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 / Matt Bass, 44: From 245 pounds to 178 pounds
Former weight: 245 pounds
Current weight: 178 pounds
Pounds lost: 67 pounds
Height: 6 feet
Age: 43 years
How long you've kept it off: He started in October 2012 and reached his current weight in June 2013.
Personal life: "I grew up in Chicago, came to Atlanta to go to Emory, and I've been here since 1989," said Bass. "I'm a real estate agent with Dorsey Alston, living in [Marietta] and I'm gearing up to be a health coach. I'm married 19 years to Elyssa, with two sons, Jordan, 13, and Alex, 11."
Turning point: "Seeing myself in pictures from our 2012 Hawaiian vacation and having to weigh-in for a helicopter tour. No lying about your weight there — that's how they determine how much fuel they need. I looked like a big, white whale on the beach. Even with shirts on, it was obvious I was overweight. Watching 'Forks Over Knives' also let me see my future if I didn't turn it around; diabetes, obesity — I was already there, heart disease and possibly cancer. I have a great family, and I wanted to be around to play lacrosse with my grandkids; I coach my sons' teams."
Diet plan: "In October 2012, I started to transition to the vegan diet," he said. "I've eaten more vegetables in the past two-and-a-half years than I probably ate in the 40 years before that. I've learned to love cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, collards, eggplant, squash and so many others. I started an organic vegetable garden in my yard, and there is nothing like fresh, yard-to-table cucumbers and tomatoes."
Exercise routine: "I run four times a week and do Bikram hot yoga two times a week, sometimes three, if I can sneak in another class. I run long and fairly slow, typically eight to 10 miles at a time … I run over a marathon a week, and have hit 140 miles in March."
Biggest challenge: "Cheese. I grew up in Chicago and I love pizza. It's still the thing I miss the most. I've found good substitutes for just about everything else …"
How life has changed: "I'm not on a diet; I changed my diet forever," he said. "I'm proud of how I look and the energy that I have … I'm looking at becoming a health coach, and specializing in helping former professional and college athletes get healthy again. A lot of them are men my age, who put on a lot of weight when they retire … I know that with the right diet, they can drop a lot of weight and start to get active again …"
About the Author
