A woman in her 70s who gained attention for competing in the Miss Universe USA pageant has shared her secrets to maintaining a youthful appearance.
Marissa Teijo, the oldest contestant in Miss Universe USA history, revealed, “My nutrition is mostly a lot of vegetables and fruits, oatmeal. I do eat meat. I eat chicken and fish every once in a while.”
She explained, “When I was training for the pageant, I wanted to be as fit as possible. On my training days, I would eat sweet potato, jasmine rice, brown rice, oatmeal, and then lots of vegetables and fruits at every meal. I cut out all sugar. And on my off-training days, when I was not weightlifting, I would not eat any carbs at all. I would just eat protein, fruits, and almonds. That was slightly more stringent, but it wasn’t for a long time.”
Teijo specifically avoids three foods: processed meats (ham and sausage), white bread, and dairy products like cheese.
She also highlighted her commitment to exercise, saying that she started lifting weights at 40 and did it about 5 to 6 days a week. Although her training has reduced with age, she continues to engage in aerobic exercises, such as walking, when she does not do strength training.
She shared, “I’m very active. I don’t stop. And that’s one of the things that I would highly recommend to anybody: Just don’t stop. Because no matter how old you are, you can still move. And if you keep on moving, you’ll be able to move the older you get.”
In addition, Teijo revealed her skincare routine, which includes applying sunscreen daily and thoroughly moisturizing.
In June, Teijo, a former elementary school teacher, competed in the Miss Texas USA pageant. Although she won no awards, her participation has inspired middle-aged and older women.
Most Commented