SUCCESS STORY / Dorothy Aenlle, 58: From 150 pounds to 121 pounds
Former weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 121 pounds
Pounds lost: 29 pounds
Height: 5 feet 4 inches
Age: 58 years
How long she's kept it off: She started in January 2017 and reached her weight goal in December.
Personal life: "I have a grown daughter and a dog, and I take care of my mom," Aenlle said. "I am a business analyst for a software company. Part of my job requirements is traveling overseas in different parts of the world to see what our customers need from our software."
Turning point: When she and her mother were tipping the scales higher than usual, Aenlle said, "that is when I knew I had to do something about my weight. As the saying goes, just look at her mother and you will know what she will look like later. I signed up for health and nutrition classes with Sparkle A New You wellness coach Jacynta Harb (www.sparkleanewyou.com)." She did not use any pills or supplements to assist her weight loss.
Diet plan: She did not follow a set diet plan. "I just ate home-cooked, prepared meals," she said. Breakfast is a hard-boiled egg with homemade avocado cilantro dressing, a quarter of a baked sweet potato and two cups of coffee with cinnamon. Lunch is a spring mix salad with baked chicken or baked fish, and fruit for dessert. She snacks on fruits or vegetables. Dinner is sautéed vegetables, baked chicken or baked fish, steamed or roasted vegetables, and green tea with honey and lemon.
Exercise routine: She does yoga for 15 minutes daily. Two times a week she does Zumba and body weights. Once a week, she does one hour of yoga and a walk-run of 3 miles.
Biggest challenge: "Changing eating habits and tracking what I eat" were her biggest challenges, she said. Her solution: "Just keep on doing it consistently, don't give up, and track what you eat." She also found batch cooking, preparing food for the following week, helpful in managing her challenges.
How life has changed: "I try to make my health and wellness a priority. In the past, family, work and home were always the priorities. Taking care of my health and wellness definitely changed my goals and future plans," she said. Her tips for others include: "Make meal planning simple and easy … to be consistent. Bake chicken or fish in advance, sauté some vegetables, steam some vegetables, roast some vegetables, boil eggs six at a time. … Remove any boxed, canned food items in your pantry or refrigerator. Replace them with organic spices, olive oil, coconut oil, fresh vegetables, fish and eggs, and homemade salad dressings. Remember, anything from a box — tastes like a box."
Share Your Success: Have you lost weight successfully with a healthy lifestyle change? If you would like to share your story with our readers, please include your email address, a daytime phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
