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.
SUCCESS STORY / Paul Whiting, 47: From 230 pounds to 183 pounds
Former weight: 230 pounds
Current weight: 183 pounds
Pounds lost: 47 pounds
Height: 6 feet 1 inches
Age: 47 years
How long he's kept it off: He started in August 2013 and reached his current weight in September.
Personal life: Whiting, a certified teacher, who also has a degree in culinary arts, is a stay-at-home dad. He and his partner, Scott, have 5-year-old twin boys. They live in Atlanta.
Turning point: "About five years ago my partner, Scott, and I [were expecting] — we have twin boys," he said. "I decided to stay home and take care of them. Not having enough extra time, I started putting on extra weight … That was the turning point — seeing some pictures from beach trips and also just not being comfortable in my clothes … [I was] stuck in sweat pants."
Diet plan: "I went with the idea that every time I opened my mouth, it was 100 calories. A banana was 100 calories. An apple was 100 calories … I started using side plates and not going back for seconds or thirds." He gave up starches, sugar and most processed food. Breakfast is a banana and an egg. He snacks on pickles and olives or fruit. Lunch is deli meat and cheese or a salad or homemade soup. Dinner is roasted chicken with vegetables.
Exercise routine: "I usually work out three to four days per week. That's a two-hour workout which includes 20 minutes of cardio. I lost 10 pounds in the first six weeks; when I kicked it up at the gym, the next 10 pounds came off easier."
Biggest challenge: He said maintenance has been his biggest challenge. "I have tried many times through life. I think the exercising has been the secret to it. I also think keeping the carbs out as much as possible has been huge. [I'm] making better choices and not filling my face with food I don't need. I'm realizing it's OK to be hungry — you don't have to be satiated all the time."
How life has changed: "I can fit into my … pants and I'm not overly embarrassed to take my shirt off at the beach. I feel better about myself," he said. When he picks up a 50-pound dumbbell now: "I think to myself, 'God, I had all that [weight] around my midsection.' It increases your heart [risks and] your blood pressure." He suggests not giving up even when falling off track: "There is no failure when it comes to dieting … My advice is not to look at it as a potential failure — to look at it as a challenge not to give up."
