MARTIN BYRNE-QUINN

Aged 55, Sydney Ú MARTINBQ

He believes we should not be defined or limited by our age. I have Anglo-Indian, Armenian, Portuguese and Irish heritage. I was born in England and moved to Australia in 1996.

In 2017, I found myself as a guest presenter/cook on a webbased cooking show, Eating With Soula. I had some headshots done and joined an agency and immediately booked a couple of TV commercials.

Last March, I committed to a 12-week online training program because I wanted to look the best I could by the time I turned 54 in May. I followed the program one-hundred per cent, made no excuses, missed no sessions and adhered to the eating plan. I just did it.

While my physical transformation has been aesthetically appealing it’s the mental and emotional benefits that have blown my mind. I’m more confident. I feel that I am here; that I am seen and that I am relevant.

This self-affirmation has been life-changing and now I know that anything is possible, moreover, that anything is possible at any age.

Everyone talks about equality of sexuality, gender, race… but what about age equality? Why does age have to differentiate us? Society puts restrictions on us and who we should be and how we should behave but I say, “Why can’t we be sexy, amazing and dynamic at any age?”

Last November, I was proud to walk for The Iconic Swimwear Runway. Backstage, I took my top off and one of the twentysomething male models said to me, “Look at you, giving us a run for our money.” I chuckled and said, “Thank you,” and thought, “I’m just being the best version of me possible and I won’t let my age define me.