Losing Weight After 50 – 5 Key Methods for Weight Loss Success

I am sharing my success with you on my transition from being overweight to sporting a fit body. I am 52 years old, have two clogged arteries, have had a heart attack, and am slightly paralyzed in my right leg as a result of improper weight lifting in my thirties. I have lost 59 pounds and kept the weight off. If I can accomplish this, anyone can!

I lost 52 pounds in the first six months of my lifestyle change. Within eight months I was down the full 59 pounds. Due to my muscle gain I believe my actual body transition is more like seventy to seventy five pounds as muscle is denser than fat.

In order to best present my success, I am addressing the following subjects:

1. Accomplishments
2. Motivation
3. Activities
4. Food and Alcohol
5. Hitting a Plateau

These subjects focus on my methods for success. They also set you on your way to your own success. Even though these methods work for everyone, I focus on males over age fifty like myself as there is little material available for that class of people. This first article focuses on accomplishments.

My success was due to a combination of activity and eating habits. Most people would use the words “diet” and “exercise”. I hate those words. The reason that I hate them is because both seem so temporary, cold, and unappealing. Temporary efforts often result in regaining the weight. A lifestyle change however, sets the stage for success. The fitness portion of my new lifestyle is not supplemental; it is a part of my daily existence. If you are going to lose weight and keep it off, you need to commit to a lifestyle change. By doing so, you have more of a chance of succeeding. My attitude from the beginning helped me make a lifestyle change and stick to it. It has now been a year and I’ve kept the weight off and toned my body considerably without getting bored or burned out.

The two aspects of my fitness accomplishments include the loss phase and the maintenance phase. What is amazing about my lifestyle is that I enjoy my routine so much that I still do the efforts I did to lose the weight even though I have pretty much hit a plateau in overall weight loss and I am currently in maintenance mode. That’s fine because I like the place I am at. In fact, I stopped weighing myself three months ago which was at about the nine month mark. I judge myself by how my clothes fit and how I look in the mirror instead of getting on the scale. By looking in the mirror, I can see the progress in my weight as well as muscle tone. I’m not constantly concerned about my weight as I fluctuate a bit and have gained as my muscle size increased. This method of gauging my ability to maintain while bulking up works for me. I suggest that you find a method that works for you. If my method works, then fine. Because people are so different, in my book and on my website I focus on putting you on the road to success rather than shoving a particular method down your throat. Again, people are different so I focus on how to lose weight more than telling you what to do and thus limiting you to what worked for me.

I made my weight loss routine enjoyable and I really like doing it. Like me, yours can be a fun transition rather than a painful, tedious process. It can also be rewarding as you see that sculpted body emerge in the mirror and start receiving compliments from those who notice your progress. Two benefits already have surfaced (having fun, being rewarding) and we haven’t even considered the fact that a healthier you will also result. I address the loss and maintenance aspects in more detail in my book.

Based on my previous history of weight loss, I expected to drop maybe twenty to thirty pounds when I started again at age 51 in June 2013 at a weight of 221 pounds. In the beginning I felt that being under 200 pounds would be quite an achievement. These initial goals are understandable as losing weight is as difficult for me as it is for anyone. I had always been on the heavier side beyond proportional. For me, carrying extra weight was a lifestyle. My key to success was to implement a lifestyle that resulted in a hard and toned body.

I felt that 185 pounds was my optimal weight, however at a net loss of 36 pounds from my starting point of 221, it was a goal that appeared far beyond reach. Never in my mind did I believe that I would lose nearly 60 pounds and be extremely close to a six pack of lean abdominal muscles while weighing under 165 pounds. For the month of February 15, 2014 to March 18, 2014 (months eight and nine) I fluctuated between 55 and 59 pounds lost. I can’t seem to get to sixty pounds or achieve the illusive six pack, although I believe shaving the Yeti might show six pack definition in my abdominals! It’s very strange how setting a goal I never achieve keeps me motivated. In a way this is good because I always have two goals, a total loss of sixty pounds and ripped six pack abdominal muscles. If I’m always seeking these goals without pursuing them, I’m always maintaining if not losing. I’m like a dog chasing a car; the fun is in the chase. What is a dog going to do with a car when he finally catches it?

Setting goals is recommended, however it is best done in moderate increments. I set my goals in stages and adjust them as I surpass each goal. Had I set a goal of sixty pounds in the beginning, I would never have gotten to the level I had. Again, the journey and the milestones are what made this possible. I kept setting enjoyable new goals, 20, then 30, then 40, then 50 pounds. Don’t look too far ahead or set too large of expectations. Live for the present and celebrate your success to date. Make your routine and eating habits a lifestyle and stick to them. I hope you find this information beneficial to your efforts!

Accomplishments | Motivation | Activities | Food and Alcohol | Hitting a Plateau

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