Staying Fit
Whole Body Reset eating plan testers, L to R: Elizabeth Woodard, Bill Hawkins, Beth Daniels
Photo Credit, L to R: Susan Seubert, Cary Norton, Lexey Swall
When authors Stephen Perrine and Heidi Skolnick set out to develop a weight-loss program specifically for men and women at midlife and older, they knew it needed to be different.
Science has shown that adult bodies have unique nutritional needs. To prevent weight gain and muscle loss after age 50 it is necessary to fuel our bodies in a new way. Enter The Whole Body Reset, a lifestyle plan based on protein-timing.
Join the AARP Weight Loss After 50 Challenge
Learn what small changes you can make for health and wellness as we age. Step by step, we'll:
- Show you the secrets to losing weight
- Give you guides to healthy foods
- Provide dozens of delicious new recipes to try
- Help you embrace a whole new way of eating
The concept is simple: Eat more protein and fiber throughout the day, starting with a fulfilling, energy-packed breakfast. The weight-loss plan is full of real, healthy foods and approved by researchers in the fields of aging, nutrition and weight management.
But the proof is in the results. AARP enlisted staffers ages 50 to 75 to try out the plan for 12 weeks. Here are three success stories:
Elizabeth Woodard, 55, Tigard, Oregon
AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
Left: Courtesy Elizabeth Woodard; Right: Susan Seubert
Dropped 22 pounds on the 12-week test panel and 30 pounds overall
Elizabeth Woodard knew she needed to make a healthy change.
“I was up thirty pounds over my ideal weight — meaning the weight I wanted to be at,” she says. A former exercise physiologist, Woodard was already very active, walking six to eight miles every day and going to the gym regularly. So she knew if she was going to drop those unwanted pounds, it meant changing her diet.
“Knowing what you need to do and actually doing it are two different things,” she says. “Then AARP offered this program. I just said, ‘Okay, this is my start date. This is what I’m doing.’ ” She began by becoming more aware of what she was eating, making sure her portions were sensible, and most important of all, adding protein to her breakfasts every day. And sure enough, not only did the pounds start coming off — she lost twenty-two during the Whole Body Reset 12-week trial — but they kept coming off, and stayed off, even during the pandemic. Today, she’s not only thirty pounds lighter, but she recently tried on her wedding dress — and it fit! “My daughter was really impressed,” she says.
What's in the Book?
The Whole Body Reset includes:
- Scores of recipes and snack suggestions
- A guide to dining out
- A 10-day jump-start plan
- A fitness plan that requires no equipment
Through March 31, 2024, enjoy 40 percent off The Whole Body Reset paperback, developed by AARP, when purchasing from the publisher. To redeem, click here* and use promo code AARP40 at checkout.
So is her doctor: Her healthy HDL cholesterol levels rose, her unhealthy LDL levels dropped, and now both are within the recommended guidelines.
But perhaps most important is how she feels. “My energy levels have definitely increased. My mood improved. And now it’s fun to shop for clothes again. I couldn’t go to the stores because of COVID, so I’ve been shopping online, and I find that I’m not returning things like I used to, because the clothes fit better.”
More on Health
6 Weight Loss Myths — and What Really Works to Drop Pounds
From carbs to juice cleanses, health experts sort through diet fads, fact and fiction
How to Exercise to Lose Weight
New research suggests weights, intervals and setting a timer on your phone may all be part of the planA Doctor Explains Why Healthy Fats Are Good for You
5 high-fat foods that won’t make you gain weight