Ben Dempsey loses 145 pounds

Height: 6 feet

Age: 28

How long he's kept it off: He started on July 22, 2009. "I hope to be at my goal weight of 190 when I cross the finish line at the Publix Georgia Half Marathon [in March]," says Dempsey.

Personal life: "I am a physical therapist assistant at Rockdale Medical Center in Conyers. I live in Winder with my wife, Elizabeth, and son, Chris."

Turning point: "It was on July 22, 2009, a Wednesday, that I woke up with this thought in my head: I had enough of not being able to do what I wanted to do," he says. Dempsey realized he had to make a lifestyle change. "It involved taking each day on one day at a time, setting realistic goals and defying them. My first one was to stop drinking sodas. ... I have not had a soda since."

Diet plan: "My plan was of my own design: 1,500 calories a day," he says. Breakfast is scrambled eggs or peanut butter toast. Lunch is a turkey sub. Dinner is grilled chicken with veggies and he has two snacks a day, usually nuts or a protein bar.

Exercise routine: He does cardio six days per week. "I do a run/walk interval because I have very flat feet so I can't run for extended periods of time. But it is getting better. I do on average two to three miles a day, at most five," he says. He also does weight lifting three days a week and recently finished a 90-day interval of P90X (www.p90x.com).

Biggest challenge: "For me in the past, I would do well the first four weeks and see results. But when I hit the plateau, I would give up and return to old habits," he says. "That's when I set goals to help motivate me, beginning with weekly then monthly and then yearly."

How life has changed: "When I get up now, I can't wait to exercise," he says. "I look forward to challenging myself to exceed past performances. I try to encourage others to attack their goals. My faith and family has helped me remain focused."

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 e-mail 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.