I lost 60 pounds in my 50s, and I’ve never felt stronger. Here’s how I did it and kept the weight off.

• In the 20-plus years since I got married, I went from a size 8 to a size 16.
• Then, something happened on a family trip that changed my perspective and lit a fire in me.
• I started eating clean and embraced many new forms of exercise. Now, I feel better than ever.

I didn't start out overweight. On my wedding day in July 1993, I weighed 130 pounds and was a size 8. Many years later, when I had packed on some pounds, my (now ex) husband saw a picture of us on our honeymoon and asked what happened to me.

You know what happened? I had two high-energy sons less than 20 months apart and didn't feel like I was getting the support I needed. I was depressed, and my appearance was the last thing on my mind. By the time 2019 rolled around, I weighed around 200 pounds and was a size 16.

Then something happened that completely changed my attitude. In the summer of 2019, while on a family trip to Myrtle Beach, I got a glimpse of a life I didn't want to live. Though the condo we were staying at was oceanfront, you had to walk through a large pool area and then over a little bridge that spanned some dunes before even getting your toes in the sand. My mother-in-law made it halfway over the bridge before she got too tired to continue. While her son, grandson, and great-grandson headed down to the beach, she had to stay at the pool.

I remember thinking how badly I felt for her, knowing she was missing out on precious family time. And I vowed then and there I was going to get healthy and lose weight so that would never happen to me.

I needed the to understand why I wanted to lose weight

I don't think the most important key to losing weight and maintaining it is the diet or the exercise. For me, it is the "why." You have to know your why. My mantra became, "I want to be as healthy as I can be so I can do the things I love with the people I love for as long as possible."

Of course, I knew the often-mentioned obstacles to weight loss, such as how metabolism shifts as women age. But one surefire way to make me want to do something, is to tell me it can't be done. I love a challenge.

I went hard

I started the Monday after we returned from our beach vacation. My plan was simple: eat clean and aim to exercise six days a week with a combination of strength training and cardio.

Looking back, I can see that I attacked my weight loss goals with a slightly obsessive vengeance. Within the first month, I took Krav Maga, yoga, boxing, and Fight Fit classes to see what I liked.

As my routines evolved, I lifted weights, I did the heinous burpees and mountain climbers, and even participated in two Murph Challenges (look it up — it's brutal).

Though my approach might seem drastic to some, it worked for me. I enjoyed moving more every day and made sure to incorporate strength training, which I think made all the difference in my success.

I changed the way I ate

In addition to all of the exercise I took on, I started eating clean — focusing on whole foods in their most natural state like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while avoiding processed and sugary foods.

I also tracked my calories with the MyFitnessPal app, which calculated a target for me based on my age, weight, activity level, and sex. I didn't cut carbs or follow a fad. I wanted something sustainable, and this strategy has continued to work for me.

I've kept the weight off and feel amazing

By the time I took a trip to Maui in February 2020, I was down 25 pounds. And within about a year, I had dropped 60 pounds and was a size 6 (Special thanks to Poshmark for making it affordable to replace my wardrobe several times on the way down).

It's been over five years since I had my aha moment, and I'm 57 now. I have run two Savage Races (6 ½ miles of mud and obstacles) with my son, achieved Level 2 in Krav Maga, and yes, I wear a bikini to the beach again. I refuse to get the memo that women of a certain age should cover up.

In addition to looking great, I feel great, too. I recently went zip lining with my boyfriend, who is 12 years younger than me. I feel energetic and healthy and people are regularly shocked when I tell them my age. Most importantly, I'm living out my goal of being able to do the things I love with the people I love.

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