My 3rd Act - February 2026

January 2026 Issue
By Melinda Rooney


As I approached retirement,
my number one goal was simple but profound:
to get—and stay—healthy.

That meant finding a good primary care doctor, learning to breathe again, moving my body regularly, and keeping my mind fresh. I began to think about wellness not as a race against time, but as a way to remain vibrant, present, and fully engaged in my life.

I can’t talk about health, movement, and mindset without first mentioning the GLP-1 prescription I was fortunate enough to access. I know these medications can spark polarizing conversations, but for me—at this stage of my life—they have been a true game changer.

My story is a familiar one. As a young girl, my weight was out of control. I can still hear my Nana describing me to one of my mother’s friends, right in front of me, as “pleasantly plump.” That phrase stayed with me for years—really, until today. I always knew I was different from other girls my age. I couldn’t wear the same clothes, eat the same foods without criticism, or participate in the same activities. And that feeling didn’t disappear as I grew older—it followed me into womanhood, motherhood, and my professional life.

Over time, I would gain control here and there, but never for long. Especially after childbirth, I tried countless diets, medications, and exercise programs—anything that promised lasting change—but nothing stuck. Doctors pointed to a range of contributing factors: age, a sluggish metabolism, high blood pressure, thyroid issues, and my own mental battle with guilt. Along with that came the same childhood sense of being slightly off-center—not fully happy, not fully present, just going through the motions. I saw myself as different, odd, full of self-doubt and shame.

After being introduced to the GLP-1 medication—with several starts and stops—three years later—I have lost 75 pounds. With that loss came a profound sense of control over my body. I could move without pain, exercise consistently, and feel lighter in every sense of the word. I felt well. Confidence I thought was gone for good slowly returned.

For anyone who might think it’s “just a shot” and suddenly you’re done—that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I am convinced these medications are not for everyone, and my personal experience is that I would not have succeeded unless I changed everything: the way I eat, the way I move, and the way I live. I still struggle with demons in the kitchen, but I’ve learned how to manage them—and for me as it is for most, it’s one day at a time.

What followed has been even more transformative. The idea of being present—truly present—has reshaped how I move through my life. Being well means staying engaged. Staying present takes time and intention, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt as connected as I do now, living in this beautiful place called the Lowcountry.

Is all of this because I lost 33 percent of my body weight? Not entirely, of course. But the confidence that came with that loss—combined with a renewed commitment to health, movement, and mindset—has given me something invaluable: a deeper desire to live fully in the present, lighter in body, clearer in mind, and more open to the life unfolding around me.

Melinda Rooney is a freelance writer whose roots stretch from the New York–Connecticut area to the Carolinas. A wife, mother, and grandmother, she raised her family in Charlotte, N.C., before settling into Lowcountry life with her husband Bob in 2023. An avid tennis player, she now enjoys writing about the people, places, and stories that inspire her.