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.
SUCCESS STORY / Chris Peterson, 52: From 268 pounds to 206 pounds
Former weight: 268 pounds
Current weight: 206 pounds
Pounds lost: 62 pounds
Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
Age: 52 years
How long he's kept it off: "Started doing something in April 2014 and got to 206 pounds probably in July 2015," says Peterson.
Personal life: "I am a CPA and the executive director of Mount Vernon Towers, an independent senior living facility in Sandy Springs," he says. "I have a son who is a senior architecture major at Georgia Tech and a son who is a junior at the University of Georgia." He lives in McDonough.
Turning point: "I got to a point where all of my slacks were tight and clothing was uncomfortable. Because my belly had gotten so big, it was an effort to bend over and even put my shoes on without holding my breath. About the same time I was starting to work out, my mom passed away as a result of not taking care of herself. Seeing how much pain she went through motivated me to do everything I can to stay healthy for as long as I can."
Diet plan: "I am lucky in that I am not a foodie. I typically have a V8 in the morning with a banana and a protein shake. For lunch, I will have a soup, salad and generally fish or black bean burger patty with vegetables … I will have something small at dinner … Between meals, I will eat a piece of fruit or a cup of yogurt or a fat free cheese stick — I have probably now eaten 5 million cheese sticks."
Exercise routine: "I exercise every day," he says. Three days a week for 30 to 40 minutes he works with a trainer at JustFitness4U in Sandy Springs. He does the elliptical and abdominal work on weekdays. "Saturday and Sunday [I do] walking and/or push-ups or anything to be doing at least a little something."
Biggest challenge: "The biggest challenge was simply making the time to exercise and then disciplining myself to commit to a healthy lifestyle."
How life has changed: "I feel a lot better and everything physically is easier. Don't feel tired and new clothes fit much better. I went from a tight 38-inch waist to a very comfortable 33-inch waist. The 38-inch pants I was wearing were tight enough to be dangerous. Had I popped a button, someone could have been hurt by the projectile." His advice: "The secret to where I've come is to do something every day and make that something challenging, but not so challenging that you don't look forward to exercising the next day."
