Linda Melvin, 53, of Lawrenceville, lost 86 pounds

Height: 5 feet 7 inches

Age: 53

How long she's kept it off: She started in July 2007 and reached her goal in June 2011.

Personal life: "I'm a business systems consultant with Georgia-Pacific Corporation," says Melvin. "I have a son, Tommy, living in Manhattan and a college-aged daughter, Carson, who lives with me." She lives in Lawrenceville.

Turning point: "In the summer of 2007, I was having some painful back issues," she says. "I went to the doctor and she looked me in the eye and said, 'We can continue to fix your back problems, but until you take off the extra weight, the issues will continue to recur...I recommend Weight Watchers.' It was a turning point for me. I knew that Georgia-Pacific offered the Weight Watchers At Work program during lunch time each Monday." She joined and volunteered to be the group coordinator so she wouldn't miss a meeting.

Diet plan: Melvin follows the Weight Watchers points plus plan. Breakfast is a homemade smoothie. Lunch is a salad. Dinner is pizza with a salad.

Exercise routine: "I exercise six to seven days per week. Typically, I will do 35 to 40 minutes on the elliptical and add weights a couple times a week. I also go to a yoga class two to four times a month."

Biggest challenge: "It took me four years to reach my goal because I was working through challenges in my personal life," she says. "This allowed me to learn how to get back on track when the number on the scale went up."

How life has changed: "I can honestly say that I feel better than I have since I was in my twenties," she says. "I am newly single so feeling good about myself is important. I intend to live every day to the fullest and being at my healthiest makes that so much easier. One of the best parts of my success is having people at work whom I've never met walk up to me and tell me that they have seen the change and I have inspired them to make a change. I will be forever grateful to my company for offering this program here at work."

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.