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SUCCESS STORY / Kevin Mungo, 49: From 370 pounds to 237 pounds
Former weight: 370 pounds
Current weight: 237 pounds
Pounds lost: 133 pounds
Height: 5 feet 11 1/2 inches
Age: 49 years
How long he's kept it off: He started in 2012 and reached his current weight six months ago.
Personal life: "I work as a maintenance technician at Berean Christian Church," said Mungo, who lives in Stone Mountain. "My weight loss is in honor of my mother and my brother."
Turning point: "I had a lot of deaths that came rapidly. My mother passed, she had liver problems and heart problems. I left my job and everything to care for her," he said. "My brother, who was obese, he got the gastric bypass … He had gotten a hernia; he went to the doctor but never followed up and the hernia busted on him. I had started a little bit (but) after my brother passed I really buckled down and really worked out. I know he would be proud of me — so would my mom."
Diet plan: "It was a total lifestyle change for me," he said. "I'm crazy about my vegetables. Get some mixed vegetables and steam them or something like that." He gave up red meat, bread and no longer drinks soda but makes frozen-fruit smoothies. With the veggies, he eats chicken or turkey and snacks on trail mix.
Exercise routine: "I started out with a trainer who was truly a blessing to me. From there, I took it on my own," he said. "Usually on Mondays, I'll run in the mornings. I will take a break or at my lunchtime and I'll lift weights for half an hour. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays is when I do most of my cardio and my running."
Biggest challenge: "I think the most difficult part of it was getting over believing I couldn't do it," he said. "When I first started, it was hard for me to run a lap around the track. I went from one lap, I worked up to four … then a mile, then two miles; I just gradually did what I could do."
How life has changed: "I can run up and down a flight of stairs. I can run around and throw a football or a basketball. I can do any activity without getting out of breath – I'm just able to enjoy life more," he said. "My confidence level has just gone through the roof. I would go to a buffet and eat till I couldn't eat anymore. Now when I eat, my stomach tells me when I am full." His faith has been key: "I owe it all to God; I can't take credit for nothing. You get on your knees and pray about it … You take one step forward and God will carry you the rest of the way."
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