Chelsie Shaw, 25, of Dallas sheds 67 pounds

• Former weight: 240 pounds

• Current weight: 173 pounds

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Chelsie D. Shaw, 25, weighed 240 pounds in July 2007.

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Look at her now! She weighs 173 pounds. The photo was taken in December 2008.

• Pounds lost: 67 pounds

• Height: 5 feet 8 inches

• How long she’s kept it off: “I started in August 2008 and I am still working to get to 160 pounds,” says Shaw.

• Personal life: Shaw and her fiancé, Will Goodman, recently purchased a home in Dallas, Ga. She teaches sixth grade in Paulding County. “We have two dogs, Nanti and Biggie. They are actually the reason we met — Will and I, or rather our dogs, Biggie and Nanti, met each other at Piedmont Park.”

• Turning point: “I started my weight-loss journey when I got engaged to the man of my dreams in June 2008,” says Shaw. “I didn’t want to have to buy a plus-size dress, or worse, hate the way I looked on my wedding day.”

• Diet plan: “Weight Watchers helped me to understand what a portion size actually looked like and taught me to eat when I’m hungry, not when I’m bored,” she says. She starts the day with a banana, snacks on a nutrition bar and has a salad or frozen entrée for lunch. In the afternoon, she snacks on an apple and peanut butter. Dinner is typically chicken with vegetables and brown rice.

• Exercise routine: “I run at least five days a week for 30 minutes,” she says. “Twice a week I meet with my personal trainer to tone and sculpt. I will run my first 5K in March.”

• Biggest challenge: “The biggest challenge was not giving up,” she says. “When you look at a scale and realize how much you need to lose, it can be daunting and you almost feel like it’s impossible. I decided to set small goals and go from there.”

• How life has changed: “I can go to any store I want and buy what I like. I am confident and secure in my skin now — that means more than you will ever know,” she says. “I think about all the things I want to do with my life, and how I can accomplish my goals because I am healthy.”

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