Hillary Bliss, 28, of Atlanta lost 70 pounds
Former weight: 240 pounds
Current weight: 170 pounds
Pounds lost: 70
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Age: 28 years
How long she's kept it off: Three years. She started July 2007 and reached her goal in June 2008.
Personal life: "I grew up in Marietta; went to college at Georgia Tech and recently moved back to Atlanta to get a master's degree at Georgia Tech," says Bliss. "I work in Vinings as a marketing analyst. Bruce Labbate, her boyfriend, was her weight loss partner. She lives in Midtown.
Turning point: "I had been trying to lose weight for years, but portion-restrictive diets never worked for me," she says. "I was about to turn 25 and I knew that if I didn't get healthy soon, I would start to have major health problems very soon." She participated in a workplace medical study with physician Neal Barnard, M.D.
Diet plan: "I followed a low-fat vegan, strict vegetarian, diet under the guidance of a Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine medical study," she says. Breakfast is oatmeal with raisins. Lunch is a veggie burger and roasted sweet potatoes. For dinner, she enjoys grilled veggies or soups and chili.
Exercise routine: "I love to run outside with my dog three to four days a week for 30 to 45 minutes, and then maybe 30 minutes one to two days a week in the gym doing other cardio."
Biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge is usually explaining my diet to new friends and co-workers," she says. "It has also been a challenge to maintain the healthy habits through many life changes…the fact that I am eating no cholesterol, lower fat, and more fiber is keeping me healthier in the long run, even if I'm not continuing to drop additional weight."
How life has changed: "At first, I was much more aware of what I was eating and the quality of food I was putting in my body. It was a great wake-up call when I realized how much junk I was eating without even thinking about it," she says. "With the weight loss, I definitely grew more confident both physically and in relationships. I took up some new hobbies that I never thought I could do, like running."
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.
