SUCCESS STORY / Steve Herlihy, 54, from 237 pounds to 189 pounds
Former weight: 237 pounds
Current weight: 189 pounds
Pounds lost: 48 pounds
Height: 5 feet 11 inches
Age: 54 years
How long he's kept it off: "I started with Lock It In in February 2018. I had lost 48 pounds by November 2018," Herlihy said. "I am now on my maintenance journey to keep it off for 2019."
Personal life: "My wife, Ella, and I have five children ages 11 to 19," Herlihy said. "I have been in the life insurance business for 25 years. I do high-level estate planning and life insurance consulting as a partner with the Wellspring Planning Group." He lives with his family in Atlanta.
Turning point: "I have tried everything: exercising every day, the Atkins Diet, fasting for dinner for 40 days. Nothing worked," Herlihy said. "Finally, I went to Real Health Medical and met metabolic specialist Nancy Masoud, who explained to me that correct diet and exercise without fixing your body chemistry is not enough for most people to have significant, long-lasting weight reduction. … I cut out sugar, grains and starches. … I took a prescription for my thyroid, vitamin supplements for gut health, energy and to reduce cravings. Three years ago, John Hancock introduced a new type of life insurance, John Hancock's Vitality Program, that offers two main benefits for those who engage in their behavioral change program. … My turning point was fueled by two things: using this program from John Hancock to save significant money and to engage in a proven behavioral change program, and deciding to find a proven weight-loss specialist who understood that losing weight was more than diet and exercise — it included getting my internal chemistry back in whack."
Diet plan: Breakfast is scrambled eggs. Lunch is leftovers, and dinner is lean meat and veggies.
Exercise routine: "I started the year with three to four days a week of weight and cardio training at Scott King Circuit Fitness and then added daily walks of 10,000 steps, or about five miles," he said.
Biggest challenge: "I had tried so many other things," Herlihy said. "My biggest obstacle was believing this would work. … Getting my internal chemistry right was the key to my success."
How life has changed: "I still love sweets and a good glass of wine, but now I understand that if I want to indulge, I have to exercise more and have a plan for healthy eating to offset the extra calories," Herlihy said. "… I now believe that there are three components to healthy weight loss: exercise, diet and internal chemistry. … When all three were finally in sync, the weight came off. I am so happy to have my energy back so I can enjoy my life and my family."
Share Your Success: Each week, Success Stories focuses on an individual’s unique weight loss journey. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not endorse any specific weight loss program but includes names and links for the benefit of readers who want further information. Have you lost weight successfully with a healthy lifestyle change? If you would like to share your story with our readers, please include your email address, phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
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