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 Patty Murphy, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or e-mail Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
SUCCESS STORY / Carra Greer, 31: From 267 pounds to 184 pounds
Former weight: 267 pounds
Current weight: 184 pounds
Pounds lost: 83 pounds
Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Age: 31 years
How long she's kept it off: "I began my weight-loss journey after the birth of my twins and being cleared by my doctor for exercise, late November 2013," said Greer. In August, she reached 184 pounds; her goal is 140 to 150 pounds.
Personal life: "I [do] part-time ministerial work at Druid Hills Baptist Church as the children's minister," she said. "I've started my own business, Carra Greer Fitness at carragreerfitness.com." Greer, her four children and husband, Brian, live in Snellville.
Turning point: "I was a full-time minister, over halfway to my doctor of ministry degree, but I was living a very numb existence," she said. "I was unhappy with my job, unhappy with my overall effectiveness, unhappy with how little of me my kids and husband received … I felt like my life was on the spin cycle of a dryer. Having my twins was a wonderful surprise that I knew would force us to hit the reset button. It would finally force me to make changes, no matter how scary."
Diet plan: A typical day begins with an egg, turkey bacon, coffee, and a snack of apple and peanut butter. Lunch is a spinach salad with veggies and chicken. Dinner is baked fish, quinoa and roasted veggies.
Exercise routine: "I joined a gym and have gone at least two to three times every week for at least 30 minutes, usually 45 to 80 minutes," she says. Her exercises include: swimming, running, dancing and climbing.
Biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge is being kind to myself. I am my own worst enemy and the harshest critic. It's so important to love yourself and who you are inside your skin. Our bodies tell a story about who we are and where we've been."
How life has changed: "This is not all about how I look in the mirror or how I look in others' eyes," she said. "This is about being a healthy role model for my children and teaching them about living a healthy and active lifestyle. This is about showing all those people who rubbed my pregnant belly and said, 'You'll never be the same,' that, no, I will never be the same and my body will never look the way it did — because I am now a mom. I created four lives. My body is different, but my body is strong." In August, she was featured in the Huffington Post: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5669232
