Lisa Cox loses 53 pounds

Height: 5 feet 7 inches

Age: 41 years

How long she's kept it off: She started in June 2009 and by May 2011 was down to 172 pounds.

Personal life: "I am an elementary school music teacher who has been teaching for 15 years," Cox said. "I have a husband and two children, age 15 and seven. I have lived in Gwinnett County for 18 years."

Turning point: "I went to Six Flags for the first time in about 10 years and was so uncomfortable in all the rides and seats," she said. "A place that had once been fun and such a joy to me was embarrassing to me. My oldest daughter was with me and I knew it was unfair to her and the rest of my family to take away the joy of spending time in a fun place because of my weight."

Diet plan: "Just after I signed up at the gym, I met with one of the personal trainers," she said. "He said that this was a life change and you can still enjoy some of the foods you love, but diet and exercise have to work together." She begins her day with whole grain toast or egg whites. Lunch is a turkey sandwich with string cheese, nuts and fruit. Dinner is chicken or turkey with vegetables and whole grain pasta.

Exercise routine: "I go to the gym three to five times per week," she said. "[Mostly I do] go-performance classes -- a training class at my gym where you train in many different ways -- from cross-training to strength training. I also run on the treadmill at least a mile or more per visit to the gym."

Biggest challenge: "Time," she said. "With a full-time job and family, making time for workouts is a challenge. I make it a priority and the results are that the entire family is not only supportive  but involved in getting healthy as well."

How life has changed: "I never sit still; my family is now trying to keep up with me instead of me keeping up with them," she said. "I wanted my forties to be the best time of my life. I wanted us to all be out having fun and being active instead of sitting on the couch. [I was determined] to show my children and myself that forty was going to start the best decade of my life."

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.