In the last year of her 40s, Shannon Townley set a goal: to lose 50 lbs. before her 50^th birthday. Thanks to her doctor and a new weight-loss medication, she was able to reach her goal and then some.

Achieving your healthy weight? Today, it’s more possible than ever. And the benefits—improved heart health, protection against some forms of cancer, greater flexibility, increased stamina and more—will help you lead a longer, more active life.
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A closer look at obesity

The fact is, obesity (body mass index of 30 kg/m² or more) is not a willpower problem—it’s officially recognized as a chronic disease by major medical organizations, including the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

The reason: The factors that lead to gaining weight—and prevent efforts at losing it—are complex, ranging from specific gene interactions and metabolic adaptations to environmental, behavioral and psychological cues that stimulate appetite, encourage overeating and disrupt the body’s built-in satiety signals.

What’s worse, everyday factors—things like sleep deprivation, chronic stress and exposure to so-called obesogens (chemicals that can change your hormones and increase your body fat)—can foil your weight-loss efforts.

But take heart—finding your key to weight loss is worth the effort: The longer your body mass index remains in the overweight or obesity category, the greater your risk for serious health consequences, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and even some types of cancer.

Find what works for you!

The good news? In addition to long-standing weight-loss programs, there are more apps, tools and FDA-approved treatments than ever before to help you shed excess pounds. It’s simply a question of finding what works for you. Learn more about your treatment options by clicking here.

To help inspire you, we asked people who have successfully slimmed down to share their stories in this guide. Some, like Shannon Townley, used medication and lifestyle tweaks, others like Jeancarlo “JC” Danies and Nicole Burns joined a gym, worked on their nutrition and found activities that helped them increase their movement. Perhaps one of their strategies will resonate with you. We also created a weight loss quiz you can take and review with your healthcare provider.

No matter the approach you take, be sure to keep your healthcare team in the loop. In the Johns Hopkins POWER (Practice-based Opportunities for Weight Reduction) Trial, people who got their doctor’s guidance while trying to pare pounds lost twice as much as those who opted to go it alone! Read on to learn more about what you can do to achieve and maintain a healthy weight—and face the world with more confidence, energy and enthusiasm!

If you’re trying to lose extra weight, it might not be the first time. That’s because most people who shed excess pounds gain them back. In fact, you might wonder why you should even bother trying again. Here’s why: This time it will be different! That’s because this time, you’ll have the keys to maintenance up front—and can set the stage for the behaviors that will lead to long-term success.

Since 1994, the National Weight Control Registry at Brown University has been studying the habits of people who have lost at least 30 lbs. and kept it off for at least one year. All told, the registry comprises people who have shed an average of 66 lbs. and maintained the loss for 5.5 years.

Over time, the researchers have found that in addition to eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet, four key habits seem to set the stage for long-term weight maintenance.

1. Eating breakfast every day.
78% of NWCR members start their day
with a morning meal.

2. Weighing in weekly.
75% weigh themselves at least once a week.

3. Limiting TV time.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV a week.

4. Being active every day.
90% exercise about an hour a day.

If you’re still at the beginning of your weight-loss journey, the good news is you have time to start incorporating these behaviors into your routine. Work on adding one or two at a time, and rather than striving for perfection, aim for consistency.

Better yet, the researchers have found that people who keep the weight off for two to five years greatly increase their odds of keeping it off for the long haul.

From celebrating wins to “eating everything” to setting achievable goals, Shannon, JC and Nicole share the strategies that helped them drop 375 lbs. combined! Ask your healthcare team if their methods could work for you.

“I found my motivation!”
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Shannon Townley, 50
Pasadena, TX

These days, Shannon Townley has plenty to be grateful for—having the luxury of time to hangout and home-school her 16-year-old son, Hunter; hearing “you are so beautiful” daily from her supportive husband, Larry; and finally finding the answers to gaining control of her weight and high blood pressure. “I just want to be happy and be in a mindset where I’m able to find the good in everything,” the stay-at-home mom says.

