It's Never too Late

Have you been thinking about making some healthy lifestyle changes, but are struggling to find the motivation? It's never too late to become active and healthy. Everyone is capable of making some kind of change -large or small- to become or maintain a healthy lifestyle. About a week ago a man from England ran a marathon at 100 years old (CNN.com Centenarian Completes Marathon)! People make the effort to be healthy at every age and stage of life. Debbie from Sandy, UT has a motivating success story about making the effort to become healthy and how it has improved her life. 

(Salt Lake Tribune) Six years ago, Debbie Youngberg, of Sandy, was considered officially obese. Because she was in her 50s, she believed she would never be able to lose the weight. But after a “spiritual epiphany,” she decided to take care of her body and lost 115 pounds. She has kept it off for four years and now feels 20 years younger. Here is her success story.

Goal

To take care of my body.

Inspiration

In 2005, I was 54 years old and I was officially obese, according to the Body Mass Index, and my triglycerides were moderately high. I was quite certain that it would be nearly impossible for me to lose weight, but then I had something of a spiritual epiphany. I recognized that I hated my body. Since I consider the body to be a divine gift, I realized that I should be grateful for it instead of hating it. I decided that I had to make an honest effort to take care of my body.

How she did it

I ate less and exercised more. I was afraid of going on a crash diet, sticking to it for a few days, feeling deprived and then gaining back more than I had lost. I committed to stick to the rules for one month and then see what happened. At the end of one month I had lost 5 pounds. That might not seem like a lot, but it was proof that it could be done.

I stuck to my rules for the next 17 months and consistently lost 5 or 6 pounds every month. I eventually lost 115 pounds, which I have now kept off for almost four years.

When I started, I committed to walking every day without fail and began to increase the speed. I also increased the distance to a little over four miles. By the time I had lost the 100 pounds, I was walking the four-plus miles in under 45 minutes. Then my walking had gotten so fast that I started running. I am currently 59 years old and run 3.4 miles six days a week.

The best part about losing weight is I feel younger, like I lost 10 years in addition to the weight. I feel better now than I did 20 years ago. I am also able to participate in activities with my adult children and grandchildren that I never could have done when I was heavier. Last summer my husband and I climbed Mount Olympus. It was a satisfying achievement for us both.