Senior Citizen

      128 Comments on Senior Citizen

Well, I finally qualify for senior-citizen discounts at Denny’s and other fine dining establishments.  Yup, 55 years old as of 12:01 AM this morning.  I believe I’m supposed to spend the day feeling depressed about my wasted youth and my impending decline and eventual doom.

Nope, not gonna happen.  I’ll be spending today doing some shopping with Chareva, playing some disc golf, watching my Titans get hammered by the Colts on Thursday Night Football, and feeling pretty good about life in general.

If I’d been a lean jock-type as a young man, maybe the then-versus-now comparison would be a little depressing.  But here’s the “then” comparison for me — two pictures taken sometime in my early or mid 30s:

And here’s me twenty-some years later, shortly after stepping out of the shower on the morning of my 55th birthday:

I’m not cut, I’m not at 10% body fat, and I still have some residual softness around the middle that may never go away.  But considering how I looked and felt for most of my adult life, I’ll happily accept where I’m at now.

Back then, I loved to eat, but also considered food my enemy.  Food was the stuff that made me fat.  Now I still love to eat, but consider food my friend.  I don’t try to semi-starve myself into being leaner.  If I’m hungry, I eat something.  I just had to learn which foods to eat.

And now I’m off to enjoy my birthday.

p.s. — To everyone who wants to leave a Happy Birthday comment:  I’ll thank you all now instead of within the comments.

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128 thoughts on “Senior Citizen”

  2. Tami

    Good man, growing facial hair for your wife. I made my DH grow a goatee once. Anyway, happy birthday, hope DH looks that good when he’s 55, less the beard tho.

  3. JasonG

    Happy Birthday!

    If you posted your body pictures minus your face comparing now to 20 years ago, I would wager that they would pick the slimmer photo as the younger you.

    Your muscle tone is visible also. Great job.

  5. Robb Niebeling

    Happy Birthday Tom. I just turned 55 last month also, and I’ve never felt better. Thanks to changing to LCHF lifestyle via Fatheads. Thanks!

  6. Rachel M.

    Happy 55th Birthday, Tom! Have a spectacular day! Thank you for all you’ve done to impact our family’s health journey. We are grateful!

  8. DavidJ

    Congratulations! And would you like some statins with that Early-Bird special? (ha ha)

  10. Tim

    1. Happy Birthday.
    2. When did you become Amish?

    I’m growing the beard in preparation to give up electricity. I hope the wind-powered PC allows me to keep blogging.

  11. Kate

    Happy birthday, Tom!! Wishing you a fantastic coming year! Thanks for all of your efforts… you have changed so many lives!

  13. Merlin

    I like the shot where you’re playing bass.

    It reminded me how much easier it is to play guitar and bass now without all that belly fat in the way. I had to shorten the strap on my bass about 4″ a few weeks ago, since I’d lost so much fat on my shoulder and back.

    Hope you had an enjoyable birthday. I’m looking forward to 51, though due to the effects of eating LCHF, it’s going to feel more like turning 40 again.

  15. Howard

    Well, Happy Birthday, you young whippersnapper!

    You going to be sporting that beard on the LC Cruise?

    Probably not. I grew it at Chareva’s request, but will shave it before my upcoming speech.

  17. SteveC

    LOL.. I did think Abe Lincoln for a second but he was for big government IMHO so I quickly dismissed it. You give me (about to hit 45) hope Tom! Happy Bday! I wish you and your family great health and success!

  22. Tami

    Good man, growing facial hair for your wife. I made my DH grow a goatee once. Anyway, happy birthday, hope DH looks that good when he’s 55, less the beard tho.

  27. Merlin

    I like the shot where you’re playing bass.

    It reminded me how much easier it is to play guitar and bass now without all that belly fat in the way. I had to shorten the strap on my bass about 4″ a few weeks ago, since I’d lost so much fat on my shoulder and back.

