Success story
Kara Skalko, 39: From 251 pounds to 148 pounds
Former weight: 251 pounds
Current weight: 148 pounds
Pounds lost: 103 pounds
Height: 5 feet, 7 inches
Age: 39 years
How long she's kept it off: "Started in June 2015, seriously," said Skalko, who reached her current weight a few weeks ago.
Personal life: Skalko is the operations manager for SFX Fitness in Roswell. "I've been with my boyfriend for a long time and my daughter is 17." She lives in Marietta.
Turning point: "A friend of mine who worked here at the gym passed away from a heart attack. We were exercising, and he passed out from a heart attack. He was in great health and didn't smoke. … It was a little traumatic seeing him pass, (and after he died) I could have gone back to my bad habits of eating too much to comfort myself. I decided I had to do it the right way now. I was tired of being fat. I did it as a tribute to him — he was always trying to get people to lose weight. I figured he'd be proud of me if I kept doing the right stuff."
Diet plan: "Basically, I just used myfitnesspal.com to cut my calories down. … I went down to 1,500 calories and I stayed there until I got stuck and cut my calories a little more. That way, I can eat whatever I want; there is nothing that is not on my diet — I just have to count the calories for it." Breakfast is protein oatmeal and black coffee. Snacks include protein bars or fruit. Lunch is a salad with chicken. Dinner is usually chicken and vegetables. "We don't go out to eat very often; that way, I can control what goes into my body." She gets a lot of her recipes from skinnytaste.com.
Exercise routine: "I exercise everyday doing something, either walking the dog, or walking with friends. I lift weights 30 to 40 minutes five days a week."
Biggest challenge: "I think, at the beginning, it was taking the time to log my foods. Figuring out what portions, figuring out … how many calories everything was — logging it into myfitnesspal.com takes awhile. Once you get the things you eat in there, you can find it quickly."
How life has changed: "I feel better. I am happier, healthier. … I think consistency is the biggest secret. … If you are consistent with what you do all the time, then you will get results. There was a while where I didn't lose any weight; the scale wasn't going anywhere. I didn't quit; I kept doing the same thing. … I didn't make it hard; I just did diet and exercise and I kept doing it — and it worked. … I am studying to take my personal training certification. If I can do this, anybody can do this. I want to help people — that's probably the biggest life change: I want to help people lose weight, too."
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 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or e-mail Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
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