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 e-mail Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
David Wellons of Marietta went from 240 pounds to 208 pounds after working on losing weight since January.
Former weight: 240 pounds
Current weight: 208 pounds
Pounds lost: 32 pounds
Height: 6 feet, 4 inches
Age: 63 years
How long he's kept it off: Started in January and reached his current weight in May
Personal life: "Native of Tampa, Florida, moved to Atlanta 24 years ago; married 33 years to Jane, have two grown daughters 'off the payroll,' and a mixed-breed rescue dog, Bentley," said Wellons. "I'm CEO of Windy Hill Group, a business process and sales enablement company focused on helping technology firms build and manage their sales and marketing teams and solving delivery and support issues thus increasing sales (www.windyhillgroup.com)."
Turning point: "I've had short-term weight loss in the past by focusing on it briefly but put it right back on because I did not also change my thinking process — which is necessary if you want to change something important in your life … My wife saw Jacynta Harb's Sparkle Wellness Coaching (www.sparkleanewyou.com) mentioned in the church bulletin and gently suggested I give it a try. I was one of four 'Spartans' (men), in our Monday night group. The number one factor is that you must commit to the goal — it can't be half-hearted."
Diet plan: Breakfast is usually oatmeal with blueberries or toast with cheese; lunch is a low-calorie frozen meal or deli meat and cheese with boiled eggs and fruit. Dinner is a tossed salad with fish or chicken.
Exercise routine: "I went from zero exercise, except for the exercise I got from lugging an extra 30 pounds around with me, to an average of two times per week at a local gym … I do walk my dog in the neighborhood several times per week — it is good for me and the dog loves it."
Biggest challenge: "The first week, when I was hungry and had to push through it as it really is OK to cheat once in a while, 1/2 cup ice cream occasionally, or to go over my daily calorie target, occasionally."
How life has changed: "Well, my wife actually asked me to stop losing weight," he said. His advice: "If you are not willing to commit to the goal of weight loss, you are fooling yourself and unnecessarily punishing yourself by being on a diet. You will be miserable and hungry and will not stay on it. However, once you decide — and only you can decide — it actually becomes easy once you get past the first week. I was pretty much on autopilot by mid-January."
