Donna Goddard, 50, of Loganville lost 55 pounds

Height: 5 feet 2 inches

Age: 50

How long she's kept it off: She started Weight Watchers in January 2011, and she's still losing.

Personal life: Goddard is a senior recruiter for Psychiatrists Only, an Atlanta-based physician placement firm. She and her husband, Walt, live in Loganville.

Turning point: "Looking at the pictures from my 50th birthday party last December was really eye-opening," said Goddard. "It's one thing to know that you are a big girl, but when you see that you are bigger than all your friends -- it was just plain depressing. I knew I had been gaining weight for a while, but all of a sudden, there it was and it couldn't be ignored. I had constant heartburn and never got a good night's sleep." When a co-worker started Weight Watchers, Goddard joined, too.

Diet plan: She starts her day with Greek yogurt and a banana. Lunch is a low-calorie frozen meal with fruit, and dinner is grilled chicken or fish with steamed veggies.

Exercise routine: "I usually exercise five to six times a week," she said. "During the week, I work out at lunch in the gym at my office building."

Biggest challenge: "This summer when it was so hot and I had gotten close to my halfway mark, it took everything within me to keep getting out to walk on the weekends," she said. "I sometimes literally had to make myself get out the door to exercise. But man, what a great feeling once I would finish."

How life has changed: "I feel like this has been the most transformative year ever," she said. "I had dreaded turning 50, but actually it has been awesome. I enjoy exercising -- who'd have ever thought that and it really is the key to weight loss. ... I have a note on my bulletin board at work that says, 'I can do more than I think I can.' That statement has motivated me to walk one mile, then three miles, now six miles at a time. ... Plus, my husband has been wonderful, cooking meals for me and encouraging me when I don't feel like getting out to exercise."

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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