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 / Jennifer Eaby, 37: From 138 pounds to 117 pounds
Former weight: 138 pounds
Current weight: 117 pounds
Pounds lost: 21 pounds
Height: 5 feet 2 inches
Age: 37 years
How long she's kept it off: "I started my fitness journey in February of 2011," says Eaby. She reached her goal in June.
Personal life: "I live with my husband, Joel, and daughters, Elisabeth and Gabriella," she says. "I'm a public relations freelancer and I also do billing for my husband who owns North Point Physical Therapy." Eaby and her family live in Dacula.
Turning point: "I never had weight issues until after I had kids. So it was a shock to find that losing the baby weight was going to take some work," she says. "I had previously followed a low-carb diet twice before, only to gain the weight back once I stopped the diet. I was sick and tired of being fatigued and unhappy with my postpartum body, so I finally started working out at North Point Fitness."
Diet plan: "I met with the nutritionist on staff at NPF and began following what they call a Mediterranean diet — it's lower carb and lots of protein and vegetables," she says. She starts her day with an English muffin sandwich with egg whites, cheese and veggies. Lunch is a grilled chicken salad. Snacks include mozzarella cheese and almonds and dinner is lean meat, roasted vegetables and a small amount of whole-wheat bread.
Exercise routine: "I strength train two times per week with a trainer," she says. She also plays tennis four-to-five times per week.
Biggest challenge: "I think my biggest challenge was getting motivated to do something," she says. "Inertia is hard to overcome - once you're moving, it's easy to keep going."
How life has changed: "I'm probably in the best physical shape I've ever been in my entire life," she says. "[It's] an odd thing to say in your late thirties, but I love saying that because it shows that we can change our lives at any age - it's never too late to change. I have more energy, I have muscle tone and definition that I didn't have before…I have changed my eating habits quite a bit too. Before I had kids, I could eat whatever I wanted, but now I choose healthful foods and I'm teaching my girls to do the same. They also see me workout and play tennis and they understand that fitness is important to me and I think that will help them to develop healthy habits for life as well."
About the Author
