So recently I turned 50 and recently I lost just over 50 pounds.    People want to know:  How did I do it?  I would love to tell you that I have turned into some fitness freak or weight loss guru.... but the truth is so much less exotic.   Let me start from the beginning:

Last summer about 3 months into the pandemic, I started exhibiting signs that there was something wrong.... heart racing, dizziness, numbness, etc.   I really thought I was having a heart attack on a daily basis.   Tried to get into see my dr, but it had been a couple of years since my last physical so I was considered a "new patient" and the closest appointment was in December.    So I tried something else.    I reached out to a cardiologist who was able to see me pretty quickly.    Sure enough, I was suffering from high blood pressure.   The first thing the dr told me was that I needed to lose weight.    I wanted to tell him... "Dude I have a mirror.... I could have told you that."

I am 6 feet tall and at the time weighed 240 pounds.   So I started by setting small goals for myself.   The first was to weigh less than my son who is 6'4" and 230 pounds.   The second was to no longer be OBESE on the BMI scale.  Then to be under 200.  Then to lose 50 by my 50th.   My next goal is to hit the Normal weight range on the BMI scale.  I think I have 3 pounds to go.   This journey was about getting healthy not necessarily about what the scale said, but it was a metric I knew how to measure.

Exercise:    I started just by walking.... not strolling... a brisk walk where your heart rate goes up.   I walked 3 miles 6 days a week.   After doing that for 3 to 4 months,  I started a couch to 5K program.   One I found on Pinterest.   Once I was able to run the full 3.1 miles, I added running to my regime.   I now walk 4 days a week and run 2 days a week.    At the beginning of this year, I added weights and resistance training by joining the gym with my very best friend.   We laugh a lot but we are getting the work done.    I ran my first official 5K last week with a time of 31 minutes 6 seconds.    Not bad for an old lady.

Diet:   I do not follow a diet.   I use My Fitness Pal to track calories.  I have a sugar addiction.    So I am trying to cut out processed foods and sugars.   I have found this makes natural sugars so much sweeter.   In the beginning, I stuck to 1500-1700 calories.  When I hit the plateau,  I added calories.   Sounds crazy, but I did a little research and it worked.    So now I hover around 1800-2000 calories with the lower days in between.   I have tried and loved to learn veggies that I thought I hated.   Fish has been a large part of my diet.   But I save room for things like butter, cheese, and an occasional treat.    I have learned some great substitutions and tricks from watching TikTok....

Support.... I have a lot of support from other women in my life.   Childhood friends, my sister, my best friend, work friends, a walking buddy.   This was instrumental to me.   I don't think they cared when I bragged about every milestone.   They cheered me on.   This was what kept me going.  

This may not work for everyone but it is what worked for me.   You have to do what works for you and what you can be happy doing.   Essentially, it is a lifestyle change.   I know I wanted to be healthy for my kids and for myself.   I am taking on this 50 year with a sense of renewed energy.   If I have inspired someone else to get a new lease on life, then I am proud of that too.   I have included some pictures for reference.   

Before

 Now