A weapon of mass reduction

Carole Carson spent nearly a lifetime trying to slim down; then she started writing about it

If you are having difficulty shedding unwanted pounds, you are not alone. Carole Carson was among those having trouble losing weight, having dieted for more than 40 years with little success.

Nearing her 60th birthday, Carson weighed 179 pounds and size 16 clothes were tight on her small 5-foot-1-inch frame. After stepping on a broken scale, she decided something needed to be done.

"I realized I was fat and wanted to get fit," she said. "I was walking around with a gun to my head and didn't even know it."

Carson chronicled her 62-pound weight loss in weekly articles in her local newspaper. Her inspiring story encouraged more than 1,000 people in her community to shed nearly 8,000 pounds in a two-month period.

With 64 percent of Americans overweight, Carson has made it her mission to help others lead healthier lives. After inspiring others to achieve their goals, she hopes her book, "From Fat to Fit: Turn yourself into a weapon of mass reduction" continues to motivate even more people. She is also setting up a virtual community, for all ages, through AARP.

The key, according to Carson, is creating a network. It's much easier to incorporate new health habits or maintain exercise routines with buddies.

"My changes influenced other people and these people's changes are influencing even more people," she added. "There's that moment of realization -- if others can do it, I can do it, too."

How much is 62 pounds? Carole Carson lost 62 pounds. That's roughly equal to the following: » 46 bags of Oreos » 83 sodas » 4,960 sausage links Join the F.E.A.S.T! FIT » The emphasis is on fitness, rather than thinness, dress size, weight loss, weight or BMI. EVERY » No one gets a free pass when it comes to getting fit. Every person needs to focus on fitness. AGE » We are never too young or too old to address fitness issues. SIZE » Any sized person, large or small, can be fit. A large person can be fit; a thin person can be unhealthy. TIME » Whatever our condition or station in life: pregnant, caregiver, recovering from medical problem, in a wheelchair, now is the right time to adopt healthful practices. Source: Carole Carson