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 / Deborah Kloder, 34: From 191 pounds to 123 pounds
Former weight: 191 pounds
Current weight: 123 pounds
Pounds lost: 68 pounds
Height: 5 feet 3 inches
Age: 34 years
How long she's kept it off: "I started in September 2010 and reached my goal in August 2011," says Kloder.
Personal life: "I grew up in Atlanta and currently live in Alpharetta," she says. "I am a first grade teacher at a private school in Atlanta. I have been teaching for the past eight years."
Turning point: "I have been overweight since high school. I lost about twenty pounds in college," she says. "After returning home, the weight started creeping back up until I was close to 200 pounds. My doctors, for years, have been telling me that I need to lose weight. One of the doctors said that I needed to do some form of exercise and then start on an organized diet plan. One day, I was running an errand and turned too early into the parking lot. I then saw the Weight Watchers sign in front of me. I knew that God was giving me a sign. I parked my car, went in, signed up and never looked back."
Diet plan: "Weight Watchers has taught me how to keep to a much healthier lifestyle. I weigh and write down everything I eat. I am eating more fruits and vegetables. On the weekend, I cook all the food that I will eat for the week…. A typical day includes Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and cereal for breakfast; vegetarian chili and salad for lunch; salmon, mixed veggies, sweet potato, and quinoa for dinner. I make sure to have a snack between meals, so that I am not starving for lunch or dinner. My favorite snack is an apple with two tablespoons of peanut butter."
Exercise routine: "I try to move as much as possible; park a little further from the store and walk the stairs at work," she says. "When I was losing weight, I was working out about three times a week. I have walked three 5Ks. Before I lost the weight, (that) would never have been done. Each 5K, I have done a little better. It feels great to cross that finish line!"
Biggest challenge: "The biggest challenge for me at the beginning of my weight loss journey was seeing this as a lifestyle change and not a diet," she says. "I did not gain this weight overnight, so I will not lose it overnight…I would lose the weight at my pace."
How life has changed: "I have more confidence in myself," she says. "I like the way I look in my clothes. I am down a total of eight sizes. I used to hate shopping for clothes - did not like how I looked in them. Even though I have made my goal, I continue to go to meetings…it is important to continue to get that support. I do not want to go backwards, and I never get tired of someone calling me skinny."
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