The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Success story
Brandi King, 38. Weight lost: 55 pounds
Former weight: 215 pounds
Current weight: 160 pounds
Total Pounds lost: 55 pounds
Height: 5 feet 6 inches Age: 38 years
How long you’ve kept it off: “I started my weight-loss journey in January 2018, and I am still working on losing the last 5 pounds,” King said. “I reached my current weight in January 2019 and have been maintaining that weight.”
Personal life: “I live in Suwanee with my fiance, Derek, our two teenage girls and five fur babies,” King said. “I am the director of cheerleading for the Collins Hill Athletic Association as well as a coach. I’m a lead financial systems analyst at AT&T.”
Turning point: “I had a rough few years going through a bad divorce and put on a lot of weight. Once I was in a stable relationship, I realized that I needed to work on getting healthy,” King said. “I have had hypertension since I was 20 years old, and having all that extra weight was making my blood pressure worse. I also was having severe foot pain due to the weight. I knew that Quick Weight Loss Centers worked because I had done it before and kept the weight off for several years. I got my mind set that I was going to work the program and get to my goal weight.”
Diet plan: Breakfast is Egg Beaters and toast with coffee. Lunch is a chicken bowl with brown rice and lettuce. Dinner is usually turkey breast and broccoli. She has fruit during the day along with a protein bar and protein shake.
Exercise routine: “I love to work out. I work out six to seven days a week,” King said. “I do some form of cardio every day for 45 minutes and work out with my trainer at YesIndeedFitness four times a week.
Biggest challenge: “The biggest challenge for me was getting through the holidays without gaining any weight,” King said. “For the first time in my life, I actually was able to maintain through the holidays by only eating the foods that I wouldn’t be able to get on a normal day. I had small portions of the foods that I love and made sure to work out.”
How life has changed: “I’m much more confident now that the weight is gone,” King said. “I’m happier with myself, and that shows in my relationships with my family, too. I love going shopping for clothes now. I’m looking forward to trying on wedding dresses later this year and planning my wedding. My motto was ‘You’re one day closer to your goal.’ I would remind myself of that every day even when the scale wasn’t moving and I felt discouraged. I would also think about all the wonderful things happening in my life and keep going. … Sometimes we slip up, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up. One bad meal doesn’t ruin the whole day. Make good choices the rest of the day and keep going.”
Share Your Success: Each week, Success Stories focuses on an individual’s unique weight loss journey. The Atlanta JournalConstitution does not endorse any specific weight loss program but includes names and links for the benefit of readers who want further information. Have you lost weight successfully with a healthy lifestyle change? If you would like to share your story with our readers, please include your email address, phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail. com.
‘I’m much more confident now that the weight is gone. I’m happier with myself, and that shows in my relationships with my family, too.’
Brandi King