The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Success story
Amy Aycock, 46, of Marietta lost 45 pounds
Former weight: 197 pounds Current weight: 15 2pou nds Pounds lost: 45
Height: 5 feet 4 inches Age: 46 years
How long she’s kept it off: She started in April and reached her current weight in December.
Personal life: “Myhu sband, Jim, and I have been married for 23 years and have four children ranging in age from college to middle school,” said Aycock, whose husband, Jim Aycock, was featured in Success Stories. She is a senior account manager for an enterprise software company and lives in Marietta.
Turning point: “I was inspired by my husband, Jim, who started making health- ier lifestyle choices just four months prior and was achieving visible results,” Aycock said. “It was literally the Monday after we returned from a beach vacation over spring break and I decided that I wanted to look and feel better. Starting on that day, I set goals and made a commitment to improve and hired wellness coach Jacynta Harb with Sparkle A New You to be my coach. At 46, I had enough experience to know that I needed accountability in order to reach my goals. … I decided that I wanted to make a permanent change and invest in myself.”
Diet plan: Breakfast is two eggs, an English muffin with cream cheese, and tomato or almond butter. Lunch and din- ner are grilled chicken with vegetables.
Exercise routine: “I love Orange Theory Fitness, which I do about four times a week. … I love this workout, which is saying a lot considering I have never exercised regularly in my life,” Aycock said. “A year ago I couldn’t run. … I run about two to three miles every class and have seen mea- surable improvements in my speed, along with the amount of weight I lift.”
Biggest challenge: “My biggest challenge has been to stay on track during week- ends, vacations and holidays,” she said. “When you add all of those days uptheyamount to more than half of the year, so they can really undermine all of my hard work Monday through Thursday.”
How life has changed: “I have completed multiple 5K races over the past year and recently did a 15K race. I would never have imagined doing this a few years ago,” she said. “… The most impactful change has been seeing the ripple effect on our kids. We’re becoming more active together, whether it’s a Saturday class as a family, running a 5K with my 14-yearold daughter, Lily, or crossing the finish line of a 15K with my husband, Jim. Instead of just eating and drinking, our vacations now include zip-lining, hiking, horseback riding and kayaking. Being strong and healthy enables me to live life fully with my family.”