I feel it is more about health. After retiring from the military, I packed some (hah!) pounds on. I have lost them all in the last couple of years and more. I am down to my high school weight. Still feel like I had a little more to lose, but this is okay.
Diet is the key. Exercise is very good, you can maintain without exercise but you will have a hard time maintaining without a diet (unless you are Caroline

:D).