Carole Carson

Just before turning 60, I totally remade my life. After chronicling my transformation from butterball to butterfly in weekly newspaper articles, I invited others in my Northern California community to join the fun. In response, more than 1,000 ordinary people teamed up to lose nearly four tons of fat in two months.

My background includes business leadership, marketing, public relations, event planning, writing, training and consulting to businesses and nonprofits. My mission is to communicate the empowering message: “You and your friends can have fun, get fit, and lose weight!”

Dubbed “An Apostle for Fitness” in a profile in the "Wall Street Journal," I have been a featured guest on more than 80 radio and television shows, including NBC’s "Today" show, CBS’s "Early Show," MSNBC’s "Countdown," and CNN "News." My book and articles have been featured in magazines such as "American Fitness," "Diet & Exercise Magazine" and "Today’s Health & Wellness," as well as in newspapers such as the "Huffington Post," "Honolulu Star-Bulletin," "Tampa Tribune," "Sacramento Bee," "Baltimore Sun" and "Los Angeles Times." My book, "From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction," was named a finalist in the health and fitness category of the National Best Books 2007 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Besides teaching and consulting, I produced a weekly community television show, "The Tipping Point," and a reality show, "Go Fat to Fit." I am also the author of "The Fat to Fit Meltdown Manual: Create Weapons of Mass Reduction in Your Community," a detailed, practical how-to guide for bringing a grass-roots program to any community. My other books include "Remembering When I Was Young," a hardcover children’s keepsake memory book, and a companion coloring book, "Remembering When I Was Young Coloring Book."

Currently, I am serving as the AARP Fat to Fit Community Challenge Coach for an innovative online community devoted to fitness and healthy weight loss.