Chris Conley, 44, Athens. Weight lost: 154 pounds.
Former weight: 308 pounds
Current weight: 154
Pounds lost: 154
Height: 5 feet, 10 inches
Age: 44 years
How long he's kept it off: "I decided shortly before my 42nd birthday that I would be healthy by my 45th birthday, and started my new approach to healthier living on Aug. 1, 2008," says Conley. "I reached my goal weight of 155 pounds on April 16, 2011."
Personal life: "I'm an attorney, partner in the firm of Evert Weathersby Houff, and live in Athens with my wife, Mary, our 16-year-old son, Aaron, and our dog, Jo."
Turning point: "I was in surprisingly good health for a 300-pound person, but I knew that wouldn't last forever," he said. "God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and son, and I just felt like I was spitting in the face of that blessing by cheeseburgering myself toward an early grave."
Diet plan: "I just treated weight loss as a math problem; as long as calories in was less than calories out, I'd lose weight," he said. Breakfast begins with high-fiber cereal, skim milk, a bananna and turkey sausage. Lunch is turkey on whole grain bread, Greek yogurt and fruit. Dinner is lean protein with vegetables, rice and salad.
Exercise routine: "Once I lost 100 pounds I added regular exercise," he said. "I followed one of the couch-to-5K training plans and went from only being able to run a quarter-mile to running my first 5K last Memorial Day Weekend." He runs with his wife five or six days per week.
Biggest challenge: "Especially in the beginning, the biggest challenge was focusing on the progress made rather than on the huge distance remaining between me and my ultimate goal," he said. "I found the best solution was to track the weight daily. ... Prayer was also very helpful, as I just asked God for the willpower to get healthy and to do what I needed to do to be the best husband and father I could be."
How life has changed: "Daily activity has become so much easier; no knee pain on stairs, no sweating in the heat. Most importantly, I no longer have the nagging guilt of knowing that I wasn't taking care of myself the way that I should for my wife and son."
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.
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