That’s why during the last year of her 40s, Shannon decided to set up goals before her milestone birthday. On the top of that list? To take better care of her health and manage her weight. “When I was in my 30s, I had different motivations for losing weight,” Shannon shares. “It was all about looking good. But now I’m in my 50s—and I still want to look good, don’t get me wrong. But the freedom of being able to easily move and spend time with my son, to be able to get up easier and feel better in general has been my driving force.” 

The first step: going to her annual checkup with her OBGYN. When it was time for her weigh-in, her doctor was concerned. The scale showed 194.4 lbs.—that mean her BMI was 31, which falls in the obesity range. Shannon wasn’t surprised. “I’ve always been snacky—even when I wasn’t hungry!” she admits. “For me, the temptation comes in the form of Mexican food, chips and salsa, and queso. Remove those from the world, and I would be set with my weight loss, but also very, very sad,” Shannon says.

“I tried so many diets and medications”
On top of her snacking habits, Shannon’s mounting responsibilities as a mom left her with little time to focus on her needs. “My weight fluctuated over the years, especially after my pregnancies,” she says. So she tried different diets and medications. “I have tried everything! When I had my first daughter, I gained a lot of weight, so I got a prescription for a medication called phentermine. It kept off the weight until I got pregnant again with my son,” she recalls. “Then my weight ballooned to over 200 lbs. I tried the keto diet a couple of times, but I realized I needed carbs in my life; it wasn’t sustainable.”

Another concern for Shannon? Her high blood pressure. “I’ve been on a blood pressure medication since my son was born, so for almost 16 years now,” she says. Shannon opened up to her doctor and asked about her options. “She was excited about an injectable medication that was recently approved for weight loss. Because of my BMI and high blood pressure, I was able to qualify for it,” she says.

“My doctor helped me reach my goals”
After months of back and forth with her insurance, Shannon finally got the approval for the medication in December 2021. Before taking it, Shannon talked to her doctor about her weight loss goals. “I told her I wanted to lose 50 lbs. before my 50^th birthday. My doctor listened to me and was very good about helping me set realistic goals. At that time, 50 lbs. seemed like a high number, so she told me, ‘Let’s start with losing 8 lbs., then when you hit that goal, let’s set up another goal.’ ” 

Shannon started on a .25 mg dose once a week for the first four weeks and quickly noticed a change in her appetite. “I wasn’t craving snacks and alcohol as much anymore,” she shares. Along with her medication, Shannon added strength training to her exercise routine twice a week. “My husband, Larry, always encouraged me to train with him, so we would work out together in our garage,” she says.

After the first month, Shannon hit her first goal and lost 8 lbs. And then another 12 lbs. And then 25 lbs. Until finally, 50 lbs.—right before her 50^th birthday! “Most importantly, I feel better and I can move better! Now I’m able to cross my legs or ‘hop up’ after a workout,” she says. Another perk? “My blood pressure has gone down, so I’m finally ready to be off of my blood pressure medication! This whole lifestyle shift has changed my relationship with my body. At 50, I’m finally at peace with myself and looking forward to all the good things to come.”

Shannon’s strategies for keeping off the weight:

Celebrate your wins! “I do this by rewarding myself. When I was still trying to hit my goals, I would treat myself by shopping. I weigh in on Friday, so in the beginning of the week, I’d shop online for shoes or clothes and then leave them in my cart. Once I hit my goal, then I tell myself it’s okay to check out and buy my cart! Once I lost a lot of weight, I had to buy new clothes anyway because the old ones no longer fit.”

Make water more enticing. “I wasn’t a big water drinker before I bought these sugar-free vanilla orange water enhancer liquids. You can also try adding lime or whatever fruit you like. Now, I can drink it plain, but having that flavor helped me get started. And drinking water helped keep me full.”

Eat the cookie. “If I’m eyeing a cookie in the pantry, I don’t deny myself. If I do, I know I’ll end up binging something else trying to satiate my craving only to give in and have the cookie, too. So I just eat the cookie while being mindful of my portion size and then move on with my life.”

