• Former weight: 178 pounds

• Current weight: 128 pounds

Family photo (ENLARGE)

BEFORE: Lorretta Adams, 42, weighed 178 pounds.

Family photo (ENLARGE)

AFTER: Adams lost 50 pounds.

PHOTOS: See other before and after pictures sent by users like you! ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE | new TEN | Inspirations | Inspirations II | Readers photos Upload your own photos! Topic: Atlanta's weight loss resource 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. More success stories Jennifer Powell, 31, of Douglasville, drops 122 pounds  Sonya Moste, 41, of Fayetteville lost 60 pounds  Kristy Wegert, 36, of Roswell loses 99 pounds  Dick Jones, 53, of Alpharetta loses 72 pounds  Derrick Williams, 37, of Dunwoody sheds 75 pounds  Sherrie Cline, 44, of Cartersville loses 72 pounds  Hannah Conheady, 19, of Lawrenceville sheds 102 pounds  Sara Corcoran, 39, of Johns Creek sheds 114 pounds  Jennifer Sabatier, 34, of Atlanta loses 80 pounds  Mickey Ruffalo, 57, of Woodstock loses 65 pounds  Back to Health

• Pounds lost: 50

• Height: 5 feet

• How long she's kept it off: Started in October 2004. She reached her goal in 8 months.

• Personal life: Adams works in sales and marketing for Allied Automotive Group in Decatur. She has a daughter in college and a son starting high school. She lives in Stone Mountain.

• Turning point: "I had terrible migraines, back pains, trouble sleeping and just didn't like the way I looked," says Adams. "I decided several times that I would lose the weight and after 10 years of fad diets and looking in the face of turning 40, the day came and I decided that's it."

• Diet plan: "I decided to start eating 1,200 calories daily, divided into 6 small meals," she says. Breakfast is oatmeal followed by a 100-calorie snack and salad or chicken and vegetables for lunch and a light dinner. "It's not just what you eat it's how much you eat," she says. "I ate Lean Cuisines for dinner for two months to get my portion size down."

• Exercise routine: "I currently walk or run 3 to 5 miles, four to six days a week," she says. "I love walking outdoors, and my office has come to call my outings pavement religion."

• Biggest challenge: "Everyone's response was my biggest challenge," she says. "I did not expect the comments [about] losing weight, and how I should enjoy being big and how they would still love me if I'm heavy. I don't think people expect for you to stick to a routine and actually lose the weight, much less maintain the weight loss."

• Munchie antidote: "I usually eat fruit or yogurt but nothing over 100 calories," she says.

• Secret to success: "Staying focused and realizing that I would not see results overnight and I would need to stay on course even if there was no one to work out with," she says. "The true secret is making the decision to lose the weight and doing what it takes. You choose your meals at every sitting and eat — no one can do that for you."

• How life has changed: "My 40th birthday party was 8 months from the day I decided to lose the weight, and keeping my eye on the prize was the biggest push," she says. "I showed up a size 6 — [it was the] best birthday ever!" When Adams runs into people who haven't seen her in awhile, she's unrecognizable. "I'm so energetic and full of life," she says. "My kids love hanging out with me and I love buying new clothes."