Effren L. Bledsoe loses 80 pounds

Height: 6 feet

Age: 38

How long he's kept it off: He started last year in January and reached his goal this month.

Personal life: Bledsoe is a human resources leader. He's single and lives in South Fulton County.

Turning point: "When my doctor told me I had high blood pressure at the age of 36," Bledsoe said. "I spent the last 10-plus years of my career traveling extensively and living out of hotels. It's no surprise the lack of exercise and room service will definitely [make] a derogatory effect on your health if you are not well disciplined, and I wasn't. Last year I decided it was time to take better care of me."

Diet plan: "I placed myself on a high-protein, low-carb diet," he said. "Mostly seafood, chicken, brown rice, nuts, berries and fresh veggies. I make my own protein shakes with yogurt, soy milk, frozen fruit and fruit juice. I stayed away from powder protein until I reached my target weight."

(A typical day begins with a shake and a granola bar. Lunch is tilapia with brown rice and something green. In the afternoon, he snacks on a protein bar or shake and dinner is chicken, beans and brown rice.)

Exercise routine: "My regimen was cardio, cardio, cardio and moderate weight training to get to my ideal weight," he said. "[I did] one hour of high-impact cycling and moderate weight lifting until I reached my ideal weight. My goal now is more intense lifting on targeted areas."

Biggest challenge: "The biggest challenge for me was not seeing the results as soon as I wanted," he said. "It is indeed a journey."

How life has changed: "Life is the same for the most part with one exception: I have been able to serve as a motivating example to others that are on this journey," he said. "I approached this as a journey and not a destination for the most part. Even when I did not see the weight loss, I knew that my overall health was improving [such as my] blood pressure."

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.