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 Patty Murphy, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or e-mail Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
Former weight: 448 pounds
Current weight: 297 pounds
Pounds lost: 151 pounds
Height: 6 feet 11 inches
Age: 40 years
How long he's kept it off: "I continue to lose weight in a slow and controlled fashion," says Bowling. "I started my weight-loss journey in November 2011. I reached my original goal weight of 350 pounds in April 2012. I am currently working toward my new goal of 270 pounds."
Personal life: "I have been married for sixteen years to my wife, Cindy, and we have two lovely teenagers, Josh and Jessi." Bowling works as a software consultant. He and his family live in Roswell.
Turning point: "I weighed myself on a pallet scale at a local recycling center and saw the numbers 448 staring back at me," he says.
Diet plan: "My diet consisted of high protein and reduced carbs," he says. "I met with a dietitian and she provided me with daily goals for protein, carbs, and fat intake. To meet these goals it was necessary to eliminate most breads, pastas, and sweets from my diet." Breakfast is an egg white omelet with chicken and onions along with fruit and fat-free Greek yogurt. Lunch is a salad with chicken or tuna. Dinner is chicken or seafood, a side salad and steamed vegetables.
Exercise routine: "I work out four to five days per week," he says. "I do strength training two to three times per week. If I am traveling, then I have a handful of exercise plans that I can do in my hotel room - all you need is your own body weight. When I am in town, I work out at North Point Fitness (www.northpointfitness.com) either working with a trainer or doing group training. Once I lost enough weight, I was able to add running to my routine and usually jog several miles once or twice a week."
Biggest challenge: "My challenge was to keep true to my exercise plan," he says. "Making time in a busy schedule can be difficult. For me, I found that working out first thing in morning, before I could come up with excuses, was best."
How life has changed: "There have been numerous positive changes to my lifestyle," he says. "I have more energy and am able to engage in many more activities. On a recent trip to Orlando, I was able to ride all of the roller coasters at the Universal parks. Many of which, I had never been able to ride on. It was a thrill for both me and my children. My good habits have also had a positive impact on my family. My healthy eating habits have rubbed off on them and I usually work out with my family once a week… I have a calorie-tracking app on my phone and it was almost like a video game. I was able to receive instant feedback on the foods that I ate or was considering eating.
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