SUCCESS STORY / Cindy Taylor, 55: From 178 pounds to 144 pounds
Former weight: 178 pounds
Current weight: 144 pounds
Pounds lost: 34 pounds
Height: 5 feet 8.5 inches
Age: 55 years
How long she's kept it off: "I started January 16, 2017. Reached my first goal in May but decided I could try to go a bit lower after consulting with my wellness coach, Jacynta Harb (www.sparkleanewyou.com). Aug. 28, 2017, was that day — yippee for me," Taylor said.
Personal life: "I am a professional organizer," Taylor said. "I have my own business called Organize My Stuff. … I have a special ability to fit a good amount of stuff into a small space with a place for everything and everything in its place. … I've been married to Tim Taylor, a professional mechanical engineer, for 31 years. We have a grown daughter." They live in Roswell.
Turning point: "We've all been on the weight-loss journey at some time or another," she said. "Lose it, then go back to bad habits and gain it back." When she lost 23 pounds in 2012, the weight creeped back on. "I was the queen of camouflage. … I'd wear clothes that didn't show my problem areas. … I decided it was time for a change and I needed the support of others on the same journey. … This time I am going to keep it off — no more up and down stuff."
Diet plan: "I eat real food … eliminated most processed food and (am) still working on eliminating sugar," Taylor said. Breakfast is a yogurt fruit parfait. Lunch is a wrap sandwich. She snacks on nuts and Lara bars. Dinner is vegetables with lean protein.
Exercise routine: "I did not exercise regularly. I'm on a few ALTA tennis teams, playing year-round, but nothing to cause weight loss by any means," Taylor said. "I was invited to try Body Jump Fitness one Saturday. … That was a life-changing class for me. I've always heard about endorphins from people who run; I never experienced them until that day at Body Jump Fitness." Now she works out two to three times per week.
Biggest challenge: "I think my biggest challenge is going to be to maintain the weight loss since that's been my downfall in the past," she said.
How life has changed: "I feel more confident with the weight loss," Taylor said. "My organizing job is physically demanding, so I can move a lot easier now and don't get as tired. My husband tells me how proud of me he is and how great I look now. … I realized that successful people listen to their coaches, so I decided to listen to them, put in the hard work and I have seen results. … I built a board of directors to help me through this journey." Taylor assembled several people to help her with eating, exercising and goal setting. "What I was doing before wasn't working, so why continue down the wrong path?" she said. "I'm so glad I changed my path."
Share Your Success: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, a daytime 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.
