Sabrina Gorman, 39, of Grayson, Ga., lost 141 pounds
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 email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
SUCCESS STORY / Sabrina Gorman, 39: From 286 pounds to 145 pounds
Former weight: 286 pounds
Current weight: 145 pounds
Pounds lost: 141
Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Age: 39
How long she's kept it off: Six years. She started in 2006 and reached her current weight in 2008.
Personal life: She works full time for Gwinnett County Public Schools. She is also a group fitness instructor and personal trainer. She is engaged with two children and lives with her family in Grayson, Ga.
Turning point: "The day I picked up the pictures from my son's third birthday weekend," Gorman says. "I was finally forced to see myself for the first time in years, and there was no denying it — I was fat. I wasn't always overweight. I used to be in pretty good shape — I was an athlete … but 10 years of putting my family and career first, I'd forgotten all about me." When the scale said 286 pounds, she was devastated and considered surgery. "As I sat through the consultation, I finally heard the message loud and clear: Yes, surgery could jump-start my weight loss … (but) if I wanted continued and sustained results, I would have to make a lifetime commitment to keeping the weight off." She joined a gym and committed to a lifestyle change.
Diet plan: She eats six small meals per day, starting with a protein shake. Breakfast is an egg-white scramble with chicken and veggies. Lunch is grilled salmon, brown rice and vegetables. She snacks on Greek yogurt or nuts, and dinner is fruit and a protein bar. "Friday night is my night off, and the only night I am home in time for dinner with my family. We let the kids choose whatever they want, and I spend this time with my family, guilt-free."
Exercise plan: "After about a month, I began taking group fitness classes," she says. Now she works out six days a week and teaches six classes each week.
Biggest challenge: "I think learning proper nutrition was my biggest challenge," she says. "I developed some very negative associations with food, and was very restrictive in the beginning. Although I continued to lose weight, I was fatigued and was not eating enough to support my increased level of activity. Over time, I learned to adjust my eating habits."
How life has changed: "I have successfully kept the weight off for the past six years, including my second pregnancy in 2009," she says. "I have made permanent lifestyle changes. I don't look at this as a diet or temporary exercise program. … You have to work just as hard to maintain your results as you did to attain the results. You must continue to improve your fitness by constantly raising the bar and keeping your workouts challenging and not allowing your body to adapt and get too comfortable."
