Gavin Posey loses 53 pounds

Pounds lost: 53 pounds

Height: 6 feet

How long he's kept it off: Two months. He started in April and met his goal in October.

Personal life: "I am a freelance graphic designer and I am a native of Marietta, Ga."

Turning point: "I made a commitment to losing weight when I got tired of the person I saw looking back at me in the mirror. What made it work was that I truly wanted it," Posey said. "On April 1, 2010, I weighed 250 pounds and went in search of who I was on the inside, figuratively and literally. By October 1, 2010, I got to my present weight of 210 pounds."

Diet plan: "The diet plan was my own design," he said. "The foundation was filtered water -- half to one gallon spread throughout the day. If I drank something other than water, I matched it with the same amount of water. Meals could be no larger then what would fit in a cereal bowl. Protein was the building block of my diet: chicken, turkey, pork, protein bars and whey powder. I consumed sugar and starch as little as possible. Everyday starts with a large glass of water. My meals vary in order; I don't do the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner. ... Sometimes I eat a half of a turkey sandwich for breakfast, cereal for lunch, and my regular dinner, which I only eat half of.  In between meals, I have my protein with a little sugar or starch."

Exercise routine: "It looked easy on paper, but was often a difficult task until I truly committed to it: walk one hour every day," he said. "It didn't matter how fast or how far, but it had to be at least an hour."

Biggest challenge: "My biggest challenge was finding that one hour every day to walk and sticking to my water regimen," he said.

How life has changed: "I've regained a very valuable part of my life. I feel healthy," he said. "I tell people that the Gavin in the before picture looks like he literally ate the Gavin in the after picture and, figuratively speaking, he had. When people see the before and after picture, I tell them, 'Same shirt, different drink, new me!'"

Be an inspiration: If you've made positive changes in your diet and/or fitness routine and are happy with the results, please share your success with us. Include your e-mail address, a daytime phone number and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG). Write: Success Stories, c/o Holly Steel, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or e-mail ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.