59-year-old grandmother and Roadies 20 contestant Ashu Jain shares 5 hacks that helped her 'build gym habits that stick’

At 59, Ashu Jain is not the grandmother many imagine. The Dehradun mother-of-three does not spend her days knitting or babysitting grandkids. She deadlifts in the gym, does Zumba and competes in endurance races. A contestant on MTV Roadies Season 20, she describes herself as a 'hybrid athlete grandmother' — and is making a case for what fitness can look like later in life. Also read | 91-year-old woman proves fitness has no expiration date: 'I go for a swim, yoga, Pilates and walk 12000 steps daily'

Ashu's path to redefining what late 50s life looks like began at age 44 when her children encouraged her to resume her education. She earned her MTech from Jamia Millia Islamia, followed by a PhD from IIT Delhi at 53. That same discipline carried over into her fitness transformation.

In a May 2025 interview with The Better India, Ashu explained the philosophy driving her routine: “Fitness is not just about looking good. It is about being able to trek, to dance, to lift your granddaughter without pain. It is about freedom.”

That freedom, however, requires consistency. In a May 22, 2026, Instagram post, Ashu reflected on how she maintained her gym habits over four years: "Here are the five hacks that helped me build gym habits that I was able to stick to (since more than four years now)."

Ashu highlighted that starting small prevents early burnout. "Starting small with achievable goals. If it feels too hard, it won’t last. Only starting with something realistic can be repeated," she said.

To avoid skipping workouts attach movement to a fixed daily anchor, she shared. "Linking to an existing routine (same day, same time, same trigger). For me, my early morning bath is my trigger. I always change into active wear after a bath," Ashu said.

Bypass morning hesitation through advanced preparation, she added. "Removing decision fatigue. Preplanning the workout schedule and gym wear the previous day saves one from ‘aaj kya karna hai (what to do today)’ dilemma. Bus sirf plan follow karna hota hai (All you have to do is follow the plan)," Ashu said.

According to her, focusing on identity creates a stronger commitment than relying on fleeting motivation. "Focussing on identity, not motivation. If one is someone who bathes daily, then you will simply because that’s you. It's about becoming someone who trains consistently, not someone who waits to feel ready," Ashu shared.

Rigid systems often fail when life intervenes, she admitted, saying, “Make it work for your life, not against it. If it doesn’t fit your lifestyle, it won’t last. I failed miserably at 75 Hard (a 75-day mental toughness and discipline program), but introducing flexibility made it work for me.”

Ashu concluded: “Consistency doesn’t come from doing everything perfectly. It comes from repeatability, which depends on doability.