Ada Waters, 77, of Woodstock lost 20 pounds

Pounds lost: 20 pounds

Height: 5 feet 3 ½ inches

Age: 77 years

How long she's kept it off: She started in 2016 and reached her current weight in October.

Personal life: "I live in Woodstock," Waters said. "I live with my partner, Ray, of nine years and also a German shepherd, Nash — he's our buddy. I am retired from Sprint and I'm from Florida. I retired in 2003. … I have two daughters and my son."

Turning point: "I was getting concerned that my weight was getting out of hand," Waters said. "I have been on many diets and I'd lose, but I guess I couldn't really stick to it. … In July, I went to see Nancy Masoud, a metabolic specialist (www.lockitinweightloss.com). Actually, I had seen in the paper someone, a gentleman from Woodstock, that went to her. He went to her and lost a lot of weight. … I looked it up and called. I talked with her, and we set up a time and a date to meet in her office. I went in and got started."

Diet plan: "I usually have an egg in the morning, and sometimes I'll have oatmeal and some protein," Waters said. "For lunch, I'll have protein and a vegetable or a salad with protein. For dinner, I'll have protein, such as chicken or fish, and vegetables."

Exercise routine: "I do walking and I do weights at home about three times per week," she said. "I walk in my neighborhood."

Biggest challenge: "Eating foods with sugar — that's what causes my weight gain, and eating out — that caused a lot of it," Waters said. "I talked to Nancy about that. She told me to try baked apples with cinnamon and stevia. That really helps — that takes away the hunger for sweet stuff and you don't have the flour for the crust."

How life has changed: "I have more energy, and as far as life-changing, I can't say there's any changes because I'm active — I'd say it's more energy," Waters said. "In February, I am going to take classes … in Roswell for staging homes. I am excited. I love decorating. I love clothes and furniture. It's going to be a four-day class, so I am really looking forward to that. … Then I can get certified and help people with their decorating and rearranging furniture." She feels her secret to success was finding what worked for her, along with keeping focused: "Determination, because I know if I don't stay on track I will go right back to the way I was with the weight gain. I am just determined to stay on the diet plan and (keep) good eating habits." Her tips for others include stick-to-it-ness: "I would say staying on track. Once you get a good diet plan, you stay on track. That's an individual choice, but that is what it takes for me to stay on track."

Share Your Success: Have you lost weight successfully with a healthy lifestyle change? If you would like to share your story with our readers, please include your email address, a daytime phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.