Older woman mistaken for a younger sister: How 30-year-old men in Russia are asking a pensioner out on dates.

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Fifteen years ago, Irina entered the gym to alleviate her back pain and ended up looking significantly younger.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

Looking at Irina Proskuryakova from Shakhty in the Rostov region, it's hard to believe she's already 60 and retired. She's a slim and fit woman with a face that appears much younger than her peers.

- The ingredients for a beautiful reflection in the mirror are well known to everyone, - smiles the heroine and agrees to share how she combined them in her beauty recipe.

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When at 60 your figure is better than many at 20.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

“I INJURED MY BACK AND SUFFERED FROM SEVERE PAIN”

Irina, along with her husband Sergey and son Roman, originally hails from distant Bratsk. By fate, the family ended up in Shakhty.

- In the 90s, salaries at enterprises were not paid, so we first moved to Altai Krai, and then here to the warmer regions. Our parents came along to help with our son.

The thing is, Roma is a child with a disability and requires special care. His grandparents were a great help in raising him, which allowed Irina to return to work as a construction engineer.

- But about 15 years ago, things became very difficult for our family. First, my father fell seriously ill and became bedridden. I took care of him until the end of his life. Then my mother passed away as well. During that time, I injured my back and suffered from excruciating pain.

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Irina enjoys training in the mornings.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

“I KNEW I NEEDED THIS”

However, without her parents, it was impossible to balance caring for her disabled son and working, so Irina dedicated herself entirely to her child's care. But she didn’t give up on herself. When acquaintances suggested trying yoga to relieve her back pain, she didn’t look for excuses: she grabbed her sportswear and mat.

- At first, it was very tough. Even in a simple pose, lying on the mat, I cried from the pain — my back felt like it was on fire. But I understood: I needed this. Gradually, it got easier: the pain went away, and in its place came delight.

Irina enjoyed it so much that she decided to try all the other classes offered at her gym.

- While practicing yoga, I couldn’t perform a handstand — my arms were too weak. I decided I needed to build strength. Then came stretching, Pilates, suspension training, cycling, strip plastic, and much more. But my greatest love is fitness in hammocks, or as we call it, anti-gravity.

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Husband Sergey is proud of Irina's achievements.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

“TO BRING YOU A GLASS OF WATER IN OLD AGE”

Overall, Irina has six training sessions a week, sometimes even two a day.

- There are days when I feel like “staying home,” but I don’t relax. I quickly get ready and rush to the gym! First of all, it’s cozy there, I get to socialize, and we celebrate various occasions. Secondly, I need to keep in shape! Thanks to regular workouts, my figure has become really toned, and I don’t want to lose the results.

Over time, the retiree's wardrobe has included trendy items and a good mood.

- Before, I didn’t wear jeans or pants, thinking that only skirts suited me. Now, my colleagues won’t go to corporate events without me: they know that when the youth tire out, I still have a full battery for dancing. They are just amazed: “How do you have so much energy?!”

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People often mistake 41-year-old Roman's mother for his sister.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

When Irina posts her stunning photos on social media, it sparks both admiration and questions.

- Sometimes, 30-year-old guys write to me, suggesting to meet and asking me out. When I respond, “Son, I could be your mother!” they don’t believe me. And when I take my 41-year-old son to the doctor or for physical therapy, everyone says: “You must be his sister, right?” Sometimes, peers message me asking what my secret is. But once they learn there’s no secret, just regular exercise, they lose interest. My husband is both proud and a bit jealous. I jokingly tell him: “I work out to bring you a glass of water in old age.”

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The Shakhty resident goes to fitness six times a week.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

YOUTHFUL DIET

Irina's home fitness is limited to her 15-acre garden.

- I love growing peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. We eat everything fresh, and I can some for later — I don’t go overboard with pickling. In the morning, I might have a piece of cheese with coffee before heading to training, and then I get so busy that lunch often happens around two in the afternoon. For that meal, I enjoy eating buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, bulgur, couscous, and I also stew chicken with vegetables or lean pork. For dinner, I choose meat or fish.

Irina also allows herself potatoes and sweets.

- When we lived in Siberia, potatoes were a staple for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So now, I eat them rarely. I don’t like butter, but I use vegetable oil everywhere. I don’t drink milk. However, I love fruits and can have up to five chocolate candies with tea a day. I’ve completely removed bread from my diet. My husband and son, on the other hand, enjoy heartier meals: I cook what they like.

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Irina's favorite activity in the gym is hammock yoga.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

SLEEP FOR FRESHNESS

And of course, she manages to maintain a fresh appearance thanks to her daily routine.

- I always wake up at six in the morning. I get my husband ready for work, prepare breakfast for my child, do facial gymnastics from a video on the internet, and then head to training. After that, I take my son to his classes. In the afternoon, I can take a 15-minute nap, and then I tackle household chores. To energize myself, I sometimes play upbeat music in the kitchen and dance while cooking. I always go to bed around ten or eleven at night.

Irina tries to find time for hobbies as well.

- I listen to local comedians, have watched numerous masterclasses online, and now I weave baskets, bread bins, and laundry boxes from paper vines.

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Even the youth would envy Irina's flexibility.

Photo: Personal archive of the publication's hero.

The active woman admits she would take everyone to the gym.

- Young girls come to our gym and are surprised: how can a grandma bend over like that? Meanwhile, they can’t even bend their backs and scream, “Ouch, it hurts!” So how can you improve your health without doing anything and just eating everything? There are no magic rejuvenating apples! No workouts