Keep Moving Forward: The Power of a Restart: Grace, Grit, and Growth at Any Age

In this episode of the Keep Moving Forward podcast, I address  the emotional challenges of restarting weight loss efforts and emphasizes that it's never too late to regain control of your health and life. Eric shares personal stories and provides insights into common obstacles like unrealistic expectations, inconsistent habits, emotional eating, and poor sleep. He stresses that starting over is not a failure but a courageous decision. The episode concludes with actionable advice on establishing simple, sustainable habits and a call to action for listeners to give themselves permission to start again, regardless of past failures or age.

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Transcript

  📍 Welcome back to the Keep Moving Forward podcast, your weekly dose of real talk about weight loss, personal transformation, and the mindset shifts that help us show up, stay consistent, and stop living in the past tense. I'm your host, Eric, AKA, the used two guy, and today we're digging into two big emotional topics, how to start over after failing at weight loss and why it's never too late to take back your health, your confidence and your life, no matter how old you are.

These two things really go hand in hand because I talk to people all the time, people in their forties, fifties, and even in their sixties who've tried to lose weight before, and they feel like they've blown their one shot. Like if it didn't work that last time, maybe they just don't have it in them anymore.

If you feel like that this episode is for you, let's begin with the phrase starting over. Now, if you've ever tried to lose weight before, and let's be honest, most of us have, you know, that sinking feeling when you gain some weight, maybe some of it back, maybe all of it back, maybe more. Or maybe you've just stalled out, you haven't quit, but you're not making progress.

And it feels a lot of the times, like you're right back at square one. I've, I've had that feeling. I've had literal nightmares about regaining the weight I've lost. And in those dreams, I'm standing in front of a mirror heavier than I've been in years, and I can't figure out how I got there, what happened, or how to change it.

And waking up from that sort of feeling it sticks with you because for me, that fear's real. But it did take me years to learn that starting over isn't failure. It's simply a decision. It's a commitment. And honestly, it's brave as hell because most people don't start over. They just stay stuck. They tell themselves, well, I tried guess it wasn't meant to be.

And they accept that version of their life. The low energy, the chronic pain, that slow decline they take that is permanent, but not you. Not me. If you're here, if you're thinking about starting over, then you're still in this and that matters a ton. Let's talk about the real reasons why we fall off track, because it's not always about willpower.

Usually it's about one of these things. Number one, unrealistic expectations. We all want fast results. We expect for perfection, and when we don't get it, it can feel like we're failing. But like anything worth having, building sustainable habits and seeing the results takes time. And often this time doesn't exactly match to our timeline.

Number two, inconsistent habits. That's like eating clean during the week, but treating weekends like cheat codes or over relying on exercise without really ever changing your food. As I've been preaching, the most important thing is to build sustaining, lasting results and those habits to help maintain that consistency.

Now, I'm not talking about perfection by any means. I'm talking about waking up each day and recommitting to your process. If things go off the rails, immediately, put the train back on the tracks and carry on. There's nothing to be gained by beating yourself up for falling short of your expectations for yourself.

Now, if you find that each day you're having to redial things, it might be time to step back and make a larger assessment of your plan and process. It could be that what you're doing just doesn't work for you. Number three, stress and emotional eating. When life gets overwhelming, food is comfort. It's always there.

It's always easy. I'm an emotional eater, as I mentioned in prior posts and episodes. My relationship to food has very little to do with being hungry. I tend to grab junk food when I'm stressed or just to calm my nerves. I've been like this since I was a kid. So for me, it's critical to be aware of when I'm feeling anxious.

And to find better ways to manage my stress, like exercising or writing, or recording a podcast. Number four is poor sleep. I know this one hits home for us a lot. Um, bad sleep increases, cravings, brain fog makes for poor decisions and fuels that screw it mentality. I should know I suffered from really bad sleep issues for most of my life.

Honestly, only in the last year have I really managed my sleep, and it's made a huge difference in helping me maintain my weight loss and be the best version of myself I can be every day. Now, please note none of these four things make you broken. It just mean you're human. And once you recognize them, you can start to work through them.

