Lisa D’Ettorre-Liguori is a cosmetician from California who has become something of a quiet sensation for one very simple reason: when people find out how old she actually is, they can barely believe it. The mother of two openly embraces her age and takes pride in every year, but she is equally proud of the intentional lifestyle she has built around staying strong, energetic, and vibrant. She describes herself as someone who is “aging in reverse,” and the reactions she gets from strangers seem to back that claim up entirely. According to Lisa, people almost universally guess her to be far younger than 64, and she takes that as confirmation that her approach to health is working.
Her transformation did not happen overnight. Lisa spent years struggling with excess weight, hormonal shifts, and what she describes as persistent mental fog before deciding to overhaul how she was living. The changes she made were not dramatic or extreme but rather built around three consistent principles that she still follows today. She started tracking her macros, which means monitoring her daily intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in careful balance. She made protein a non-negotiable priority, and she committed to regular strength training as the foundation of her fitness routine.
“I really pay attention to how I live. I want to change the image of what aging can look like for women,” Lisa has said. She trains with weights several times a week, walks every single day, and occasionally adds HIIT sessions to maintain her cardiovascular health and overall conditioning. Meal planning plays an equally important role, keeping her consistent and on track even when life gets busy. “I make sure I’m getting enough protein for muscle support and recovery. That has become really important to me as I’ve gotten older,” she explained.
Beyond exercise and nutrition, Lisa has built a broader wellness routine that covers multiple areas of her life. She prioritizes quality sleep, keeps her stress levels managed, and applies sunscreen every day without exception as part of a dedicated skincare regimen. One of the most significant changes she made was cutting out alcohol entirely, saying she simply feels better without it. “I take care of my sleep, manage my stress, apply SPF every day, follow a consistent skincare routine, and I don’t drink at all anymore. I just feel so much better without it,” she shared. None of these steps are extreme on their own, but taken together they compound over time into something remarkable.
Over the past six months, Lisa has been following what is known as a reverse diet, a structured approach where caloric intake is gradually increased rather than restricted. The goal is to give the body enough fuel to support muscle-building and intense training without simply maintaining the status quo. Her daily meals reflect this philosophy in a practical way. Breakfast typically consists of coffee with collagen and plant-based cream, oatmeal layered with yogurt and protein powder, berries, a protein smoothie, or protein pancakes. Lunch often features an egg white omelet loaded with greens, avocado, and a low-carb tortilla. Dinner is usually a large salad with cottage cheese or a protein bowl packed with vegetables. She even treats herself to a nightly dessert of yogurt and a brownie, which she says helps her hit her daily protein goal while still feeling indulgent.
Lisa shares her fitness journey on Instagram, where she has attracted attention from followers inspired by her approach to aging. She acknowledges that she regularly gets guessed as much younger than she is, and while she appreciates the compliment, her real message goes deeper. “Many people don’t expect a woman at 64 to live like this, to be strong, energetic, to train seriously, and to make it a priority,” she said. She is determined to shift the cultural conversation around what growing older can look like, especially for women who are often told to simply accept physical decline as inevitable.
The science behind Lisa’s approach is well-established in the fitness and longevity research community. Resistance training is widely recognized as one of the most effective tools for preserving muscle mass as we age, a process called sarcopenia that begins as early as our thirties and accelerates without intervention. Protein intake becomes increasingly important with age because the body becomes less efficient at synthesizing muscle from dietary protein, meaning older adults generally need more of it than younger people to achieve the same results. Tracking macronutrients is a method used by athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts alike to ensure the body receives the right fuel in the right proportions. Reverse dieting, meanwhile, is a technique developed in bodybuilding circles that has gained mainstream traction as a way to increase metabolism and energy availability without triggering unwanted fat gain. Taken together, these strategies represent a science-backed framework for healthy aging that is accessible to almost anyone willing to commit to the process.
If Lisa’s story resonates with you or makes you rethink what your own approach to aging and fitness could look like, share your thoughts in the comments.
