Not so long ago, it was considered decidedly unfeminine for a woman to have the strength to open a jar of pickles, much less bench-press her own weight. My own grandmother feigned weakness at lifting anything heavier than her eyebrow. At the same time, of course, her clothes needed to become increasingly "tailored" over the years to imply an attractive shape.

Though I never once saw my grandmother in a bathing suit, I remember that she felt it was important to maintain a nice figure. A nice figure meant thin. Thin, if you didn't exercise, meant a lot of cigarettes and coffee to deaden appetite. I can't actually remember a moment with my grandmother where she wasn't holding a demitasse coffee cup in one hand and an Old Gold in the other. But, she was thin.

Bless her heart, my grandmother was actually one of those women who believed "ladies should never wave goodbye" after a certain point in life. That "certain point of life" was usually about 35. The loose flesh under the arm was considered a dead giveaway of one's age, and was also perceived as being completely unavoidable once it began to sway.

Women's Fitness: We've Come a Long Way, Indeed

Today, stories of women like my grandmother can sound like science fiction to those who take exercise, diet, and a healthy love of our bodies for granted. And not only do we look younger and more attractive for it than previous generations, we are in much better health and live much longer. It's no accident that 40 is the new 30. Compared to how my sweet grandmother lived, our 60 is like her 30.

Because of these changes in women's attitudes toward health, beauty, fitness and feminine strength, we are also challenging long-held ideas about aging and sexuality. Plastic surgery aficionados notwithstanding, Cher is closing in on 60, as is Susan Sarandon--and few could deny their sexual appeal. Many people would argue that Jennifer Aniston is among the sexiest women in the world, along with the rest of her group of Friends, all of whom are closer to 40 than 20.

And we don't just look younger and sexier longer, we're living longer as well. Enhanced awareness of nutrition and proper diet keeps our bodies healthier on a cellular level. Aerobic exercise keeps our hearts and vascular systems in peak condition. Weight bearing exercise increases our bone density, making us stronger, more resistant to injury and even some illnesses. All this exercise also results in more positive attitudes and a better ability to grapple with anxiety and depression.

Living Better, More Beautifully, and Longer

In fact, we're not just living longer, we're living longer, better. Strength after a certain age translates into independence. Flexibility can mean greater resistance to pain and injury. Stronger bones--the result of weight bearing exercises--translates into lower risk for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

In the end, there is no "certain point of life" anymore. Beauty, if considered to be reflected by sturdy bones, good skin, and a healthy, capable body, is now realizable for every woman, no matter what her age is. Whether 17 or 70, a strong woman is a beautiful woman.