Chris Querry, 42, of Kennesaw, drops 115 pounds

• Former weight: 330 pounds

• Current weight: 215 pounds

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Chris Querry before photo. Weight in photo: 330 pounds; age in photo: 35; when photo was taken April 2001.

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Chris Querry after photo. Weight in photo: 215 pounds; age in photo: 40; when photo was taken June 2007.

• Pounds lost: 115 pounds

• Height: 6 feet 2 inches

• How long he’s kept it off: “I’ve managed to keep the weight off for almost eight years now,” says Querry.

• Personal life: “I live with my four dogs, three Chihuahuas and an older rescue dog, in Kennesaw,” he says. “I’ve been working at Piedmont Hospital as a critical care registered nurse since 1999.”

• Turning point: “My wake-up call came when I saw [what is now] my before picture and I realized how big I became,” he says. “Then I had to have my annual physical and when my weight came in at 330 pounds, I almost fell out. As a critical care nurse, I knew what needed to be done: eat less, move more. I started a walking program and my first few weeks I could barely go a few blocks.”

• Diet plan: “I still eat what I like, but instead of a whole pizza I just have a few slices and limit it to two to three times a month instead of two to three times a week,” he says. “The trick I found is not to make anything the forbidden fruit, but not to overindulge. If I have a craving for something, I will give myself permission to have it, but I don’t keep all the treats readily on hand.”

• Exercise routine: I get in at least three to four good walks per week around my neighborhood or use the treadmill at LA Fitness in Kennesaw. At work I take the stairwell instead of the elevator.

• Biggest challenge: “One of my biggest challenges with keeping the weight off is the fact that I am a talented baker,” he says. When he makes a batch of his double chocolate chip Kahlúa cookies, he has only a couple and takes the rest to work for his friends to enjoy.

• How life has changed: “I am currently dating a wonderful guy. We both have had problems with our weight and so we push each other to go to the gym or go walking,” he says. “It’s a wonderful feeling to share that commitment to staying healthier. It also makes it harder to have a cheeseburger when he is just having a salad.”

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