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, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or e-mail Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
Success story
G. Fabre, 43: From 306 pounds to 222 pounds
Former weight: 306 pounds
Current weight: 222 pounds
Pounds lost: 84 pounds
Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
Age: 43 years
How long you've kept it off: "I started March 2015 and hit my goal one year later, April 2016," Fabre said.
Personal life: "I own a small heating and air business in Jonesboro called Cool G'z Heating and Air (coolgzair.com). I am also a proud father of three children: a daughter, 25, and two sons, ages 22 and 13. I am currently not married. In my spare time, I mentor inner city youths." He lives in Jonesboro.
Turning point: "I just got tired of being overweight and felt even worse by not doing (anything) about it. I would look at myself in the mirror and all I would ever see is my stomach, and it was big and getting bigger. My kids used to … try to bounce it. … Getting up from a sofa and tying shoes became a challenge. … I joined a gym near my home and it was very inexpensive. I just, in my mind, took ownership of the gym and wanted to use all of the equipment. Plus, my sister lost 50-plus pounds herself a few years back, which gave me even more motivation." His sister, Dedra Fabre, appeared in Success Stories in 2011.
Diet plan: "I used my own diet plan, which, for the most part, is plant-based." He has quinoa cereal with walnut milk for breakfast, nuts and figs throughout the day, and kale with onions and mushrooms for dinner. "In this weight-release journey, I stopped eating meat altogether." He still eats fish.
Exercise routine: I go to the gym now about four times a week. I walk/run 2 miles on the treadmill, then at least an hour on weights."
Biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge was making a decision within myself to keep up the healthy eating, plus the exercise. I weighed myself about once a month, so I could track my progress."
How life has changed: "Now I can breathe better and I don't snore like I used to. My energy and vitality has improved tremendously. … My plan is to help others who may want to challenge themselves to release some weight with what I call 'the 4E Concept': eat — to live; exercise — often, no excuse; educate yourself — know what you are eating; encourage others to have success in their weight-release journey."
