Sonya Moste, 41, of Fayetteville lost 60 pounds

Height: 5 feet 6 inches

How long she's kept it off: 7 months. Started July 2007 and met her goal November 2008.

Personal life: "I'm the director of marketing [and public relations] for a local government agency in downtown Atlanta," says Moste. "I live in Fayetteville with my husband, Andrew, and 2 dogs, a Weimaraner and a Shih Tzu."

Turning point: "Through reading books on nutritional science, mental health and spiritual growth, I have come to have a deep understanding that health is your number one asset," she says. "It's the one thing that if you don't have it, nothing else much matters. My husband was leading an even unhealthier lifestyle ... so I made a decision one day; I wasn't going to tell him how to live healthy, I was going to show him."

Diet plan: "I eat a Mediterranean diet of about 1,500 calories per day," she says. Breakfast is high-fiber cereal with fruit for a snack. For lunch, a vegetarian sandwich, and for dinner she often has a spicy black bean burger patty over salad with feta and walnuts. For dessert, she has decaf green tea with a piece of dark chocolate. "It's totally satisfying."

Exercise routine: "I exercise a total of 6-7 hours a week," she says. "I go to the gym 3 times per week where I usually take 2 group classes back to back. I also run at home for 2-3 miles."

Biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge was giving up meat, wine and white potatoes. I rarely consume meat. Most of my protein now comes from nuts, seeds, sprouted whole grain muffins and beans. I still eat eggs and cheese but in moderation."

How life has changed: "It's amazing how good I feel today. I have more energy than I know what to do with and I can handle stress with ease," she says. "My confidence is through the roof — I feel like I can do anything. I get little happy bursts in my head — those are natural endorphins doing what they are supposed to do."

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 Suzanne Van Atten, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sixth Floor, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303; or e-mail ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.