At sixty-five years old, I weighed two hundred and fifteen pounds with a Body Mass Index of 41%. I was exhausted all the time, taking several pharmaceuticals, and embarrassed to have my picture taken because I didn’t recognize the woman I saw. That was me on April 1st last year.
Today, I’m sixty-six, I weigh one hundred and fifty eight pounds with a BMI of 26%. I continue to lose an average of five pounds per month. I’ve lost fifty-eight pounds, thirty-one inches, and reduced my BMI by 14%. Most importantly, I am off all pharmaceuticals, full of energy, and smiling confidently in photos again.
For over twenty years, I believed weight gain, brain fog, exhaustion, poor gut health, and worsening bloodwork were simply part of aging after menopause. I was wrong.
Everything changed after hearing Ruth Soukup share her own health journey on a podcast focused on science-based nutrition. I studied nutrition and exercise specifically for women over fifty for two years before finally deciding to take action.
The biggest reason for my changing was simple: I wanted to be healthy enough to continue showing up for my family, employees, and loved ones. As the airplane instruction says, you must put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. I realized it was time to invest in myself instead of making excuses.
My transformation happened in three stages.
Stage One, I healed my gut. I eliminated fried foods, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, processed sugar, breads, pasta, and most unhealthy carbohydrates. I focused on organic fruits and vegetables, grassfed/finished meats, healthy dairy, vitamins, collagen, and clean eating.
Stage Two, I focused on movement and strength. I worked with trainers, joined walking groups, and committed to consistent exercise that included core work, weights, balance, and flexibility training. My goal was not only weight loss, but also strength, mobility, and reducing the risk of falling as I age.
Stage Three, I changed my mindset permanently. I stopped viewing unhealthy foods as comfort and began viewing them as harmful to my health. I cleaned out my pantry, tracked my meals daily using the Lose It app, planned meals ahead of time, and surrounded myself with supportive people who encouraged healthy habits.
A few habits made the biggest difference:
- Learning the science behind nutrition I did this through books and Podcasts. My favorites are Feeling Better, Live Free and Wake up and Read the Labels
- Exercising early each morning – walk daily and core train three to four days per week
- Cutting sugar first, then I cut the bad carbs that turned into sugar
- Tracking meals BEFORE eating to catch mistakes before I consumed the wrong foods
- Meal Planning Weekly
- Sharing my journey for accountability
- Believing lasting change was possible
Today, my bloodwork is completely healthy, my gut issues are gone, I haven’t needed Nexium in over two years, and I feel better than I’ve had in decades.
My new mission is simple:
“Don’t just eat cleaner. Live cleaner to live longer.”
Anne Urban has lived in Jacksonville for thirty-five years, and is the owner of Florida Wedding Supplies. She’s been married for forty-three years and is the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of four little cuties. Her passion is helping others discover healthy aging strategies that support a better quality of life.
