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 / Zach Mayfield, 30: From 396 pounds to 230 pounds
Former weight: 396 pounds
Current weight: 230 pounds
Pounds lost: 166
Height: 6 feet 4 inches
Age: 30
How long he's kept it off: "I started back in 2009, but had knee surgery and then I got back into it and I broke my arm," says Mayfield. He started again in April 2012 and reached his current weight in October.
Personal life: "I was born and raised in [Marietta] and graduated from Wheeler High School in 2002," he says. "I'm finishing up my last semester of my Bachelors' degree in criminal justice at Kennesaw State University." He has worked in shipping for six years, holds two Associate degrees in computer information systems and is an independent team Beachbody coach. He is single.
Turning point: "I didn't really step on the scale again after I saw 396 pounds. When I decided to go back to school in 2008, I realized that as a criminal justice major I would find issues at my weight," he says. "I tried P90X, and I went too hard and strong into it from doing nothing and I gave up. I tried trainers at school and I was able to get down to 320 pounds and then I jacked up my knee at the gym. By the time I was able to work out again, I got back up to 380 pounds, and then I broke my arm and had a breakdown in the ER. That was my turning point — I was done. I broke my arm because I tripped over my own two feet and my arm couldn't support my weight when I fell on it."
Diet plan: "My current diet is my Shakeology shake (www.shakeology.com) in the morning, a box of Perdue chicken for lunch and protein bar for a snack. Dinner depends, but it is normally some sort of chicken, turkey, or fish. I limit my red meat intake to twice a week and one cheat meal a week."
Exercise routine: "I'm currently doing Focus T25 Workout, (www.beachbodyt25.com) which is a five-day-a-week program with a day of stretching. It's 25 minutes and does a little bit of everything … I took Zenalean Pro [supplements] for the majority of the year and two months I trained with a trainer."
Biggest challenge: "The biggest challenge I had before I broke my arm was getting the results," he says. In one month, he only lost ten pounds and grew frustrated. When he changed his workout and his training program, he lost eleven pounds in one month. "Once I started seeing the results and people's reactions it was a major motivation."
How life has changed: "How nice it is to walk into a department store and actually buy clothes," he says. "My self-esteem is getting better and it's still, a year later, a hard adjustment getting used to the new me. Building up that self-confidence after being overweight for over 20 years is a tricky one."
