Barry Combess, 57, of Marietta lost 47 pounds

Height: 6 feet

Age: 57 years

How long he's kept it off: "I started the Couch to 5K program in March 2011 and reached my goal in April 2012," says Combess. He used the 5K runner app (http://heavydutyapps.com/5k-runner/) on his phone.

Personal life: "I am a chef, an ice carver, and I teach ServSafe classes to restaurant managers through the National Restaurant Association," says the Marietta resident.

Turning point: "The turning point came slowly, after a bad breakup with my wife of seventeen years I was just plodding along... just surviving," he says. "In March 2011, my daughter, Tiffany, asked me if we could go get some exercise..." Running began to look like a good idea but he started slow to avoid injuries. "That June, I ran my first 5K and was hooked..."

Diet plan: "I had only intended to be vegetarian for a couple of months, but then I noticed that not only was I losing weight but my mind seemed clearer, my skin was clearer, my varicose veins were disappearing, I no longer had hypoglycemia..." A typical day starts with oatmeal, followed by a protein shake and peanut butter sandwich. Soup for lunch, a mid-afternoon juice, and a bean burrito or vegetarian pizza for dinner.

Exercise routine: "I run five to six days a week," he says. His daughter is program director for Back On my Feet (www.backonmyfeet.org). "I run with her and the members at Gateway Center for the homeless every Wednesday morning. When I started running with my daughter, I immediately started having a right knee problem, shin splints, and my planters fasciias... I went to Abbadabba's in Kennesaw and they suggested Vibram Five Finger shoes (www.vibramfivefingers.com) I hated the way they looked, but they felt awesome."

Biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge was to keep running," he says.

How life has changed: "Losing weight was not my intention as much as just changing my life," he says. "I was waiting for something to happen, but now I'm making things happen." And on July 4, Combess will, for the first time, be one of the 60,000 participants running in the 43rd annual AJC Peachtree Road Race.

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 Holly Steel, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or e-mail ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.