Former weight: 157
Current weight: 117
Pounds lost: 40
Height: 5 feet 4 inches
Age: 43 years
How long she's kept it off: "I didn't have a goal weight when I started June 1, 2010...I just wanted to lose weight until I felt better," Stabler says. She reached her current weight in November.
Personal life: "I'm single, living in Athens, Ga. I work at both UGA [as a research professional] and at a local card shop," she says.
Turning point: "I finally became tired of being tired and sluggish. And frankly, I didn't want to have to buy the next size or two bigger in clothing," she says. "In addition, both sides of my family have documented heart conditions and I didn't want to deliberately take myself down that same path."
Diet plan: "I don't follow a set program," she says. "No I-can't-have-this-or-that because that's all I would want to eat. I write everything down that I eat... makes me think twice about eating a lot of things."
Breakfast is cereal with skim milk. Lunch is fruit, a cheese stick, soup and yogurt. Dinner is a low-calorie frozen meal.
Exercise routine: "I have an American bulldog mutt who gets daily [30 minute] walks," she says. "I also have a recumbent stationary bike, hand weights, a balance ball, exercise bands and workout DVDs for rainy days -- my guest room looks like a mini gym."
Biggest challenge: "Cutting myself slack when I go over my calories for a day," she says, "a few moments of indulgence are acceptable, and necessary so that you won't go overboard later and lose all of the hard work. I'm also learning to live with this new body. I was overweight most of my adult life, so being the size I am now is interesting, to say the least."
How life has changed: "When I go to visit my parents and see people that I've known for years, it's quite fun to see their faces when I tell them who I am," she says. "I had two weddings to attend New Year's Eve, and I didn't have any dress clothes -- shopping for the smaller sizes really drives home what I've accomplished. I am grateful for it."
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 email ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com
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