Tony Verzosa, 49, of Marietta lost 90 pounds

Pounds lost: 90 pounds

Height: 6 feet 4 inches

Age: 49

How long he's kept it off: He started in January 2019 and reached his current weight in June.

Personal life: "I'm married to Wendi, 24 years this December. We've got two college-age daughters," Verzosa said. "I'm a regional manger with a logistics company." He lives in Marietta.

Turning point: In December 2018, an insatiable thirst began. By Jan. 2, he went to an urgent care center and was told to go immediately to an emergency room — his blood sugar was off the chart. He had Type 2 diabetes. He began treatment with Dr. Eduard Fatakhov at the Center for Internal and Integrative Medicine in Alpharetta. "The eye-opener for me: I went from not taking any medication to all of a sudden being on a list of medications. … I saw that I could lose 10 years off my life if I didn't make a change. … The byproduct of that was my weight. It wasn't a goal in mind of losing a certain amount of pounds."

Diet plan: He eats three meals and two snacks daily, has little to no refined sugars, eats hamburgers with lettuce, and now enjoys berries for a sweet treat.

Exercise routine: I exercise five to six times per week," Verzosa said. He runs regularly and works out. "There's a lot of (workouts) online that are free, whether it's a 6-minute workout or a 60-minute workout," he said. "There are things I can do in my chair typing, like doing a leg lift, lifting a dumbbell. There's a lot of little things. … Since I've been quarantined to working at the house, I get up and go walk around. I will stop and do 10 quick pushups and situps. I'll do triceps lifts off the back of the chair."

Biggest challenge: "Getting my mind wrapped around the aspect that I could actually do this," Verzosa said. "I think it's a struggle that's not unique to myself. … I hope people don't have to have the stop sign slammed in their face like I did."

How life has changed: His blood sugar is normal, he's off many of his medications and his waist is now 34 inches. "I haven't had a 34-inch pair of pants on since middle school," Verzosa said. "… I joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training — an organization that raises money for leukemia and lymphoma. … If I can impact one life, then I have paid it forward." In June, he and his wife both turn 50, and they plan to run the the TCS New York City Marathon. "It will be the 50th anniversary of the New York City Marathon," he said. "… I have pretty much reversed my diabetes in a year. … I equate it to mind, heart and body: I had to get my head around that I had to make a change, I had to get my heart believing I had to do it. Once that happened, my body fell in line."

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.