> At a Glance
> – Elaine Mehdizadeh shed 114 lbs and reversed prediabetes after decades of yo-yo dieting.
> – She swapped binge eating for The Mayo Clinic Diet, calorie tracking, and water aerobics.
> – Now 179 lbs, she hikes cobblestone streets in France without a seat-belt extender.
> – Why it matters: Proof that major health turnarounds are possible at any age.
Elaine Mehdizadeh’s grandson noticed the change first: “Grandma, I’m so happy you did this. You used to have trouble getting out of your chair.” That moment, captured in People‘s new cover story, marks the payoff of a lifelong struggle.
A Lifetime of Weight Cycling
Overweight since age 6, Mehdizadeh started her first diet at 15. After her husband died in 2000, she buried herself in work and binge ate. Year after year, “lose weight” topped her goal lists-yet it stayed out of reach.
By 2020, the retired teacher and principal from Woodbury, Minn., was prediabetic with high cholesterol and blood pressure. Watching her mother battle Type 2 diabetes had always haunted her. “Now’s my time. I’ve got no excuses. I’m retired,” she decided.
The Plan That Finally Worked
She ruled out GLP-1 meds, fearing lifelong dependency. Instead, she:
- Re-opened The Mayo Clinic Diet book on her shelf
- Quit screen-time snacking
- Traded chips for fruit and vegetables
- Chewed slowly and logged every calorie
Two years later, she joined the Mayo Clinic Diet online program and lost another chunk of weight, hitting 114 lbs down and keeping it off for two years.
Life at 179 Pounds
Today, her bloodwork is normal and energy is soaring. She dances to live music, hikes snow-lit trails, and toured France without requesting a seat-belt extender-something she once found “humiliating.”
| Health Metric | Before 2020 | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 293 lbs | 179 lbs |
| Diabetes risk | Prediabetic | Normal |
| Mobility | Chair-struggles | Night hikes |
Food is no longer comfort; it’s “medicine for strength, energy, and health.” She hopes to drop 30 more pounds, yet refuses to chase the BMI-chart ideal of 128. “I’m not looking for perfection,” she says.
Key Takeaways
- It’s never too late: major weight loss and health reversal started at 68.
- Small habit swaps-slower chewing, calorie logs-outperformed quick fixes.
- Maintaining loss for two years shows sustainability beats crash diets.
Mehdizadeh’s husband, who always wanted the best for her, would be proud to see her climbing hills instead of struggling out of chairs. “You are worth it. Go for it,” she now tells others ready to begin.
