• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Clinical Trials
  • Resources
    • Top Blacks in Healthcare 2025
    • Hall Of Fame
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Obesity Resource Center
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Immunocompromised Care
    • BDO Resource Library
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / / The Incredible Journey of Ernestine Shepherd

The Incredible Journey of Ernestine Shepherd

ernestine1Seventy-Eight year old Ernestine Shepherd is truly one of a kind.  But her story is even more remarkable.

MUST READ: An Amazing Weight Lifter At Age 88?! Seriously!

Shepherd says she did not start working out until she was 56 after not being comfortable wearing a bathing suit. Her diet changed from eating a regular breakfast, lunch and dinner to now eating 6 meals a day. She routinely starts her day at 2:30am and runs 10 miles (wow!), works out at the gym for a little over an hour, then teaches classes and conducts personal training sessions throughout the day. Some of us get tired just reading that.
Ernestine-Shepherd 2

"I'll eat 10 egg whites scrambled. Drink 16 ounces of water and a handful of walnuts," says Shepherd. "I have a certain song that I have to sing every morning." Some of the lyrics are "Today, I'm happy and free / Nothing in this world is troubling me."

You May Also Like
Clinical Trials Need A Diverse Representation Of Participants Like You To Help Advance Research! Clinical Trials Need A Diverse Representation Of Participants Like You To Help Advance Research!

"I had a sister. If you saw one, you saw the other," Shepherd says. "She said to me, "We're going to be in the Guinness Book of World Records and that's another thing we can do together as sisters."

ernestine_shepherd

Little did Ernestine know, but her sister was suffering from a brain aneurysm. "When she died, I didn't want to do anything," confessed Ernestine. "I ended up with high blood pressure, panic attacks, depression, acid reflux...it was awful way to live."But finally one day, Shepherd said her sister came to her in a dream. "She said, 'get up and do what I told you to do,'" proclaims Ernestine.

You May Also Like
Psoriatic Arthritis Can Feel Beyond Your Control. Consider a Different Direction. Learn More Here. Psoriatic Arthritis Can Feel Beyond Your Control. Consider a Different Direction. Learn More Here.

She did that show and I came in first place in her age category. And nearly a month later, Guinness Book Of World Records came calling, literally. And ever since she's been in the history books.
ernestine and husband

"I have no medicine for panic attacks," admits Shepherd. No medicine for high blood pressure. No medicine for anything. Thank God for my health and thank God for my sister."

Inspired by Sylvester Stallone she is a die-hard “Rocky” fan, and fan of Michelle Obama . Sylvester Stallone “ is my man, and I would love to meet him one day” she said. She is also looking for an excuse to meet First Lady Michelle Obama and help her with her work on controlling obesity, who she calls “so beautiful, inside and out”. She feels they are on the same mission and should combine their work.

By Derrick Lane | Published March 3, 2015

The Latest In

budget

Eat Well on Any Budget: 4 Weekly Grocery Plans

                The government, via the USDA, has some thoughts on your budget. Your weekly grocery budget, that is. For a single adult, between the ages of 19 and 50, the USDA estimates that read more about Eat Well on Any Budget: 4 Weekly Grocery Plans
chronic conditions

The BEST Career Choices for People With Chronic Conditions

Chronic conditions are no joke, especially when they drastically change the way we live and experience our lives.  But beyond the daily lifestyle modifications, the expenses of treatments, and the continuing struggles of symptoms, flare-ups, and treatment side effects, there’s read more about The BEST Career Choices for People With Chronic Conditions
psoriasis triggers

Psoriasis Triggers: It’s Not Always What You Think

Psoriasis can feel like an uninvited guest that shows up on your skin and refuses to leave. Those red, scaly patches—often itchy or downright painful—can flare up at the worst times, leaving you frustrated and wondering, “What set this off read more about Psoriasis Triggers: It’s Not Always What You Think
Black Participation in Food Allergy Trials Can Be Life-Saving

Black Participation in Food Allergy Trials Can Be Life-Saving

There's promising new research for food allergies called Food Oral Immunotherapy (FOIT). This treatment enables individuals to gradually reintroduce foods they're allergic to, desensitizing them and reducing their reactions. However, a new study shows a major problem: most research on read more about Black Participation in Food Allergy Trials Can Be Life-Saving
lewy body dementia

Think It’s Alzheimer’s? It Could Be Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a brain disease that’s often misunderstood. It’s actually the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD). For patients and families, learning what LBD is, how it differs from other dementias, and read more about Think It’s Alzheimer’s? It Could Be Lewy Body Dementia
post surgery

The Best Bras for Post-Surgery Healing

Whether you’ve just come through a mastectomy, breast reduction, augmentation, top surgery, or any kind of chest procedure — your body deserves comfort and care, not just medically, but emotionally too. Finding the right bra during recovery isn’t just about read more about The Best Bras for Post-Surgery Healing

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Icon

A Black Women's Guide To Beating Breast Cancer

1 file(s) 967 KB
Download

Trending Articles

ADHD: Treating Your Child Without Medication

ADHD treatment

Eczema: How To Treat Winter Flare Ups

flare ups

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Is Rare But Aggressive: Know the Signs

inflammatory breast cancer

How I Establish Black Patient Trust in Clinical Trials as a Cardiologist

6 Ways to Establish Black Patient Trust in Clinical Trials

OP-ED: Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Are Missing Black Women

OP-ED: Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Are Missing Black Women
Find a Culturally Sensitive Doctor

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Resource Centers

  • Top Blacks in Healthcare
  • Clinical Trials
  • Wellness on the Yard
  • Cancer
  • Immunocompromised Care
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Careers
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising & Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2025, Black Doctor, Inc. All rights reserved.