. Non-linear progression explained 11:55 The Mindset Shift: Eating to build muscle & bone 14:38 Why aging is catabolic (and how to reverse it) 15:49 Protein and calorie goals for older trainees 17:46 "Strong people are harder to kill" 18:59 Our biggest lessons from this stage
Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice and should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice.
