Susan Gardner loses 60 pounds

Pounds lost: 60 pounds

Height: 5 feet 4 inches

Age: 41 years

How long she's kept it off: Eight months. She started Weight Watchers in January 2010. In August 2010 she added Jazzercise and reached her current weight in March.

Personal life: "I am a flight attendant and mother to a beautiful nine-year-old, Lily. I live in Buford, Ga. with my husband Ty, daughter Lily, our dog, Kasey and our cat, Claire," says Gardner.

Turning point: "When I saw the before photo of myself, I realized just how out-of-control my weight had become," she says. "I didn't recognize myself anymore and decided that this time I was going to get all of the excess weight off and keep it off."

Diet plan: Breakfast is oatmeal and fruit or egg substitute with cheese on an English muffin. Lunch is soup and salad. Dinner starts with a salad followed by a Weight Watchers' recipe.

Exercise routine: "Jazzercise three to four times per week," she says. "Jazzercise is a whole body workout: cardio, strength training, body sculpting, and occasionally circuit training. I also try to take the stairs when I can and walk through the airport while at work instead of riding the train."

Biggest challenge: "Learning to stop eating before I felt stuffed," she says. "I always ate until I was miserable instead of eating a reasonable portion and letting it settle. The first few weeks were so hard for me; after the first month of Weight Watchers, I had lost six pounds and that is what kept me going."

How life has changed: "My confidence has sky rocketed. I feel better now in my 40s than I did throughout most of my 30s.I have so much more energy now," she says. "I recorded everything I ate and drank religiously until I met my goal. By doing that I realized that I am the only person responsible for my weight. If I didn't lose one week, I couldn't blame it on anyone but myself. Once I started attending Jazzercise regularly,  I noticed big changes in my looks and I was also able to indulge in an occasional dessert."

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.