The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Success story
Marietta woman stays committed to herself and drops 31 pounds,
Lisa DeMoss, 46, of Marietta, Ga., lost 31 pounds Former weight: 190 pounds Current weight: 159 pounds
Pounds lost: 31 pounds Height: 5 feet 5 inches
Age: 46 years
How long she’s kept it off: “I started August 1, 2016, and reached my current weight on May 15, 2017,” DeMoss says.
Personal life: “I live in the east Cobb area of Marietta, where I work as an administrative director for a local Chick-fil-A franchisee. I have been married for 21 years to David and have two children, Abby, 10, and Duncan, 8.”
Turning point: “The last few years I always knew that I need to lose weight and take better care of myself. In February of 2016, I went to the doctor for a physical because I just knew something was wrong. I had no energy, discomfort in my gut and was depressed. My fear was that I was going to become a diabetic because diabetes runs in my family. The doctor did not find anything physically wrong with me. His suggestions were more exercise and change my diet. A friend of mine was attending a Sparkle a New You class led by Jacynta Harb (www.sparkleanewyou.com) and was getting great results. … Jacynta talked about how weight loss was going to be hard but worth the journey. Giving something a ‘try’ was giving me permission to back out. If I was going to succeed, I needed to make a commitment to myself. … I always resisted the thought of keeping track, but (My Fitness Pal) was exactly what I needed. Being able to see where the calories and sugar were coming from was so important.”
Diet plan: “I try to use the Mediterranean way of eating.” Breakfast is Greek yogurt, granola and fruit. Lunch is a grilled chicken salad or wrap, and dinner is chicken or fish with vegetables and quinoa.
Exercise routine: “With kids and working part time, it has been a challenge to incorporate exercise in my daily routine. I do a lot of walking in my neighborhood. I enjoy seeing how many steps I can get on my Fitbit. I also take group fitness classes at Johnson Ferry Baptist. I was challenged to do one 5K a month — I have completed nine since September.”
Biggest challenge: “My biggest challenge is not feeling like a failure when my day gets off track or when my kids don’t eat or like what I make for dinner. I’m having to retrain them as well as myself. … Taking one day at a time was key for me at the beginning. … I knew making small changes would provide big rewards later.” How life has changed:
“I love how much energy I have now. I am more engaged with my family, friends and work. … I look forward to the future. I feel like I have added years to my life. My goal is to stay on track and be an inspiration to my kids.”