19-07-2025
Miss Universe Canada contestant Lorraine Peters, 59, was in 'unrelenting' pain during history-making pageant: 'I was at the worst that I could possibly be'
Trailblazing beauty pageant contestant Lorraine Peters spoke to Yahoo Canada about confidence, fitness and more. (Photo by Sylvie Mazerolle/Yahoo Illustration)
Lorraine Peters is a woman on a mission. In 2024, the Saint Stephen, N.B. native became the oldest woman to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant and finished in the top 15. Her trailblazing appearance earned headlines and assigned Peters as a beacon of inspiration to women who thought they had missed their chance at the spotlight. She began creating content online geared towards mature women, sharing encouraging words about fitness, style and even the challenges of menopause.
Now, Peters has her sights set on the Mrs. Galaxy Canada pageant in October.
"I'm going there to win," Peters said. "I want to amplify my message that no matter your age, you can find the courage to build the confidence to follow your dreams and passions."
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Yahoo Canada recently spoke to Peters about the impact of her Miss Universe Canada appearance, competing in chronic pain and more.
'The gift that keeps on giving'
When the competition launched in 1952, Miss Universe hopefuls were required to be women between the ages of 18 and 24. Over time, the age limit was raised to 28, but still excluded women who had been married or had children. When the Miss Universe international pageant system removed age and marital status restrictions for contestants in 2023, Peters knew that it was time to put her hat in the ring.
She competed alongside 64 women in the multi-day event that concluded in Ashley Callingbull becoming the first-ever Indigenous woman to win the title.
By the time Peters returned home from the pageant, she was overwhelmed by the number of messages she received from women all around the world.
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"It's the gift that keeps on giving," Peters said. "Don't let what other people say to you or about you stop you. You owe it to yourself to pursue your goals, dreams, education, adventure — whatever it is, there's nothing standing in your way except you."
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Courage and confidence
Women often message Peters to tell her they admire her confidence, but she admitted she's not exempt from feeling "scared to death" when trying something new.
In 2024, a then 58-year-old Peters became the oldest woman to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant. (Image courtesy of Lorraine Peters)
"What comes before confidence is courage. You have to want something or want to do something bad enough that you're willing to walk through failure, ridicule or embarrassment…, " she explained. "That's the thing.... You have to go through things that are going to be uncomfortable before you can have no other way to do it. Success can't happen if you don't take that step into the unknown."
What comes before confidence is courage. Lorraine Peters
While some people might be afraid of being judgement, Peters doesn't pay attention to any naysayers.
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'Do you really want to say, 'I didn't do such and such a thing because of what Fred on Facebook was going to say about me?" She said. "It's so ludicrous to me. I struggle with the idea of people living less than what they're really meant to do."
The painful cost of a history-making moment
In 2007, Peters tore her hip flexors while training as a competitive body builder. She eventually developed arthritis and eventually, her doctor suggested a hip replacement. Peters was in "daily, unrelenting, chronic pain" but wanted to compete in Miss Universe Canada. She postponed the procedure.
'I made the choice to endure that so that I could be the history-making woman. That was really important to me," she said.
Although she tried to continue exercising, her arthritis and declining mobility made it difficult. She was in a "vulnerable state physically" but says she could have made it into the top 10 if she competed at her best.
Peters is set to compete in the Mrs. Galaxy Canada pageant in October 2025. (Images courtesy of Lorraine Peters/Photos by Sylvie Mazerolle)
"I was at the worst that I could possibly be. I was on so many pain medications during that week," she said, adding that walking in six-inch heels didn't make things any easier.
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In March of this year, Peters finally got her hip replaced.
'It's been life-changing for me to go from all that pain and restriction and no range of motion to having zero pain," she said.
Building more than muscle
As a professional stylist with a background as a personal trainer, Peters often shares her love of fashion, beauty and fitness with her audience — and doesn't believe in editing or filtering her photos.
"I don't want women to just be inspired by me anymore. I want to mobilize them to do something for themselves. I think the more transparent and flawed I am, the more impact I can have," she said.
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Peters has always considered the gym her "reset button." Now that she's pain-free she can return to her fighting form, but she's candid about the impact of menopause on the metabolism. She talks openly about the challenges of menopause with her audience and how important it is to be mindful of your diet and prioritize exercise.
I don't want women to just be inspired by me anymore. I want to mobilize them to do something for themselves Lorraine Peters
Peters is back in fighting form after undergoing hip replacement surgery earlier this year. (Image courtesy of Lorraine Peters/Photos by Sylvie Mazerolle).
"I know that [fitness] makes you a better mother," she said. "It makes you more available, it makes you happier — a better wife. There's no area of your life that it doesn't touch when you take time to take care of yourself. Women talk about not taking care of themselves like it's something they should be proud of — it's really not."
At almost 60, Peters has found herself in a new phase of life. The days of juggling work and motherhood are gone; she and her husband of 35 years have adult children and are now grandparents. It's a new era where she can focus on tackling her own list of dreams.
"That's the reason why I'm so big on health, fitness and nutrition," she said. "If you are going to give the first part of your life to your education and your family, you have to have — as much as we can — some insurance that you're going to be mobile at 60, have energy and have a body that will will rise to the occasion."
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