SUCCESS STORY / Piper Harris, 40: From 215 pounds to 140 pounds
Former weight: 215 pounds
Current weight: 140 pounds
Pounds lost: 75 pounds
Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Age: 40
How long she's kept it off: She started in 2012 and reached her current weight in 2016.
Personal life: "I'm married to my husband, Scott, and we have two sons, Brody and Colton," said Harris, who lives in Canton. "I'm a senior coach with LadyBoss.com, women's-only health coaching."
Turning point: "I was obese all through grade school. … In 2004, I was at my heaviest at 215 pounds. When I got married in 2007, I was 190 pounds. …" Harris said. "My true turning point, I know the exact day it had to change. I was six months pregnant. I was in terrible health and I couldn't walk." When a friend came to visit and suggested seeing the local zoo, Harris had to ride a motorized scooter. "I will never forget the looks on people's faces — that's when it started," she said. "That day was a true turning point for me." After her son was born in 2007, her second son followed in 2009, and in 2010, she discovered she had celiac disease. "I dove into nutrition. I fell into becoming a private chef, and I cooked myself healthy. …" Harris said. "I wrote and published a cookbook. I opened up a women's-only studio called Transform Fitness. Then I ultimately started doing online coaching. Now I'm with Lady Boss.com, a phenomenal company, a community of 80,000 women — I get to touch lives on a very grand level."
Diet Plan: Breakfast is oatmeal cooked with egg white and vanilla followed by a protein shake. Lunch and dinner are protein and two big handfuls of veggies. Friday night she has pizza.
Exercise routine: "I do strength training four to five times per week. … I have a full gym in my basement, we invested in that," she said.
Biggest challenge: "Self-love. In 2012, I got down to 120 pounds. … I went from one extreme to the other," Harris said. "When I got very thin, I was only well enough to work out. One gets so hyper-obsessed. … The psoas muscle, when I tore it that day, I heard it tear, the whole gym heard it. I knew instantaneously it was because I am not listening (to my body). … You have to learn what works for you and what your body needs."
How life has changed: "It is incredible when you learn how to care for your body in the way it should be cared for. You don't know what balance is when you are eating your feelings. … There's shame when I see those old pictures, but it got me to where I am. I really like the woman I am right now. It took me some time, but I like her a lot right now. I'm just a lot more fun. I am authentically me now. It feels good not to hide under a lot of fat or a really skinny body — just to be me."
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.
