Laura Losch, 29, of Gainesville sheds 39 pounds

• Former weight: 169 pounds

• Current weight: 130 pounds

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In this photo in January 2005, Laura Losch weighed 169 pounds. ‘In the spring of 2005, I donated my left kidney to my father-in-law,’ says Losch, who adds that her father-in-law is doing great. ‘I was categorized as obese at the time, being 5 feet 3 inches and weighing in at 169 pounds.’

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‘The thought of doctors and nurses looking at my naked body on the operating table gave me a wake-up call,’ she said. Losch now weighs 127 pounds.

• Pounds lost: 39 pounds

• Height: 5 feet 3 inches

• How long she’s kept it off: 2 1/2 years. Losch started her weight-loss journey in May 2005. “I reached my goal weight of 127 [pounds] in June 2006 and promptly ran the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon (www.rnrmarathon.com/home.html) in 5 hours, 3 minutes,” says Losch.

• Personal life: “I have the best job in the world — I am a media specialist at South Hall Middle School in Gainesville,” says Losch. She lives in Sautee with her husband, Matt, and their two dogs.

• Turning point: “In the spring of 2005, I donated my left kidney to my father-in-law,” says Losch, who adds that her father-in-law is doing great. “I was categorized as obese at the time, being 5 feet 3 inches and weighing in at 169 pounds. The thought of doctors and nurses looking at my naked body on the operating table gave me a wake-up call.” She joined Weight Watchers and after losing 20 pounds she began training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training marathon (www.teamintraining.org).

• Diet plan: “I always watch portions now and always eat a good, healthy breakfast,” she says. “This was the true key to my success.”

• Exercise routine: “I run at least four days a week,” she says, “either at the YMCA or with a co-worker.”

• Biggest challenge: “Ensuring that I’m eating the proper portion of food at each meal,” she says. “When I began Weight Watchers, I realized I had been eating for four people at each meal — that was the first thing I had to change.”

• How life has changed: “I definitely have more energy now that I have lost weight,” she says. “I also don’t dread or hate to work out like I used to — some days I can’t wait to go out and run. Because I lost the weight so slowly, I am able to maintain my weight loss to this day. I have also run three more marathons.”

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