SUCCESS STORY / Carla Dunn, 46: From 198 pounds to 130 pounds
Former weight: 198 pounds
Current weight: 130 pounds
Pounds lost: 68 pounds
Height: 5 feet 2 inches
Age: 46 years
How long she’s kept it off: “I started metabolism specialist Nancy Masoud’s Lock It In Weight Loss program in March 2018 and reached my goal in late August 2018,” Dunn said.
Personal life: “I have lived in Atlanta for 20 years, currently in Ormewood Park,” Dunn said. “I’m a management consultant.”
Turning point: “I had been thinking about looking for a nutritionist to work with on weight loss and just generally feeling better for a while,” Dunn said. “When I lost weight before … I did it mostly eating convenience foods, and this time I wanted to really learn how to change my habits for a lifetime. A co-worker told me about Nancy and the success that several people she knew had working with her.”
Diet plan: She focused on lean proteins, green vegetables and fruits such as apples, citrus and berries, for snacks. A typical breakfast was two boiled egg whites “because I am not a fan of yolks, not because the diet forbade them,” Dunn said. Midmorning she would have fruit. Lunch and dinner were 4 to 5 ounces of lean protein and two cups of vegetables. “Sheet-pan dinners are easy and quick and are still my go-to meals,” Dunn said. “Most nights while I was losing weight, I made sheet-pan dinners with enough leftovers for lunch the next day. Simple baked chicken breasts, turkey tenderloins or fish with seasoned salt — I love the Beautiful Briny Sea line that’s made here in Atlanta — on one side of the pan, and asparagus, broccoli or Brussels sprouts on the other side.”
Exercise routine: “The only exercise I did while losing most of the weight was walking,” Dunn said. “As I got close to my goal weight, I added yoga and some light strength training to my exercise routine.”
Biggest challenge: “The biggest challenge was learning how to make the best choices I could when I couldn’t control exactly what I was eating,” Dunn said. “Nancy was always willing to look over restaurant menus with me to help me know what the best options were, and over time I learned what to look for on menus.”
How life has changed: “Most of the changes have been in how much better I feel,” Dunn said. “I have the energy that I didn’t before I lost weight and look forward to and enjoy being active much more. … Learn how your body reacts to different types of foods and eliminate or minimize things that you don’t react well to. For example, I learned that I was sensitive to cow’s milk but not other types of milk. I love yogurt and cheese, but now I stick to goat’s milk yogurt and goat or sheep’s milk cheeses in moderation.”
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