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 / Sheila Wages Millsaps, 62: From 265 pounds to 165 pounds
Former weight: 265 pounds
Current weight: 165 pounds
Pounds lost: 100 pounds lost
Height: 5 feet 2 inches
Age: 62
How long she's kept it off: "I started January 7, 2013 — that's when I started my new life," said Millsaps. In June 2014, she reached her current weight.
Personal life: "I worked with Gwinnett County Public Schools for 16 years, now I'm a full-time grandmother. I have four children, all married with their own children. I have 11 grandchildren ages 2 to 16. I've been married for 44 years to my husband, Rex." She lives in Lawrenceville.
Turning point: "On December 17, 2012, I was at a doctor's office, she asked me if I knew I had Type 2 diabetes and I said, 'No, I don't.' She said, 'Yes, you do.' I said, 'I do not want to be a diabetic, what do I do?'" Her doctor suggested diet and exercise along with cutting out five things: white sugar, white flour, white bread, corn and pasta. "I have been on every diet out there — I have done it all, I have spent so much money. I would eat every day because my diet was going to start on Monday, but Monday never came … I think the diabetic thing really shocked me into it … I quit going on diets — I went on my own and it's a new lifestyle."
Diet plan: "I did do an AdvoCare 24-day challenge, I lost 18 pounds in 24 days," she said. Breakfast is eggs or yogurt with granola. Lunch is a salad with grilled chicken or tuna. Dinner is steak, vegetables and a green salad.
Exercise routine: She works out four to six days per week doing weights, aerobics and her favorite Zumba classes at her local YMCA. "They have this [program called] Coach Approach, you are accountable to that [coach] every few weeks. It actually saved my life, I put in the work and the encouragement they give you is just amazing."
Biggest challenge: After losing steadily for over a year, in June she hit a plateau. "I have lost consistently, I have even lost through the holidays … it's very frustrating." She plans to meet with her coach to reach her ultimate goal of losing 20 more pounds.
How life has changed: "My kids say I'm happier," she said. "I am no longer considered a Type 2 diabetic; I have come off two medicines: blood pressure and acid reflux. I just live to go to the Y — I love it, it saved my life …. It's not a diet — it's a lifestyle change. Until you get that mindset in your mind, you can't be successful."
