Fitness Tribe Pride: It’s All in the Family for Stephen Wertheim

When Stephen Wertheim, 60, decided to lose weight he looked to a younger generation for an edge. “I started using MyFitnessPal because of the success my son had with it—he’s 25 and has lost 60 pounds using it—so I figured if it worked for him it might work for me, too,” says Steven, who lives in University Heights, OH. It made sense to make getting healthy a family affair, since that was his major motivation. “I wanted to be alive and healthy for my family and kids,” he says. “I had too much I still wanted to do—and I knew that the only way to do that was to lose weight.”

Stephen had managed to lose about 35 pounds on his own. “But I couldn’t seem to lose beyond that, so I knew I needed to incorporate another tool to help me get the weight off,” he says. “MyFitnessPal was a game changer for my family.”

Since signing up with MyFitnessPal, Stephen has lost an additional 46 pounds. “My waist has gone from 56 inches to 42, and I feel 15 years younger,” says Stephen. “I am at a weight I haven’t been at in years, and I don’t need to take ibuprofen for aches and pains, because I no longer have any aches or pains!”

MyFitnessPal works for Stephen and his family because it’s easy to use and helps them stay accountable. “The app is so easy—you can’t avoid using it. And you can look up calories for anything—I mean anything!” he says. It works so well that on a recent dinner out, Stephen was able to make the best possible menu choice before ordering. “My wife and I ate at a local pizzeria and we were able to look up the calories of their pizzas right from our seats.”

Logging and other healthy behaviors have become second nature for Stephen. “In addition to tracking my calories, I have been tracking my fitness for each day, which is usually a two-mile walk, or if I can’t get outside, I ride a stationary bike.” He also uses MyFitnessPal to keep up with his wife’s and son’s choices. “You can review charts of the progress you’ve made losing weight over time, and see what your friends are doing, too,” he says. “In fact, my wife, my son, and I have lost a combined 164 pounds using MyFitnessPal!”

His biggest problem these days: “Having to buy smaller clothes and shoes, and having to throw out belts and jeans—great problems to have!” says Stephen says.

Great problems indeed! Nice job, Stephen!

We want to hear about your fitness tribe success, too! Need to tips to get one started? Download our free eBook The Rise of the Fitness Tribe from MyFitnessPal. And share your triumphs in the comments below, and on twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with #myfitnesstribe.