Alright, let's talk about the second half of today's message. Am I too old to change? Huh? Let me answer this right now. No, you're not. I started my waitlist journey at 45, not 25, not 30, 45. At that point, I had high blood pressure. I was dealing with anxiety. I wasn't sleeping well, and I had a long history of not following through.

I had an entire catalog of failed starts behind me, and yeah, there was part of me that wondered, is this just who I am? Am I that used to guy now? But the more I leaned into the process, I. The more I took it one day at a time, one step at a time, I realized something powerful. Change doesn't care how old you are.

Your body still responds. Your mindset still adapts. Your life still opens up. Now at 53, I'm honestly in better shape than I've ever been. I'm stronger, more confident, more consistent, not perfect, but committed. So if in your forties or fifties or beyond and you're thinking, maybe it's too late for me, I'm telling you it's not.

The only deadline that exists is the one you believe exists. And most of the time that's just fear talking. Let's talk about how used to, doesn't have to define who you are, and I'm gonna share something personal. Uh, those few years ago, I really started referring to myself half jokingly as the used to guy in conversations with people telling stories.

I would tell about how I had run half marathons and I used to be fit. I would talk about how I used to be energetic and be able to do all these things with my friends and family. I used to talk about how I used to care for my health and watched what I ate, but eventually.

That phrase, that past tense thinking, it really started to hurt me more than it helped because I realized I wasn't just describing my past, I was making excuses for my present. The identity that used two version of me was keeping me stuck. So I started to shift that story. I decided that used to guy didn't have to be a punchline.

It could be the origin story for a new chapter. A reminder of how far I've come, how much further I can go and, just keep pushing that envelope forward. So here's what starting over actually looks like. It doesn't mean a complete life overhaul overnight. It doesn't mean restriction, punishment, or shame.

It doesn't mean you throw everything you've already learned in life. It means one. Important thing. You choose to start again with compassion and clarity. Start with the basics. Track your food. Not perfectly, but honestly, drink more water every day. It helps you feel full and keeps your muscles and organs optimized.

Move your body however you can. As they say, a body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest. Prioritize sleep. As I've mentioned a few times, for far too long, I took poor sleep for just who I was. I learned how to get through a day while exhausted, and over time, I think very few people even knew I suffered from really bad insomnia.

But navigating every day took work and effort, and it contributed to my anxiety and attention issues. By dealing with my sleep issues, I've come to realize the value of a good night's sleep. My advice here is if you have sleep issues, deal with him and do it now. Don't wait for days or decades, assuming there's no help, or things will magically get better.

They won't pick one or two non-negotiables. These are daily habits that you can and will commit to. For me, it's tracking every meal no matter what. It could be exercising five times a week, getting eight hours of sleep each night, reading for an hour each day, no matter what it is. Keep it simple and recommit to those simple actions every day.

And this is the most important thing. Talk to yourself like someone you care about. You wouldn't call a friend a failure for gaining a few pounds. You wouldn't tell your kid they're too old to learn something new. So stop saying those things to yourself.

Let's talk about progress. Progress isn't linear, and that's okay. It zigs, it zags, it stops, it restarts. Some days you feel like a superhero. Some days you feel like just staying in bed and giving up, but the only real failure is quitting for good. The rest, that's just data feedback. Adjust and keep going.

So here's your weekly challenge, your call to action, if you will. Write yourself a permission slip. Literally grab a sticky note and write. I have permission to start over. I am not too old. I am not done. Stick that note on your bathroom. Mirror, your fridge, your desk, anywhere. You'll see it every day.

Number two, pick one simple habit to recommit to. Maybe it's drinking water, maybe it's tracking food, maybe it's walking every day. But start small. Start now and start again. Listen, I don't care if you failed before. I don't care how many diets you tried or how long you've been off track. I don't care how old you are or how long you felt stuck.

If you're listening to this, if you're still here, you're still in this fight, and you're much stronger than you think .

You can change, you can grow, you can keep making your future better than your past.  📍 Thanks for hanging with me today. If this episode resonated, send it to someone who needs to hear it. And if you haven't already, check out, use two guide.com for more stories, tools, and support to keep you going. Until next time, stay strong.

Give yourself grace and keep moving forward.