When he started: Leon Nolton Sr. started in 2010 and reached his current weight this summer.
Age: 70
Height: 6 feet
Starting weight: 225 pounds
Current weight: 200 pounds
Total pounds lost: 25 pounds
Personal life: “I am retired from the elevator industry, International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 32. I live in McDonough, and I’ve been married for 28 years to my wife, Karen. We have four kids — three girls and one boy — nine grandkids and three great-grandkids,” Nolton said. “I’m a certified group instructor at the Beulah Baptist Church Family Life Center, and I DJ.”
The lifestyle change: “I retired in 2010. I needed something to do. I am a member of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, and at our Beulah Community Family Life Center (https://beulahbaptist.org/flc) they offer lots of different things for seniors and everyone. After I retired, I started going there to work out,” Nolton said. “With my background in coaching Little League sports, our director suggested I go on and get certified. I decided I’m here, I’m doing it and I want to continue to do it so I stay healthy. I went on and got my certification, so when the instructor wasn’t there, I could fill in. I took a certification test. with SCW Fitness Certification (https://scwfit.com/certifications/) in group fitness.” He began teaching an early morning seniors group boot campers class. “When Covid hit in 2020, the center was shut down, and no one knew how long it would be,” Nolton said. By summer, the group was meeting in a local park, then in a parking lot on the campus of Georgia State University. As the weather cooled they met virtually. “Everyone had their own spot to be in with the parking lines. We were just determined, and we did that for the rest of the year. It helped everybody tremendously mentallywise,” Nolton said. “That was one of the biggest things about us being able to exercise outside and exercise virtually — you still feel the connection. Instead of being isolated ... it felt like that connection is still there, it just really made a difference.”
Change in eating habits: “I try to cut back on sweets,” Nolton said. “I’m not a meat eater; I eat fish and chicken.”
Leon’s how-tos
1. Exercise routine: “The first step was to get involved in an exercise routine. You have to have a starting point and getting a mindset that this is what I want to do.”
2. Set short goals: “One of the things that helped me that I still try to use today is to take baby steps and increase what you’re doing — if you do the same thing the same way every day, you can only achieve so much.”
3. Change your mindset: “If we don’t use it, we will lose it. Every day, I remind myself if I don’t get up and do something, I will lose what I have. ... I got up for 35 1/2 years for somebody else — I am doing this for me.”
Exercise routine: “I work out five days a week, on average, I would say anywhere from an hour to two hours,” Nolton said. “I teach the class five days a week, but I also take classes, a water aerobics class, and I do a yoga-pilates class.”
Biggest challenge: “The biggest challenge is staying focused and doing it each day, not giving up, and getting up when you don’t want to,” Nolton said.
Leon’s top tips:
1. “Do your best: You are only going to get out what you put in. If you do your best — not my best, your best — you’re always going to feel good about yourself.”
2. Set a goal: “Set yourself a goal, but make it a realistic goal.”
3. Don’t give up: “It’s an ongoing process. ... When you hit one goal, you need to try and hit another goal — that will change your life.”
How his life has changed: “It made me realize that getting old is not as bad as some people think,” Nolton said. “I have seen so many people who put things off. They say, ‘Well, I’m going to do this when I retire,’ but their health wasn’t good. They prepared their financials, but they were not taking care of their body. It gave me the perspective that to do things in life, you want to be in the best shape you can.”
Seeking readers’ stories of lifestyle changes: We’re looking for stories about changing health habits. While The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not endorse any specific programs, we include names and links for the benefit of readers who want further information. If you would like to share your story of a lifestyle change, please contact reporter Michelle C. Brooks and include your email address, phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG). You can email her directly at: ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
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