7 Healthcast: Holyoke Runners

At 205 pounds, Anna Naiman didn't think of herself as overweight. That is, until her doctor gave her a warning.

"She pretty much said I'm surprised your heart's still beating because I had a heart murmur and I had some other things that she had noticed and she said I think that you should lose some weight," explains Anna.

So at 43-years-old, Naiman decided to get in shape and she recruited her best friend Julie Chartier to join her.

"Our workouts always seem to be great because we don't let one another slide," Julie said.

Not only did the two begin eating healthy but they began a running regime. Soon enough, the two took it to the next level, entering road races and even running a half-marathon.

If you want to begin running at an older age, experts recommend talking it over with your doctor first. Start slow by just walking to get warmed up, and pay attention to joint pain, because you may become more prone to joint injuries as you get older.

The running has paid off for Anna and Julie. In the last year, they've lost a combined 130 pounds.

"We notice that people look at us and they go, 'Oh, you're thin,' and that's what's so great about our story is that we were there, I was heavy most of my life and I would have never thought I could be where I am today, " Julie said.

Proving it's never too late to get in shape.

Although Anna and Julie say they're not ready to run the Boston Marathon this year, they do plan to run more races in the near future.

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