Wojciech Węcławowicz doesn’t look like a typical grandfather in his late sixties. With a physique that rivals athletes decades younger, the Polish fitness enthusiast has become an unlikely icon for aging well, and he insists his transformation is completely natural.
“If I’m on vacation with my shirt off I get approached by ladies in their 30s and 40s and I’ve been mistaken for my son’s older brother on occasion, which is a big compliment,” he told a Polish newspaper.
Just a few years earlier, he looked like an average sixty year old with a belly.
The change began in May 2018 when, under his son’s guidance, Węcławowicz started training for the Masters Athletics World Championships in track and field. He competed in high jump and broke the Polish record in his age category.
He and his son later decided a decathlon would be a better challenge, and in 2019 he won silver at the World Masters Championships in Toruń.
Despite his sculpted build and smooth, minimally wrinkled skin, Węcławowicz rejects the assumptions people make about how he got there. He opposes overly exhausting workouts, avoids supplements, and firmly rejects injections or artificial PED enhancements.
“Observing other athletes, I came to realize that protein shakes and supplements won’t help you get your dream physique. It all boils down to adopting a proper nutritional regimen, managing it effectively, and gradually reducing carbohydrate intake as you age,” he explains.
He credits his results to six habits. He practices intermittent fasting, following a 16:8 schedule where he eats within an eight hour window, starting his day instead with water, herbal tea, or black coffee.
He limits workouts to three sessions a week, lifting weights for about an hour and filling other days with cycling or climbing. He moderates his carbohydrate intake, takes cold showers for recovery and alertness, and works to keep stress low, reminding himself “everything will be okay.”
Finally, he prioritizes sleep, avoiding late meals, getting to bed before midnight, and keeping his room dark and phone-free.
His diet is simple: eggs with spinach and tomatoes for breakfast, grilled chicken or turkey salad for lunch, and baked salmon with quinoa or bulgur for dinner. He drinks three liters of water daily and allows himself an occasional coffee or glass of red wine.
“Even as someone in their late 60s who’s still in great shape, I can say that staying healthy and fit doesn’t have to be hard,” Węcławowicz says. “I hope that by sharing my story and my fitness tips I can encourage and inspire others to live a healthy life.”