    Hope you had an enjoyable birthday. I’m looking forward to 51, though due to the effects of eating LCHF, it’s going to feel more like turning 40 again.

  33. Barbara

    Happy Birthday, Tom! I wish you all the best. Is the beard for the Movember movement? Maybe a bit too distinguished looking, though. Have fun today!

  34. Babs

    I think u look better than the pics I saw of Bruce Springsteen on the beach in Rio this summer. And he looked pretty good for his age. Granted he’s 5 or 10 years older than you, but still. And no pepaw sunken chest either! Yay for you!

  35. Kitty

    What? You are called a senior citizen at 55 in the USA? Pah! No age concessions in UK until you are 60, and you don’t get called a senior until you reach 65.

  39. Jason

    Tom, Lookin’ good, buddy. I’m really happy for you. And you set off in motion the same type of change for me. That’s what it’s all about……..realizing there’s no reason why you can’t be lean, fit, AND not deprived.

    Congrats!

  40. Kayla

    Yes, the US senior citizen age does seem like premature aging. It is 65 in Canada, with maybe a few places offering discounts at age 60. The average age expectancy is around 85 I think, so 30 years of being a senior seems like a bit much. Regardless…Happy Birthday Tom! Thanks so much for FatHead, it is life-changing.

  41. Barbara

    Happy Birthday, Tom! I wish you all the best. Is the beard for the Movember movement? Maybe a bit too distinguished looking, though. Have fun today!

  42. Babs

    I think u look better than the pics I saw of Bruce Springsteen on the beach in Rio this summer. And he looked pretty good for his age. Granted he’s 5 or 10 years older than you, but still. And no pepaw sunken chest either! Yay for you!

  43. Bill C.

    All though I do believe a healthy diet helps people lose weight and get healthier it’s obvious by your pictures that something else is responsible for your weight loss. Everyone knows the Amish are leaner than the average American.After seeing your pictures I believe your weight loss is from becoming Amish and not from a healthier diet. (I know the Amish jokes have been done to death but I couldn’t resist.)

    Amish jokes aside you look great as compared to your younger self. My before and after pictures look very similar to yours (minus the beard). I’m 47 and in less than a year I went from a 225 pound arthritic mess to a 174 pound healthier me! I owe much of that to you, your movie and your recommended reading. For that I thank you.

    Happy Birthday!

    And you did that without the Amish beard? Congratulations. Fifty-one pounds gone is quite an accomplishment.

  45. Kitty

    What? You are called a senior citizen at 55 in the USA? Pah! No age concessions in UK until you are 60, and you don’t get called a senior until you reach 65.

  46. Sarah

    Happy birthday! As others said, thanks for Fat Head! You have helped change my life immensely!

  48. Jason

    Tom, Lookin’ good, buddy. I’m really happy for you. And you set off in motion the same type of change for me. That’s what it’s all about……..realizing there’s no reason why you can’t be lean, fit, AND not deprived.

    Congrats!

  49. Kayla

    Yes, the US senior citizen age does seem like premature aging. It is 65 in Canada, with maybe a few places offering discounts at age 60. The average age expectancy is around 85 I think, so 30 years of being a senior seems like a bit much. Regardless…Happy Birthday Tom! Thanks so much for FatHead, it is life-changing.

  50. Bill C.

    All though I do believe a healthy diet helps people lose weight and get healthier it’s obvious by your pictures that something else is responsible for your weight loss. Everyone knows the Amish are leaner than the average American.After seeing your pictures I believe your weight loss is from becoming Amish and not from a healthier diet. (I know the Amish jokes have been done to death but I couldn’t resist.)

    Amish jokes aside you look great as compared to your younger self. My before and after pictures look very similar to yours (minus the beard). I’m 47 and in less than a year I went from a 225 pound arthritic mess to a 174 pound healthier me! I owe much of that to you, your movie and your recommended reading. For that I thank you.

    Happy Birthday!

    And you did that without the Amish beard? Congratulations. Fifty-one pounds gone is quite an accomplishment.

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