Elliott Rodriguez lost 93 pounds

Former weight: 268 pounds

Current weight: 175 pounds

Pounds lost: 93 pounds

Height: 5 feet, 11 inches

Age: 22 years

How long he's kept it off: He started dropping weight when he was 15, in 2009. Rodriguez has maintained his current weight since April 2012. At one point, he dropped down to 162 pounds.

Personal life: "I'm a manager and co-owner of Anytime Fitness in Alpharetta. I live in Athens, where I go to the University of North Georgia. I'm an economics major and I want to minor in physical therapy. … I have amazing parents — I love them both, they are cool people. I have two sisters that are 9 and 8."

Turning point: While playing football in high school, his meniscus was torn in half. "So, the doctor said no more running, no more anything. … For eight weeks, I believed him, and got heavy. … I was always a bigger kid and I loved playing sports: baseball, football. … When I lost [that, I couldn't] hang out with my friends anymore." He walked into Anytime Fitness with an idea: "I asked [the owner] if I could mow the lawn and empty the trash in exchange for a membership. He agreed." Today, Rodriguez is a manager and partial owner.

Diet plan: Rodriguez does intermittent fasting. After coffee in the morning, he eats at noon. Lunch and dinner are usually a protein, a fat and a vegetable.

Exercise routine: He works out seven days a week. "I'm very much into Olympic-style weightlifting." He plays semi-professional paintball on weekends.

Biggest challenge: "I think my biggest challenge was honestly myself — believing that I could do it. … I had very, very poor self-confidence. When I was younger, I didn't know how to handle my inner dialogue. … I went on YouTube and typed in motivational speaking. I would learn from Anthony Robbins [and others]. … There are days you're working on it and the world is collapsing around you — you have to reach down, dig deep, and push through."

How life has changed: "People are listening to what I'm saying, I'm becoming a leader. I have a lot of responsibility at my age. … My goal is to really enrich the community around me. … I was a wimpy, push-over kid. If I can lose over 100 pounds, become a leader, and change the people around me, anybody can do it."