The founder of Plant Strong, Rip Esselstyn, uploaded a video of his mother, who is 90 years old, Ann Esselstyn, who just shed some light on the ultimate truth to staying fit.

Ann is not your regular grandma, sitting in an easy chair and crocheting your next outfit. "Some people my age get down on the floor and that's where they are stuck," while saying this, she casually attempted a squat after her son asked her to.

When asked what she does on days when she absolutely doesn't feel like moving or working out, her answer was simple.

"I do it. If I don't, I feel licked, then after doing it I feel better."

Her verdict is simple: to stay fit and active at 90, when other grandmas are sitting at home scared of moving, she is moving, bending, jumping without breaking a sweat.

Ann Crile Esselstyn Also Just Broke a Guinness World Record at 90 Years Old

In March 2026, Ann didn't just prove she was fit for her age — she proved she was fit, period.

Since childhood, Ann has been physically active despite the fact that Title IX did not come into existence until later.

Throughout her life, she engaged in coaching and playing for 10 different sports, living an active and physically fit lifestyle, and inspiring her kids and grandchildren to do the same.

Her kids and grandchildren are also top-notch athletes and have won multiple gold medals and titles within their states. Hence, Ann is a contributing factor behind the success of future generations.

Finally, at the age of 90 years, Ann became the world’s oldest woman to perform the dead hang exercise!

“It was new for me to be going for a record, and to be celebrated in this way, since I have spent my life cheering for our four children and 10 grandchildren in their varied athletic events and achievements,” Ann said to GWR. 

“I never in 90 years imagined that I would be fortunate enough to have the focused training, support, and desire to actually get a Guinness World Records title.

“Not long after my record, I woke up at 4:00 a.m. and realized I hadn’t hung that day. I went downstairs in the dark in my pajamas to hang,” said Ann. “It felt right.”

That's not luck. That's a lifetime of choosing to move, every single day, even when she didn't feel like it.

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil