Lauren Sallarulo, 29, lost 56 pounds

Former weight: 275 pounds

Current weight: 219 pounds

Pounds lost: 56 pounds

Height: 5 feet 5 inches

Age: 29

How long she's kept it off: "I started my weight-loss journey in summer of 2014. … (In) May of 2015 … I got myself a personal trainer to help me with working out as well as nutrition."

Personal life: "I work as an accounts payable specialist for Avoxi, a telecommunication company in Marietta, Ga. I love my job and am grateful to work in a very supportive and encouraging environment. I am single and live in Chamblee, Ga."

Turning point: "The major turning point for me was back in May of 2014 when I was flying to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., visiting family and I could not buckle my seat belt. I was too ashamed to ask for an extender so I was able to buckle it, just barely, and could not move for the entire flight. … I never wanted to feel that feeling again, so I decided to make a change."

Diet plan: "I shoot for about 200 grams of protein, 100 grams of carbs, and 50 grams of fat on a daily basis." Breakfast is a protein shake with an egg white, double-protein English muffin and peanut butter. Lunch is a lunch-meat roll up and dinner is protein, a sweet potato and brown rice.

Exercise routine: "I work out five days a week with my personal trainer. I love going to the gym now. That is always my favorite time of day."

Biggest challenge: "The biggest challenge was to convince my mind that I really wanted to lose weight and that I was worthy of losing weight. … I had been bullied in middle school and high school about my weight, and it really, really affected me. I had a traumatic event happen in college that made me put on a ton of extra weight to protect myself. … I also worked with a counselor to work through a lot of the emotional and mental portion of this journey, which was very helpful."

How life has changed: "I got my life back. I was just going through the motions of my life for about nine years. … Now I can do so many things I never thought I would have been able to do. I ran a 5K in under an hour. … This is my life and I am loving it — I can't wait to keep going and keep reaching for my goals. … I also can fit in an airplane seat and I can actually tighten the seat belt."