Paul Christman wanted to reinvent himself in preparation for the Third Age — that time in life when people around age 60 start doing the things they've put off for decades.

At the top of Christman's bucket list is watching his grandchildren grow up.

"When I went for my checkup in October (2010), my doctor said my blood pressure and other numbers were going up," Christman recalled, "and if I didn't do something, he was going to put me on pills."

His extra 50 pounds were taking a toll on his health.

"That blood pressure thing is what scared me," he said.

Two of Christman's three daughters were members of Weight Watchers, "and had gotten back to their high school size," he said. "I said. 'I might as well try it.'"

He attended his first meeting in January last year.

Eight months and 53 pounds later, Christman said, "The last time I was this size was 27 years ago at the birth of my (youngest) daughter."

At 61, he weighs 182 pounds, which is ideal for his 6-foot frame.

Christman's weight loss may seem small, compared to stories of losses of 100 to 250 pounds. But people wanting smaller weight losses often are a big part of the clientele in weight loss programs, experts say.

"People I see can go from wanting to lose 10 pounds to more than 100," said SLUCare dietitian Camille Jones. The weight loss works the same, she said.

"I like to move slowly, reaching goals they can reach without getting discouraged," she said, "maybe five or 10 percent of their weight, then set another goal from there."

Carla Scissors-Cohen, a leader with Weight Watchers, said, "When you're losing weight, everyone is on a journey; a half a pound at a time. Maybe it's 10 pounds or the freshman 15."

When Christman returned for his annual medical checkup last year, "My doctor said he could hardly recognize me; all my numbers were normal," he said. "I have a client in Panama who said I look better than I did six years ago.

"That's it. I look better, feel better, more energy, my knees aren't aching ..."

Christman said he never considered quitting the program. His attraction to Weight Watchers was that he could eat what he wanted, "just not as much."

The program's point system gives every food a number, according to the nutrition and caloric value. Each person has a ration of points for a day's eating. Green vegetables and fruit are considered zero points, so members can have as much of these foods as they want.

Fruits were recently added to the zero list. "We did that because we wanted people to eat a healthier diet," Scissors-Cohen said.

Christman adapted the program to his life on the road, he said.

"I travel every week and I stay in hotels and eat hotel and restaurant food a lot," he said. "Now, I look at the menu in my hotel room, and know what I want before I go (to the restaurant).

"When they set the plate in front of me, I cut the plate in half with my mind and I eat my half," he said. He leaves the leftovers behind — no carry-out bags.

Being mindful of what he was eating helped him know where he was overdoing it, he said.

"This was a change in my lifestyle," he said. "This wasn't something I couldn't sustain."

Christman said he has been on a maintenance program for more than three months and hasn't regained any weight.

Maintenance, eating to keep weight from returning, allows a flexibility of two pounds up or down, said Scissors-Cohen. "At the end of the six weeks, and you haven't gone more than two pounds over or under, you're a lifetime member," she said.

Meanwhile, Christman and his wife, Jane, joined a YMCA and now work out one or two times a week — even though, he said, 'she looks wonderful; she doesn't need the program."

Otherwise, his focus is on eating right.

"I just measured at Christmas; I had a 32 inch waist. I haven't had a 32 inch waist since ... since I was 30 years old."

Christman was one of 100 winners nationally of an "Inspiring Stories" contest held last year by Weight Watchers. His prize was a $100 gift card.

"I'm going to go get a couple of new pairs of slacks," he said.