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“You have the power to change your life”
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Jeancarlo “JC” Danies,
42
Miami, FL

Weight has been an issue in JC’s life since the day he was born. “I was a preemie, so my parents fed me a lot of food to get bigger,” he explains. “This was the beginning of a vicious cycle.” JC went from a chubby kid to an obese adult, eventually weighing 431 lbs.

Then a fateful appointment with a cardiologist in February 2019 changed everything. “By that time, I had stopped working because I was so depressed. My life was going from the bed to the dinner table to the sofa. But when the doctor told me I had only between 5% to 10% blood flow in my right leg and had a maximum of two years to live, I started my transformation.”

Today, JC encourages the clients he coaches for free in his nonprofit, Fat Free Foundation, to focus on something that will motivate them, whether it’s achieving a personal goal, like doing a 5K, or simply being around longer for loved ones. “You are the one who has the power to change your life—and only you can make this happen.”

JC’s top keep-the-weight-off tips:

Consume a balanced diet. At first, JC decided to follow the Paleo diet because he thought he’d be able to stick to it. When he got down to 299 lbs., he joined a kickboxing gym and became inspired to enter a bodybuilding competition. After months of hardcore workout sessions and eating a highly restrictive diet, he won the national and world championships. “Once I put my mind to something, I go all out to achieve and win!” he states. But shortly after claiming the world title, he gained 19 lbs. “My hormones were unbalanced because I had no idea how to eat healthy unless I was in training. I was in a bad place.” This time, he credits a nutritionist for setting him on the right path. “This is the golden nugget: Do not cut out whole macronutrients—that means don’t stop eating carbohydrates, fats or protein. I eat three meals a day and two snacks—and each one contains a little of each now. If you remove all fats and carbs, you will blow up the moment you eat them again. Your body is designed to have the basic food groups. It’s about finding a happy medium!”

Schedule regular workouts. In the early days of his journey, JC had difficulty walking because of his weight and the limited blood flow in his leg. “I started out by walking around the neighborhood while holding onto my son's stroller,” he says. “I’d stay on the sidewalk because sometimes I had to lean against a parked car if I felt like I might fall.” After winning his first bodybuilding championship 19 months later, he modified his workout routine. “Unless there is an emergency, the first thing I do each morning is go to the gym.” His sessions include 30 minutes of cardio where he walks on an incline at a 4.0 speed (“I don’t run or jog”), followed by 50 to 60 minutes of weight training. “I work out each day, no matter what.”

Understand it’s a journey, not a destination. Even though JC, who can be found on Instagram @fatfree.jc, has lost 222 lbs, he still makes a conscious effort every day to stay in shape. “I’ve always had a problem with weight, and I still have it,” he admits. “Food is life. I finally learned how to have a healthy relationship with food and today I eat everything—chocolate, fruit, rice, cheese, tortillas—yet it was a process to get here. And I’ll still wake up at three in the morning wanting to eat something. There is no magic fix—it is an ongoing mental challenge; you just need the right tools for you to manage it.”

“Set yourself up for success”
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Nicole Burns, 23
Seattle

Nicole recalls growing up as the “bigger girl” in school. “Even though I was very active and played all kinds of sports, the pounds stayed on due to my extreme sweet tooth, large portion sizes and love for all things carb.” It wasn’t until she got to college that the number on the scale really jumped (“I used my dining dollars to buy ice cream, pasta and burgers to help comfort me during stressful weeks”), topping out at 306 lbs. and leading to extreme joint pain.

Nicole’s primary care physician referred her to a weight-loss center, and ultimately she opted for a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (bariatric weight-loss surgery that changes the size of the stomach). Along with working with medical doctors, Nicole teamed up with a psychologist and nutritionist to work through the procedure and the best way to revamp her life after.

“Even if you don’t choose the surgery route, I encourage anyone embarking on a weight-loss journey to consult with a registered dietitian, who can help you discover the foods that help fuel your body. And if you’re struggling with depression or emotional eating, consider a therapist. Knowledge is power!”

