Losing weight is hard at any age. It requires commitment, motivation, hard work and consistency. Temptations are all around and if you're anything like me, resisting chocolate, bread and a Netflix binge is no easy feat. Add menopause, hormonal shifts, a busy lifestyle and a little thing I like to call "midlife awareness" into the mix, and well, getting fit can feel like an uphill battle. It isn’t easy, girlfriends, but I have three success stories to share to prove that it's both possible and oh-so-worth it! Keep reading to learn how these inspiring women got fit after 50.
Christine Howard, 60, California
Initial Motivation:
I was feeling out of sorts in a big way. Life [was stressful] and I felt like I was just going through the motions of life on a treadmill, a treadmill that was moving very fast! I had not been exercising at all except for walks with my little dog.
What She Did:
My neighbor kept bugging me to join her in a fun outdoor boot camp class. I was willing to give it a try. I genuinely wanted to lose weight and get in better shape for ME! It was time to give to myself after taking care of everyone else.
Challenges Along the Way:
I do not like to cook, so the food prep was hard initially! Once I started prepping veggies and batch-cooking my protein, things got a lot easier! [I also struggled with] being patient and staying focused on just one day at a time. I really wanted to know if I was going to get into the shape I saw in my head!
Her Results:
I got into the best shape of my life, including training for and competing in a fitness competition (and winning). Now, 10 years later, living a healthy and active lifestyle is my new norm.
How it Changed Her Life:
When I got my body back into amazing shape, it was as if I experienced a rebirth! I truly felt that anything was possible. My health and fitness achievements also helped me to navigate two big wake-up calls (breast cancer and divorce) that occurred a year later. Instead of being a victim, I saw that I had the power to take care of myself, no matter what the circumstance.
Tips for Others:
Focus on seeing yourself as a fit and healthy person. Your mindset is just as important as food or exercise. It’s also important to get help healing old hurts or beliefs that have you reaching for food when you are not hungry.
Tracey Lawie, 54, Michigan
Initial Motivation:
I have always been what medical professionals refer to as morbidly obese. As I was approaching my 50th birthday, I was tipping the scales at 326 pounds. I was active, doing Triathlons, running 5Ks and half marathons, but it was getting harder. My knees hurt all the time, I couldn't walk upstairs easily, and I feared I would become sedentary and continue to gain weight.
What She Did:
I made the decision to consult a medical weight-loss doctor and opted to have gastric sleeve surgery. It was not an easy decision. It was frightening (my husband had lost his last wife to complications from weight loss surgery).
Challenges Along the Way:
The process was hard. There were many appointments and medical clearings, and [I had to] follow strict guidelines. But once the decision was made, I just turned myself over to the process and followed the plan exactly as the doctor had laid it out.
Her Results:
It has been four years since my surgery and I have settled in at 240 pounds. While some still consider that obese, I feel amazing.
How it Changed Her Life:
I no longer have joint pain. I have much more energy and am able to do all of the physical things I enjoy without needing days to recover. I have even challenged myself with more difficult events, like swimming around Mackinac Island.
Tips for Others:
While I don't advocate surgery to lose weight, I do advocate moving and being the healthiest version of you that you can. Stretching, strength training and movement are more important as we age. Without those things, it's easy to become sedentary. I hope to be this active well into my 80s and beyond!
Andrea B. Trank, 64, Virginia
Initial Motivation:
My weight went up and down my whole life. I finally learned why; when I turned 50 and got very sick, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disease known as Hashimoto’s. I set out to learn everything about the disease, my thyroid, and my metabolism, as well as how to eat, drink and live to support my healing.
What She Did:
I learned what foods worked and did not work in my body; this not only helped me heal but lose weight as well. A win-win if you ask me.
Challenges Along the Way:
I still have flareups. Anyone with an autoimmune disease must stay on top of their numbers. I am constantly tweaking what I eat — eating only the cleanest foods, figuring out what foods I am sensitive to (that can change), and avoiding all processed foods and oils. The hardest thing has been feeling like everyone except me can eat whatever they want without becoming sick or fat. I felt a bit ostracized at first, but then I started looking and feeling better and better; everyone wanted to know what my secret was.
How Has it Changed Your Life:
My life has completely changed. These days I feel better than I did in my 40s and 50s. I now coach and teach others how to be their healthiest selves, no matter what they are facing as they age. I feel beautiful and vibrant.
Tips for Others:
Stop focusing on the weight or diet and ask what I should eat to be my healthiest self today. When you eat for health and longevity, you naturally lose weight and look and feel better.
What healthy habits have you adopted to help you live longer? Let us know in the comments below.
The Girlfriend Staff
Follow Article Topics: Health
