Age-defying grandad-of-seven, 56, reveals the secrets to his youthful looks and six-pack

An age-defying grandad-of-seven has revealed the secrets behind his youthful looks and ‘Instagrammable’ six-pack.

Andy Wilkinson, 56, from Coventry, West Midlands, is regularly mistaken for a man in his 30s and is approached by women decades younger than him.

The personal trainer, who has even been mistaken for his daughter’s boyfriend, believes anyone can achieve lasting youth through a healthy, stress-free lifestyle. 

He says that sleeping in a blacked-out room, working out no more than three times per week, cutting back on carbohydrates as you get older and reminding yourself that ‘everything will be OK’ is the secret to his ageless appearance.

Andy, who has seven grandchildren between the ages of six to ten from his three children Claire, 37, Lee, 35, and Sarah, 33, admitted: ‘I know I look much younger than my age and often get mistaken for being in my thirties rather than my fifties.

‘If I’m on holiday with my six-pack out, I get approached by ladies in their thirties and I’ve been mistaken for my daughter’s partner rather than her father on occasion, which is embarrassing.

‘My friends also think it’s hilarious when we go out to shock people with the fact that I’m a grandfather of seven.’

He added: ‘A lot of people in their twenties and thirties message me on Instagram to tell me they aspire to have my body at their age, which is very flattering.

‘Genetics help but there is really no secret besides hard work and diet. Stress is massively ageing as well, so I try to not get myself worked up about anything. 

‘I have a personal mantra, which is “Everything will be OK”, and that keeps me calm and carries me through.’

Andy worked for Jaguar Land Rover before deciding to pursue his passion for nutrition and exercise and become an online personal trainer five years ago. 

His age-defying abs and looks have amassed him 1,500 followers on his Instagram @andyw-fitness.

He said he’s been interested in weight training since the age of eighteen but he seriously began to pursue the lean, beach body look when he was in his early thirties.

Andy – who is now in a relationship with a 51-year-old woman – said: ‘I was always interested in looking good, but it was in my thirties that I radically assessed what I was eating.

‘I realised there was no need to have protein shakes, bars or supplements to get that beach body look. It was about eating healthy foods, portion control and cutting down on carbs as you age.

‘The older you get, you don’t need as much carbs or food as you think you need. Now I’ll stick to a few tablespoons of rice and half a sweet potato as my carbohydrate and I focus on eating less carbs at night.

‘I also drink plenty of water too – you can put all the creams in the world on your face but water is what matters most when it comes to good skin. And I might occasionally have the odd glass of red wine, but I don’t drink much alcohol otherwise.’ 

Many will be surprised to hear that Andy only works out three times per week to achieve his hunky physique. 

He said that recovery, sleep and not stressing are overlooked as major contributing factors towards ageing well.

He said: ‘I generally weight train three times per week for no more than an hour, and I might enjoy a game of tennis or racquetball with a friend too but that it’s it really. 

‘I find people sometimes train too much and get injured or don’t see the results they want. The body needs time to repair and recover afterwards and I make sure to have at least a day’s rest between workouts.

‘I think rest and sleep are huge contributing factors to why I look so young too. I don’t eat late, I’m always in bed before midnight and I sleep in a totally blacked-out room with no phone. It really works for me in terms of getting a good night’s sleep.

‘I think trying to limit stress is also one of the most important factors in ageing well. I know it’s hard to do but I try to focus on living in the now, enjoying the present moment and not dwelling on the past and future.’

He added: ‘There’s more information on health online than there’s ever been but yet there’s more obesity now than ever before. People try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to health and fitness but it’s about going back to basics.

‘I’m living proof that you can still be fit and toned in your fifties and I hope I can motivate and inspire people. I feel very lucky to do what I do as a personal trainer and it’s my passion to help others.’