How Nicole keeps her numbers in goal:

Become a planner. “Your schedule can revolve around how you're going to move your body during the week, meal planning for the week or how you will work in more sips of water throughout the day,” she says. Relying on a personalized agenda can also help with setting—and meeting—realistic goals, such as increasing the intensity of workouts. “The more you achieve, the easier it will be to turn goals into habits.”

Surround yourself with uplifting people. Nicole, who documents her progress on Instagram @nicoleyvsg, has dropped 103 lbs. (and counting) and is thrilled with this new version of herself. “I have more energy, feel more confident and I’m even sleeping better at night,” she posted when she hit the 70-lb. milestone. Today, she is incredibly grateful for the love of her family, friends and fiancé, Aaron (“I wouldn’t have been as successful without them”), along with her online friends who are on the same journey. “I’ve met so many lovely people on social media, and we have been supporting each other to overcome obstacles that can get in the way of weight loss,” she says. “The more support you have around you, the less daunting the journey will seem.”

If your go-to for groceries is the dollar store or corner bodega, you may be one of an estimated 23.5 million people in the U.S. who have limited access to affordable, nutritious food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Experts call such areas “food deserts,” and it can be bad news for your weight. The reason? Studies show that those who live in a food desert and rely on convenience foods (think packaged, processed items) and fast foods are at an elevated risk for obesity. So how do you make a healthy and budget-friendly meal when your fresh food options are limited? We asked Constance Riggs-Brown, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN, creator of www.eatingsoulfully.com, and Angela Golden, DNP, FNP-C, FFANP, owner of NP Obesity Treatment Clinic and NP from Home LLC, for their tips.

Consider cans!
You may already know the advice to fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables when it comes to planning healthy meals, but that can be challenging when most corner stores don’t offer a large selection of fresh produce. That’s where canned veggies come in handy! And if you’re concerned you’ll be missing out on nutrients by going the canned route, think again—a study from Michigan State University found that canned varieties generally have the same amount of vitamins and minerals as fresh, and in some cases more so. One tip? Look for “no salt added” on labels to keep sodium levels controlled, or rinse the veggies after opening the can, which can remove 30% or more of the salt. Need recipe inspiration? AllRecipes.com offers more than 2,700 using canned veggies.

Aim for plant proteins.
“Protein is essential when building a healthy meal, but remember, meat isn’t the only way to get it,” reminds Golden. “So if fresh chicken and fish aren’t easily accessible, you can still have protein-packed meals featuring nuts, beans and lentils, and many of these can last for months on the pantry shelf.” Even better? Multiple studies show that opting for plant-based protein is better for your health than animal protein because it packs more nutrients into fewer calories, and it also contains fiber—something meat completely lacks! These forms of protein are also lower in saturated fat than red meat—a plus if you’re concerned about your heart health.

Think outside the box.
Sure, you might know that oatmeal is great for a healthy breakfast, but did you know that you can also add canned mushrooms, jarred minced garlic and chicken broth to it and turn it into a savory dish? “A lot of shelf-stable whole grains like oatmeal, as well as cornmeal and grits, can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner,” says Riggs-Brown. “Relying on shelf-stable foods may require a little more creativity, but they can still be used to create delicious, filling, nutrient-dense, and low-fat meals for any time of the day.”

Go plain.
Most healthy eating plans try to steer away from “packaged foods,” since they often contain high amounts of sugar, salt and trans fats. But that can be tough when you’re relying on convenience store foods. The general rule? The fewer the ingredients, the better. So opt for plain varieties of items like rice, beans or pasta and add your own flavoring using spices like garlic powder, oregano or hot pepper flakes. Instead of prepackaged soups, make your own using plain boxed chicken broth and unsalted canned vegetables. Skip the boxed mac and cheese and make homemade using plain pasta, reduced-fat cheese and canned butternut squash. The possibilities are endless!

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