Tommy Orr, 43, goes from 420 to 326 pounds

•Former weight: 420 pounds

•Current weight: 326 pounds

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‘I have always been big, and you hear that all the time but I was,’ Orr said.

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Family

‘I love walking … When I first started, I could barely walk a mile without giving out. Now, I leave them all behind.’

•Pounds lost: 94

• Height: 6 feet 2 inches

• How long he’s kept it off: “I have lost over 94 pounds since April 20, 2008,” he said.

• Personal life: Orr is the assistant chief of police for the Forest Park Police Department. He and his wife of 22 years, DeAnna, live in Jonesboro with their son, Braeden.

• Turning point: “I have always been big, and you hear that all the time but I was,” Orr said. “When I was born, I was 24 inches long and over 10 pounds. So I have only grown 4 feet 2 inches since I was born.” When Orr was put on blood pressure medication, he knew it was time to make a change. “I didn’t believe that was good enough for me and God would help me do this. He has and I am off the meds.”

• Diet plan: He starts the day with cereal. Lunch is a Subway sandwich or a potato. He snacks twice a day and dinner is often a turkey burger along with Splenda-sweetened tea.

• Exercise routine: He walks 2 miles on a treadmill at lunch and then walks 2 to 4 miles at night. “I love walking with the wife,” he said. “We have started having groups of friends show up to walk. They get mad at me. When I first started, I could barely walk a mile without giving out. Now, I leave them all behind when we walk our 4 miles every night.”

• Biggest challenge: “Everyone tempting me — doughnuts [are a] cop’s best friend,” he said.

• How life has changed: “I am planning on doing a 5K in October which should be no problem,” he said. “I had been put on blood pressure meds. But after I started losing weight and walking 2 to 5 miles a day, my numbers dropped way off and [my cardiologist] took me off of them. He was amazed that I had done what I told him I was going to do. The biggest thing is getting your mind right and deciding for yourself that you want to do this,” Orr said.

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Be an inspiration: Be an inspiration: If you've made positive changes in your diet and/or fitness routine and are happy with the results, please share your success with us. Include your email address, a daytime phone number and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG). Write: Success Stories, c/o Suzanne Van Atten, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sixth Floor, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303; or e-mail ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.

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