Hi Everyone, I am very new to this forum. I decided it was time to get my butt off the chair and do something serious about these extra pounds. I will be 50 next month and would love to be happy and healthy for the next part of my life. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello from Nova Scotia

Happy Birthday in advanced. You are giving yourself a gift of health! What are your plans for weight loss?

I'm living proof you can make it happen at this age. It was my approaching 50th that focused me.

The wonderful thing about approaching weight loss at this age is you've probably spent a lot of time thinking about what you're willing to do and what you're not so that you can design a plan that fits for you for the rest of your life.

I turned 50 in February. It freaked me out! I still can't accept it. I don't feel 50, however that's supposed to feel. I've been told I look like a 38-year old, I feel the mental vibrancy of a 28-year-old, the physical health of a 65-year-old, the wisdom of a 110-year-old, and at times, the emotional maturity of a 6-year-old! I'm all over the place!

Five years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. That was a major wake-up call for me. But I was so scattered with my efforts. Did I just want to lose weight? Was that even a realistic goal for me? What did I really want? After some time and a lot of soul searching, I decided I wanted to enjoy a full, vibrant life. I re-evaluated my wants and needs and came up with a plan for achieving whole mind-body health and a real sense of well-being.

I find I'm progressing nicely with my new, more realistic goals. The weight loss is only a piece of it, and it hasn't been easy. It seems to be part of the last efforts in my overall plan. Just worked out that way. I have to say, I feel really good about who I am. I know what I want. I know what I don't want. I can move my body better now than I have been able to in many years. I gave up a lot of poor food choices. I recently finally gave up overeating and am managing emotions much better. I just don't need the extra food any more.

I'm still frustrated that under all the excess pounds there lurks a 50-year-old that's going to need to have excess skin removed, and not that vibrant 28-year-old I was hoping to find. I'm hoping my vibrant 50-year-old self can shine through and kick the backside of some 28-year-olds I know.

You can be healthier at any point in your life! It's so great to see people at every age wanting to be more active and eat better ^^

You don't have to up and overhaul your entire life in one night to do it, either.

I always suggest small steps. One week at a time. One change at a time. Start with something you know you can already do. And do it every day for one week.

Maybe you want to start by drinking more water. Or perhaps you know you can substitute your snacks for raw fruits and vegetables. Or you know you can take a five minute walk each day. Or you want to track down all of your food for week. Not necessarily calorie count, but just write down everything you eat to be aware.

Something you can commit to doing each and every day. Start small, commit, build up.

You can do it =)