Six years after chronicling her own weight loss in the pages of The Union and leading a county-wide “Meltdown,” Carole Carson has taken her fitness mission worldwide.

Carson launched her Fat2Fit challenge on the AARP Web site six weeks ago — and has had nearly 4,000 people sign up for the online weight-loss community. Members are mostly nationwide, with some even farther afield — one regular is posting about her fight to lose weight from Mongolia.

Just before turning 60, Carson lost 62 pounds, a saga that was chronicled in The Union, and Carson invited others to join the fun. Inspired by her example, more than 1,000 people teamed up to lose nearly 4 tons of fat in two months during the 2004 Nevada County Meltdown.

Besides writing a regular health and fitness column, Carson also hosted a weekly community television show, “The Tipping Point” and appeared on national TV shows including “Today Show” and MSNBC's “Countdown.”

Later, Carson chronicled her story and how it morphed into a community event in her book, “From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction.”

After Carson attended an AARP meeting in Arizona in 2007, she was challenged to replicate the Nevada County Meltdown for a virtual community.

“I'm just trying to get out the message that getting fit can be fun — and it's easy to do.”

Carson, a Nevada City resident, included profiles of locals who have lost weight on the AARP Fat2Fit We page, which rotates every few days.

“All of these appeared first in The Union,” Carson said. “People like Fred Hillerman — I think he's 96 now.”

Every week, Carson picks someone from the online community to award a prize.

“If you read these (posts), they are really inspiring,” she said. “I'm the coach, but I'm not an expert. I'm just someone who has walked the walk. These people are supporting and encouraging each other.”

Carson is kept super-busy these days with her online coaching duties on the AARP Fat2Fit Challenge and an exercise schedule that includes daily workouts with what she calls her “home gym” — equipment that cost her less than $100 and that can easily be acquired by anyone wanting to duplicate the set-up.

She has a mat — actually a blanket — two 5-pound weights, an exercise ball and a piece of doweling.

“This is really good if you have back problems,” Carson said, demonstrating a stretching exercise. “You can buy it for $2 at the hardware store, or you could use a broom.”

Another piece of gym “equipment” she uses daily is a luggage strap, which she loops and uses for stretches.

Carson takes pride in being more flexible now, at 67, than she was in high school.

“I'm really proud of what I can do,” she said.

But she knows it requires constant work.

“If I go three days without exercising, my back starts to hurt,” she said. “I'm trying to stay as limber as I can so I can play tennis.”

You don't even have to buy weights, Carson said.

“You can go to your cupboard and get some cans of chicken soup,” she said. “A 16-ounce can is good for starting out. Or get some empty milk jugs and fill them with frozen water. You can increase the amount as you get stronger.”

Joining a gym is great, of course, but exercising at home is a great option for those who can't afford a gym or who are embarrassed about their weight, Carson said.

“I'm a great believer in taking away people's excuses,” she said with a laugh. “That's what I did for 40 years.”

To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call 477-4229.