We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gail Gensler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gail below.

Gail, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Fitness Representation and Midlife Models: What I Bring to the Table When you walk through any store that sells fitness apparel or you see an online ad what do you see? Odds are, you see models and ambassadors showcasing the gear that you’ll find in the store. Presently, many different types of people are represented. We currently have inclusivity with gender, ethnicity, size, disabilities sexual orientation- representation in the fitness industry has improved by leaps and bounds over the past decade or so. (Generally, these are models- not necessarily people who ACTUALLY work out.)

Except when it comes to one group of people. And a massive one at that.

People in midlife.

Midlife Distinctions

People like me, who are in their midlife, are different than other groups who have been given more equal representation in the fitness industry. The pathos behind equal representation is rectifying years of marginalization for one reason or another, both for models and shoppers of those under-represented communities. This is great. It’s progress. There has been a lack of representation for minorities, plus-sized people, and those with disabilities for a very long time. Once again, this is excellent and long overdue. But people in midlife? That’s a little different.

EVERYONE (if privileged) WILL ENTER MIDLIFE AT SOME POINT! It doesn’t matter where you come from or what color you are. Age affects all of us. And yet, midlife goes unrepresented on the ads of those aforementioned fitness apparel brands. Am I the only one who thinks this is absurd?!

Fitness Business

As a woman who herself is in business, I understand ROI. If you were to tell me that big fitness brands don’t display midlife models wearing their clothes because it’s bad for business, I’d understand. It still wouldn’t make it right, but I can at least understand the economic side of it.

The problem is it wouldn’t be bad for business. It would be very, very good for business.

People in midlife, specifically women, spend the most of any demographic. By a landslide. We don’t just contribute to the market; many times, we are the market. In fact, midlife women control 64% of global spending. In today’s crowded and competitive market for athleisure wear, how does it make sense to ignore a powerful consumer demographic?

Midlife women are not the same women of years passed. Who has seen the meme showing The Golden Girls cast next to the women from Sex and the City reboot? Same ages! Very different lifestyles! We are vibrant and engaged. Many of us are still working and discovering new purposes and activities. A lot of us can afford to purchase at the price points these brands are at (should we choose to spend our money that way).

Lack of Relatability

When I look at the ads from all of these brands and I see the clothes on a skinny 20-year-old, I’m personally not able to relate. I have no idea what that would look like on me. In my discussions with my peers who also work out, I’m not alone in this perspective.

What if someone walked into a store, or looked at an online ad and saw a real midlife woman, not a traditional model, but someone who authentically lives that life, wearing those clothes?

You’ve just given the biggest and most willing group of shoppers an image they can associate with. When they walk through your doors and look at the walls, or look at an online shop, they’ll see a bit of themselves in those midlife fitness models. A more-accurate picture of what they might look like in that pair of leggings and sports bra.

Simply put, using midlife fitness models is a good moral and fiscal decision for a fitness apparel manufacturer.

The One and Only

I, Gail Gensler, would like to be that midlife fitness model who breaks the ridiculous, traditional image of fitness brands. I’ve yet to find another influencer who represents the same brand as me; midlife, active, fit, and real. I’ve spent countless hours over the last few decades doing what I love in the gym, be it boxing, spinning, CrossFit, or any other activity that pushes me to my limits. Am I a size 0? Hell no. I’m a real, 61-year-old woman who lives her life like age is just a number.

I’m confident that I can be the one to finally break the mold. When I imagine a midlife woman showcasing a fitness brand on an ad or billboard, I imagine it’s me. It’s the whole reason I got into this influencer business after all! The first one through the door is always the bloodiest, as they say; I know it won’t be easy. But with the right approach and an enormous amount of determination, I can be the one to open the doors for countless other fit and lively midlife women, all of whom are ready, willing, and able to showcase their active lifestyles.

Let’s get to work!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am pro-aging lifestyle model Gail Gensler, changing the narrative around aging through fitness and embracing a healthy lifestyle from a “real woman’s” perspective.

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My philosophy of life is that age should never determine one’s lifestyle, appearance and most certainly what type of workouts we do. Fitness has nothing to do with age!

I embody the concept that a vibrant, healthy life is achievable regardless of age. Age is a mindset, old is an attitude! Younger generations are inspired by me to embrace aging and my peers are motivated by my passion.

I am here to break down the barriers of ageism and change how fitness brands in particular look at midlife women. In this age of inclusivity, we are not represented, and it is my goal to be the authentic model representing my powerful demographic. This is the legacy I want to leave.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

“I am 61 years young and truly believe that age is just a number. “Senior” indicates a number. Age is about mindset.

This journey as lifestyle influencer began for me in March of 2020. I’ve attended fitness events in Miami for many years. It’s no surprise that at this point I’m one of the oldest attendees. Countless times younger participants would come up to me and say something like “I don’t know who you are, but you were the one I was watching for inspiration!” I realized then that even when you don’t know people are watching, they are! Here I am in mid-life inspiring younger generations. They see me performing in “beast mode”, crushing workouts and realize they don’t have to fear the years!

