• Height: 6 feet 1 inch

• Personal life: McKenney works as an outside sales representative. He lives with his wife, Kim, and their six dogs.

Family (ENLARGE)

BEFORE: McKenney at 275 pounds.

Family (ENLARGE)

AFTER: McKenney at 198 pounds.

READ THEIR STORIES: Longtime losers share winning tips, favorite recipes  Sissy Lusk, 42, Canton: From 345 to 130 pounds  Shelby Katz, 41, Peachtree Corners: From 208 to 125 pounds  Dacia Gilkey, 30, College Park: From 256 to 150 pounds  John Payne, 41, Acworth: From 185 to 148 pounds  Keith McKenney, 47, Atlanta: From 275 to 198 pounds  Karen Smicik, 36, Atlanta: From 198 to 158 pounds  Charles Aloisio, 72, Atlanta: From 250 to 150 pounds  Bob Shelton, 64, Atlanta: From 260 to 210 pounds  Benjamin 'Robby' Sneed, 28, Dallas: From 230 to 160 pounds

• How long he's kept it off: Four years, nine months. Started in October 2002; met goal in April 2003.

• How he does it: A vegetarian, he started his weight loss with Weight Watchers (www.weightwatchers.com). He runs three to four days a week for about an hour. On weekends, he runs one to two hours. And he does 25 pushups a day along with 100 toe touches and 25 squats.

• Why he's a successful loser: "Since losing weight the first time, I have stayed within 10 pounds of my goal of 200 pounds. When I hit 10 pounds, I cut back on my food intake and increase my activity level," he says. "Keeping weight off is not a short-term project. You have to work at it every day; it is a lifestyle change."

• Secrets to continued success: "As soon as you feel you are putting on weight, jump on it. Do not wait till next week," he says. "Don't bring foods you crave or weakness foods into the house. When I do, my weight goes up. If you have a bad day eating, do not beat yourself up. Tomorrow is a new day. And when you do have bad days, use it to motivate yourself to go for a walk or a run — keep moving."

He adds: "It also helps to have a great partner [referring to wife Kim] to help steer you along. It is easier that way."

Kim's Veggie Soup
About 16 (1-cup) servings

Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Keith McKenney calls wife Kim's vegetable soup "smack dab good." She starts with a basic formula, and then adapts it to whatever she has on hand in the fridge or pantry. Tester Deborah Geering added: "This simple soup is so loaded with vegetables, it's more like a stew. Add whatever you have on hand."

2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup red wine
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried basil
3 medium potatoes, cut into small pieces
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 to 4 cups frozen or canned vegetables, such as cut okra, butter beans, corn, green beans or squash (if canned, rinse and drain)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat the water, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add the red wine. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and basil. As the soup simmers, add the vegetables as you chop them: potatoes, carrots and celery. Add the beans and additional vegetables, as available. Cook until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 89 calories (percent of calories from fat, 5), 4 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, trace fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, 211 milligrams sodium.