Barb Howell, 54, of Alpharetta lost 52 pounds

Current weight: 138 pounds

Pounds lost: 52 pounds

Height: 5 feet 5 inches

Age: 54 years old

How long she's kept it off: "I started back in January 2017 and lost 45 pounds in 16 weeks as of mid-May. After being on maintenance, I have lost another 5 to 7 pounds as I have added the simple exercise of walking back into my routine," Howell says.

Personal life: "I have been married to my husband, Steve, for 25 years. We have three wonderful grown kids: ages 23, 22 and almost 21." She's a benefits administrator and lives in Alpharetta.

Turning point: "I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I had been battling severe congestion and phlegm for months; when it would not go away even after using many over-the-counter medicines … as well as 10 days of antibiotics, I had a consultation with Nancy Masoud from Real Health Medical in January (www.lockitinweightloss.com). Once I started the clean eating program — veggies, fruit and protein — the symptoms completely went away in three weeks. The brain fog lifted, my energy came back, and weight loss ensued."

Diet plan: She followed a plan that included homeopathic glycoprotein drops. Breakfast is eggs or Greek yogurt, she snacks on Honeycrisp apples, and both lunch and dinner are lean protein with two cups of vegetables.

Exercise routine: "The beauty of the program for me was my practitioner told me to not exercise until I was in maintenance so my body could work solely on weight loss and not have to work on muscle repair along with the weight loss. Now that I have lost the excess weight and have more energy, my view has shifted to I want to exercise instead of I have to exercise."

Biggest challenge: "The biggest challenge is realizing food is everywhere, but knowing how my body reacts to digesting processed and fast foods makes me stay away from those."

How life has changed: "My husband was a huge supporter in eating clean along with me. We both cleaned our cupboards of the Swiss Rolls, oatmeal pies, cookies, chips, so we wouldn't have any temptations. He followed the eating plan, without the drops, and lost 30 pounds in the same time I lost 45 pounds. We both had a major goal in mind — celebrating our 25th anniversary in May with a trip to the Dominican Republic. … I know I can accomplish anything I put my mind to, including keeping the weight off. We had stayed at an all-inclusive resort on our trip and both gained 5 to 6 pounds. … The first day I returned, I jumped back onto the strict clean eating plan and the excess weight dropped."

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, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30346-1301; or e-mail Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.