Heather Harman, 24, of Alpharetta lost 40 pounds

Pounds lost: 40 pounds

Height: 5 feet 4 inches

Age: 24 years

How long she's kept it off: "I started in mid-November of 2017 and ended in June of 2018," Harman said.

Personal life: I am the director of operations for an event company in Atlanta called Track Seven Events," Harman said. "I design, organize and plan events all over Atlanta for corporate and social gatherings." She lives in Alpharetta.

Turning point: "I used to be an NCAA Division I (D-I) athlete at Penn State. I played lacrosse for them for four years. When I graduated, I thought I could just eat less food and not work out as much and I'd balance out. I worked out twice a day, every day, for four years in college, so I wanted a break from the excessive exercise. However, when I did that, the pounds came on fast," Harman said. "I then tried to get back into exercising, but all the foods I ate in college weren't the right ones. … I realized I didn't know what were the right foods to eat. … I was tired of not being healthy or being confident in my own skin. My mom's friends had gone to metabolism specialist Nancy Masoud (www.lockitinweightloss.com). … I figured if they could do it, so could I."

Diet plan: Breakfast is two eggs and an apple. Lunch is 4 ounces of turkey with 2 cups of veggies followed by fruit and crackers for snacks. Dinner is 5 ounces of protein with 2 cups of veggies.

Exercise routine: "This diet required no exercise, which was my favorite part," Harman said. "I resumed working out once I reached my goal weight … by doing body weight exercises and lots of walks. … I'm not killing myself at the gym anymore — just enjoying the exercise again."

Biggest challenge: "Not eating sweet treats like chocolate was one of the hardest parts. I have a huge sweet tooth, so the first two weeks were hard for me. But after I got over the two-week hump, my cravings went down. Additionally, no alcohol was hard for me. Being young, my whole social life revolves around casually drinking on the weekends at breweries, bars and parties. Being the only sober one at social events was harder than I thought — sometimes you just crave a good beer at a baseball game, but it was worth missing in the end."

How life has changed: "I'm definitely a healthier eater and happier all around," Harman said. "I'm more confident in my clothes, and shopping is a lot more fun. My relationship (with my boyfriend) is still strong and was throughout the entire process; he was very supportive and I'm lucky to have him. … I wasn't truly happy and confident with myself until I realized my potential."

Share Your Success: Each week, Success Stories focuses on an individual’s unique weight loss journey. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not endorse any specific weight loss program but includes names and links for the benefit of readers who want further information. 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, 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.