The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Success story
Victoria Cleveland, 28. Weight lost: 93 pounds
Former weight: 260 pounds
Current weight: 167 pounds
Height: 5 feet 4 inches
Age: 28 years
How long she’s kept it off: “I started in January 2016 and I reached my current weight in August 2019,” Cleveland said.
Personal life: “I am a 28-year-old woman who enjoys life as much as possible. I am single and I own a German shepherd. … I have started a podcast, Living My Victorious Life with Victoria Jade, where I can inspire other people with my story and struggles.” She works in sales, is obtaining her real estate license, and is getting a degree in marketing and public relations. She lives in Stockbridge.
Turning point: “The turning point for me was during Christmastime in December 2015,” Cleveland said. “I took a picture with my family. … I was not happy at the person that was looking back at me. I had not realized how much weight I had gained. I looked at how big my face had gotten. … It was a significant moment because it made me realize that I had to take back my life and my health. I had tried one time before, but for the wrong reason, and I did not keep it off. … After Christmas, I lost 40 pounds and kept it off for two years and then decided to finish the rest of my weight loss. … I decided to do it for me and only me, and that I was worth more than the food that I was consuming — I deserved my happiness.”
Diet plan: First, she did Weight Watchers; now she does intermittent fasting. Breakfast is eggs with veggies. Lunch and dinner are protein with veggies or beans.
Exercise routine: After the first 40 pounds, she started with personal trainer Reginald Wells, the owner of Streamline Fitness Training (www.streamlinefitnesstraining.com) in Marietta. “I exercise six times week,” Cleveland said. “I work out three days in a row, and then I have a rest day, and then I repeat.”
Biggest challenge: “The intermittent fasting was the hardest to get used to. … It took my body about a week and half to get used to it,” she said. “I still struggle with it. … I just tell myself that it is OK and that the next day I will do better.”
How life has changed: “Now that I have lost most of my weight, things have definitely changed,” Cleveland said. “I have regained my love for travel. I am more outgoing now. I have lost friends and gained new friends as well — it’s all part of the process. Some people don’t want to see you succeed, and that is OK. That just means that they were not able to handle your success and the person you are blossoming into. … I have a lot more confidence in myself, and I feel so much better. … It radiates outward with the happiness that I feel. … I now realize that I can lose weight, I can do anything.”
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 have regained my love for travel. I am more outgoing now.’