Helping Boomers To Get And Stay Fit Online (NAPSA)—There’s good news for those who find it gets harder to lose weight as they get older: A new online community has been designed to offer tips and encouragement to boomers fighting the “battle of the bulge.” According to a new report produced by AARP, the American Medical Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention, Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 arefinding it hard to shed unwanted pounds: 32 percent of adults in this age group are obese and 27 percent have not been physically active in the past month. In response, AARP has joined forces with Carole Carson, a weight-loss success story who lost 62 pounds at the age of 60. The author of “From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself Into a Weapon of Mass Reduction,” she is credited with helping more than a thousand of her Nevada neighbors andfriends lose nearly four tons of weight in eight weeks. As part of the “Fat2Fit” online community, she provides virtual support to thousands of people trying to be healthy in the middle of leading very busylives. Fat2Fit online community participants team up with other people—no matter what their age or where they live—who face similar challenges to give and receive support in their fitness adventure. They also receive cooking tips and advice from experts to help them stay on track, and eating and exercise routines so new healthy habits can be developed and sustained. More than 4,000 people have joined together to lose more than a ton of weight by participating in an online community. “We’re having fun gaining friends and losing weight,” Carson said. “Instead of relying on willpoweralone, we're relying on people power. Surrounding ourselves with support from like-minded teammates makesall the difference.” To date, more than 4,000 peo- ple have joined together to lose more than a ton of weight by participating in the community. AARP’s president, Jennie Chin Hansen, also decided to join. “I find myself at that stage of life where the weight has slowly crept up over the years. Like many baby boomers, I’m balancing a busy schedule. I spend a lot of time volunteering at AARPas the president and thus have the added challenge of fitting activity into my daily routine,” Chin Hansen said. Fat2Fit is free, open to all ages and welcomes AARP members and nonmembersalike. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/Fat2Fit.