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It was also around this time when I began to notice commercials I was seeing on TV. They were consistently depicting women my contemporary as either diseased and in need of medication or living very lovely, but sedate, lives. Moreover, all the ads for fitness clothes only portrayed young, skinny women who looked like they never worked out a day in their lives. Totally not relatable!

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Where were the women like me? Those in midlife still leading active, vibrant, value-adding lives? That’s when I knew I needed to raise my voice and change the narrative about aging the best way I knew how: through fitness and embracing a healthy lifestyle.

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My goal became using Instagram and a personal blog to develop a following of people with whom my message resonates with. After a few years of tireless pursuit, I’m proud to say I am now a brand ambassador, model, and event organizer and have been on the cover of two magazines. The journey is far from over, though! My end goal is to represent midlife women in the fitness clothing space. In this age of inclusivity, we are still not represented, yet we control 64% of global spending.

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In my pursuit of this goal, I am changing the narrative about aging from a “real woman’s” perspective. I’m not an expert on fitness, supplements, nutrition, skin care, dermatology, plastic surgery, or style; I’ve just found what works for me to keep myself vibrant and healthy. My belief is that age should never determine one’s lifestyle, appearance, or exercise habits. My hope is that this inspires other midlife women to change their perspective on aging, and adopt my pro-aging mindset.

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I myself work out six days a week, as it is something I’m passionate about. I primarily focus on boxing, which I have been doing since 1999, but I also mix in HIIT training and am always open to trying new modalities.

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Outside the gym, I have been in the automotive industry since 1986 and am considered a leader in my field. I manage the BDC for sales and service for a dealership and just celebrated my 23nd year. I am also divorced, with one incredible daughter who is 25 and adulting on a grand scale; she is a teacher, homeowner, and is pursuing a Master’s Degree. I sadly have lost both my parents in the last five years, but I am grateful, as they both lived into their 90’s.

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I’m originally from New York (and still identify as a New Yorker in attitude), and have been living in Miami since 1989. My other interests include art, fashion, reading, and international travel which I do every year.”

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Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Losing My Instagram Account: A Blessing in Disguise My Instagram account was deleted a short time ago. ago. That’s right. The account I’ve spent two years working on, trying night and day to build up a following so I could send out my pro-aging message to a wide audience, was gone in a flash. I opened a link sent to me from a fake account posing as someone I knew, and that was all they needed. They got in, wreaked havoc, then deleted my account and held it for ransom.

This left me feeling a lot of emotions I wasn’t used to feeling. I felt deflated. Violated. Defeated. Like I just rolled down a hill I had spent years climbing. Instagram is a fun platform for some people, but for a pro-aging fitness enthusiast and lifestyle influencer like me and so many others , it’s a way to potentially make a living and send a message, in my case that people in midlife and beyond should not be pigeonholed into dressing, acting, and exercising a certain way.

My 2022 did not get off to a good start, to put it mildly.

Then a funny thing happened. As I slowly started to pick up the pieces, I found that this unfortunate occurrence opened up some interesting possibilities for me. It made me realize things. It added clarity to some potential decisions I was struggling with. It gave me a new perspective and allowed for growth.

Could it be that my Instagram being compromised and deleted was a blessing in disguise? Was the universe sending me a message? (I can admit that at times I need to be hit over the head to change my behaviors).
Finding the Positives

Having my Instagram deleted had some unexpected positive effects. Sometimes in life, it’s hard to discern who your real friends and supporters are. People can sing your praise all day long, but talk is cheap, as they say. This seemingly bad event put me in a unique position, however; it gave me the opportunity to discover who truly cared about me.

Dozens of “HELP GAIL” posts were created by friends and the brands I represent once word got out that my account had been hacked. All the magazines I have worked with showed their support as well. These magazines have large reaches and subscribers. They called on their followers to help me as a valued contributor to their publications.

None of these people or companies needed to help me. They did anyway, though, showing that people can be truly selfless when they believe in you and your message.

My following is still nowhere near what it was before this happened (although growing at a rapid pace). But it’s stronger. My engagement is even higher than it was before. The ones who stayed with me and tried to help me out have formed a foundation that I’m confident will allow me to build an even bigger following than I had before. My support system has never been stronger, and for that I am infinitely grateful.

No Failures, Only Opportunities

I’ve talked a lot about overcoming obstacles in the past. Like everyone else, I have had my share of challenges and hurdles to get past. Real life challenges, i.e. divorce, losing my parents, growing out of long-standing friendships and physical challenges (that shoulder).

My Instagram being hacked and deleted was my first test in the social media space, other than launching it, and I couldn’t have overcome it without all of you guys. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of my followers for sticking with me and doing what you can to pick me up off the mat after I got that “TKO”.

No matter what happens, you can count on me to continue pushing for fair representation in the fashion, lifestyle, and fitness spaces and to deliver our pro-aging message. Doesn’t matter if I have 100 followers or 100,000. My mission remains the same. I’m thankful this event gave me the opportunity to truly connect with my core group of followers and partnered companies.

Let’s do something special together

Contact Info:

• Website: gailgensler.com
• Instagram: @gailgenslerofficial
• Facebook: Gail Gensler
• Linkedin: Gail Gensler

Image Credits
mkalicreative stellarmediaagency