For countless Americans about to turn “the big 4-0,” there are dozens of books focusing on the “life begins at 40” theme, which emphasize that one’s fortieth birthday, far from being the first step toward a decades-long decline, can be a new beginning of fulfilling one’s lifelong ambitions.
Such was the case for 40-year-old Mina Agnos, a Greek-American who, as President of Travelive, which specializes in luxury vacations in Greece and the Mediterranean, discovered.

Already fit and trim, Agnos lacked the muscle tone to achieve what she always wanted, the Wall Street Journal reported: six-pack abs (abdominal muscles).

But while in Boca Raton a year ago (she splits her time between there and Athens), her running route (which already consisted of 18 to 30 miles per week) took her past Synergy Fitness Boca, the Journal reported, and she decided she was going to have the same “ripped arms” they did, along with a six-pack.

Agnos not only achieved her goal, but now, at 41, is training to compete in the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness and National Physique Committee Prestige Crystal Cup in Boca Raton in July, wrote the Journal.

Agnos told the Journal that her diet is now limited and includes no alcohol. She joked that makes her a “bad date” and requires some adjustment in social settings.

She said she now weighs all of her food and basically has eliminated any food item that comes out of a box.

As the Journal described, she “trains five to six days a week with a mix of free weights, barbells, TRX suspension training, rowing, body weight and high-intensity cardio. She focuses on two muscle groups each day. Mondays she works quads and shoulders. Tuesdays are hamstrings and triceps. Wednesdays are glutes and back, Thursdays are biceps and chest (with extra shoulder and quad work) and Friday is for plyometrics. Saturday is a glute day.

“On two days, she tacks on a high-intensity cardio workout that includes sprinting while pulling a weighted sled. On Sunday, she practices competition poses and sends videos back to Boca Raton for her trainer to critique.”

Because Agnos’ goal is not merely fitness, and not only for her own satisfaction, but also for winning bodybuilding competitions, appearance is important. She spray tans in order to help achieve the complexion that best brings out her muscle tone.

“I’m in the best shape of my life” at 41, she told the Journal. “I have muscle tone, my skin has never looked better and my kids (ages 12 and 9) think what I’m doing is really cool.”

Life begins at 40, indeed.