It's not just about vanity anymore

AriesGal329

I am just over 50. Most of my life I've battled with keeping extra pounds off, but it was all because I wanted to look good. Now that I'm older, my blood pressure and cholesterol levels are both too high. Heart disease runs in my family. My doctor has told me that losing weight will help both of these health issues so now my motivation has changed dramatically. I still want to look good, but now I feel like my life expectancy is on the line. It's a whole new way of thinking about "dieting" for me.

AnnPT77

Yup.

I finally committed to weight loss at age 59, after being a ways into obese BMI territory for decades. Before losing, I tried changes in what I ate, and became very active, but those things had only very small impact on my high cholesterol/triglycerides and borderline to high blood pressure.

Now, at 61 and having lost nearly a third of my bodyweight, to the 120s at 5'5", my blood lipids are solidly normal, and BP tends to be low normal. As a bonus, my torn meniscus (knee) bothers me much less, as does my (minor) osteoarthritis.

Plus, with MFP, weight loss was simple (if not always easy ).

You're on the right track!