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Ten years ago, Kate Winchester had never worn a bikini. Then, at 51, the behaviour analyst and coach decided to conduct an experiment on herself – could she use the principles she studied professionally to completely change her own behaviour and enter a bodybuilding competition?
The answer was a resounding yes, and now, aged 61, Kate is New Zealand’s oldest INBA pro sports model.
“I was incredibly shy and reserved, and I had a lot of my friends saying to me, ‘You realise what you’ve got to do,’” shares Kate, remembering that life-changing decision she made in 2016 to sign up for her first competition.
At the time, she was also going through a difficult break-up and struggling with low self-esteem.
“I was wanting to prove to myself and actually to other people that you can change behaviour quite radically,” explains Kate.
Five months later, she stepped onto a bodybuilding stage for the first time and absolutely loved it.
The bodybuilding bug
“I remember it vividly,” she tells. “I wasn’t nervous. I couldn’t believe it, but I think one of the reasons was because I knew I’d done the work.”
Kate was hooked.
“I just got the bug,” she enthuses. “The people, the atmosphere and the feeling that you get showcasing the work you’ve put in… I can’t describe it. It’s just amazing.”
Since then, she has entered 13 events and this year, received her pro card, meaning she can compete professionally for prize money.
“Getting your pro card, in some respects you’ve reached the pinnacle, but it’s also like the beginning of the next round.”
Doing it her way
For Kate, the appeal goes far deeper than looks. It’s more about discovering what happens when she commits to a goal and refuses to talk herself out of it.
“What is possible when you just give something a go and get in boots and all? That has been my message.”
Her approach has also challenged expectations within the bodybuilding world. Kate is entirely plant-based and doesn’t eat any meat, eggs or dairy, something she says is still a rarity in a sport where protein and animal products are often considered essential. But she has never been interested in doing things simply because everyone else does.
Away from the gym, she runs her online coaching business from home, loves getting out in her two classic cars or spending time with her dog and horses.
She smiles, “I have my two horses who are also trained using the same principles of behaviour analysis and positive reinforcement that I’ve trained myself with. It’s brought me a lot of joy trying things out.”
This June, her decade-long experiment came full circle when Kate won the Overall Sports Model title at the INBA Armed Forces & Emergency Services Championship, which is open to past and present emergency service workers.
“It was a bit of a buzz,” beams Kate, who was a volunteer firefighter from 2017 to 2025.
Defying ageist stereotypes
For years, she has kept her age quiet in public. But now she’s embracing it – and hopes her example encourages other women to question their own limitations.
“I think it was scary for me to acknowledge because for so long I couldn’t relate to being in my late fifties, and then when I turned 60, it was like, ‘I don’t feel like society says I should feel,’” explains Kate.
“I didn’t want to fall into that ageing gracefully bracket. Now I am less concerned about what other people think. At the end of the day, I’m doing what I love, and there are a lot of people who have been inspired by my decision to be more out there and open about it.”
True to her motto, “What is possible for me?”, Kate can’t wait to see where the next decade will take her. First up is competing next month in the professional division at Natural Olympia in Las Vegas, one of the world’s biggest bodybuilding competitions.
She hopes other women will be inspired by her to pursue what makes them happy, regardless of age or any expectations to slow down.
After all, she knows first-hand that the biggest transformation can begin with a decision that feels just a little bit frightening.
“I love being able to look back at small decisions that led to something as incredible as this,” she smiles. “I am actually living a life that I probably dreamed about years ago.”
Follow Kate’s journey on Instagram @katewinchesterunlimited
