My Journey to Strong After 70

By Brent

The “Not Cool” Reality Check

I recently turned 73, and prior to my birthday, my right knee became quite painful. It didn’t help that my left knee occasionally gives me pain—I’ve known for years that the left one needed replacement, but my orthopedic surgeon told me it wasn’t imperative. He said, “When you can’t stand it, call and we’ll schedule the surgery.” I’d been putting it off a long time, but now with both knees painful, X-rays showed I need both replaced. Not cool!

I knew I could no longer put it off. I was trying to plan the best time to shoehorn the first surgery between travel plans and the time needed to put my garden in this May. But in the back of my mind, I wanted to see if there was something else I could do to avoid surgery. Half the people I know say “get it done,” and the other half say “put it off as long as possible.”

The Ghost of Misery Diets Past

I thought about losing weight to see if it would help. I know losing weight is always good, but it’s so hard to do. Just before I turned 50, I weighed 225 lbs—the most I’ve ever weighed. Vanity took over; I wanted to look good for my son’s mission farewell. My wife and I went on the “Michael Thurmond 6-week body makeover plan,” and it worked! In 6 weeks, I dropped to 193 lbs. I was “beautiful” for the event, but what a price to pay.

It was awful being on such a strict and restrictive diet. I hated it, my wife hated it, and the only way we made it was being miserable together. I still remember the final day after our final weigh-in; we went to A&W and had a root beer float. That was heavenly. But once you step onto a slope, it’s hard not to slide. Over the years, I accepted 200 lbs, then 210, telling myself, “I’m still less than 225.”

The “Sideways Mirror” Moment

Returning from a trip to Florida recently, I got on the scale and weighed 219 lbs. I was very surprised and determined to do something. I initially looked into 5-day fasts to fire up “autophagy” (cellular repair), but I did something smart: I hired a trainer.

When I listed my measurements for him, I found a shocking truth: my waist measurement was larger than my chest. I usually look at myself in the mirror from the front, but I wasn’t turning sideways. When I finally did, I was horrified to see what a “gut” I had. That was the final straw.

First Time Under 200 in Decades

Today at the gym: 199.2 lbs.

I honestly couldn’t believe it.

For years, I assumed getting older meant slowly becoming heavier, weaker and more limited.

I don’t believe that anymore.

The Anti-Frail Plan

When my trainer learned I planned a 5-day fast, he sternly warned me: DON’T DO IT. He explained that in your 70s, a good portion of weight lost from fasting is muscle loss. The last thing you want to do at this age is become frail.

Instead, we set a goal: reach a 188 lb weight and a 36″ waist by February 2027. My plan is simple:

Eating Window: 11 am to 7 pm (Intermittent Fasting).
Nutrition: 1,900 calories a day with a heavy focus on protein (120g+) to retain muscle.
Exercise: “Start low, go slow.” 30 minutes of walking and controlled resistance training daily.

My Progress

Date	Weight	Waist (most important number)
March 1	219 lbs	46.25″
April 1	208 lbs	45.5″
May 1	205 lbs	45″
June 1	202 lbs	44″

“Right now I’m cruising along at about 1 lb per week. Nothing extreme.”

Best part of all this is seeing my waist size trending downward,

So very grateful.

Amazingly I have not once felt hungry. I am building a foundation that is sustainable for the long term. I’m not just losing weight; I’m building the strength to stay active and healthy for years to come.