SUCCESS STORY / Nicholle Little, 47: From: 285 pounds to 131 pounds
Former weight: 285 pounds
Current weight: 131 pounds
Pounds lost: 154 pounds
Height: 5 feet 4 inches
Age: 47 years
How long she's kept it off: She started in January 2012 and reached her current weight in September.
Personal life: "I'm happily married. … I love my dog, Ella. She's an American Eskimo," Little said. "… I've worked for American Honda Finance Corp. for over 14 years in their finance office." She lives in Duluth.
Turning point: "I went through a car accident eight years ago," she said, describing a head-on collision that crushed both legs that required seven operations and kept her in the hospital for six months. "It was life-changing. … Everyone needs that reminder in life to appreciate every single day — you don't really appreciate that until you have it taken away from you." Needing a wheelchair, she was unable to exercise. "You just have to prepare that you'll do better when you get better. I really had to work to get it off — I had never been that big in my life," Little said. "When you see someone who is overweight or obese you just do not know their backstory. … We shouldn't judge others by the outside — they may be going through something."
Diet plan: Her day starts with a protein shake or egg whites with spinach. For lunch and dinner, she eats a salad with fish or grilled chicken. "I always keep it under 1,200 calories a day," she said. "On my workout days, I will up my calorie intake to 1,400 calories"
Exercise routine: "I work out twice a week at Orange Theory Fitness," Little said, "and I walk as well."
Biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge was to quit drinking," Little said. "… I met my husband about four years ago — we would go out socially and drink with my friends." Two years ago she was down to about 160 pounds after dieting, exercising and a gastric bypass, but with the social drinking, "the weight would start to inch on more and more," she said. "… I was literally using alcohol as a tool for dealing with stress. … I was concentrating on wedding planning, but I really forgot about myself and what I worked so hard for. … In May 2017… after the wedding, we were in New York for the honeymoon. I noticed my left leg was really, really swollen … and painful. They found four clots in my leg and lung ― they had to do surgery. The nurse told me, 'You need to quit drinking and lose some weight.' "
How life has changed: "I recently found out I am going to be a grandmother. … I have to be healthy to help take care of my grandbaby and also to help my grandbaby make better eating choices," Little said. "… I am excited to take what I have learned, to be able to share that with my grandchild and share that from the very beginning because that is where it really starts."
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.
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