Brandy Turnipseed, 42, of McDonough lost 80 pounds

Pounds lost: 80 pounds

Height: 5 feet 5 inches

Age: 42 years

How long she's kept it off: Started in 2018 and reached her current weight last month.

Personal life: "I live in McDonough, Ga. I'm an educator. I teach high school," Turnipseed said. "I'm married to a professional trainer/physical therapist. I have three children ages 13, 9 and 2."

Turning point: In 2017 she had her youngest child. "I was watching what I ate, but the weight just piled on and piled on. Eight months in, I was feeling horrible about my weight," Turnipseed said. "I decided to do intermittent fasting. … I gained 15 pounds in two weeks because I was nursing and my body was holding on to weight during that time. … Exercise didn't necessarily help. It doesn't always have anything to do with how hard you run or getting on the elliptical." When her son weaned, she took human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) injections, dropping to 185 pounds. Her son began suffering from severe eczema and couldn't sleep with nighttime itching. Sleep-deprived, they went to multiple doctors. "At the beginning of this year, I was gaining that weight back," she said. "It was coming on really quick, my hair was falling out, I was like a walking zombie." She was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. "I had read about it and knew I had to stop stressing," Turnipseed said. "But how do you stop stressing when your baby is suffering?" Her husband mentioned a client's success with metabolic specialist Nancy Masoud at Locked In Wellness. "At this point, I was more concerned about my child," she said. "I was literally about to just lose it. … I decided to give her a try." Real Health Medical diagnosed both her and her son with food allergies. Masoud helped restore balance in her body.

Diet plan: "I don't eat any of the foods that were causing me inflammation," Turnipseed said. She avoids dairy and wheat, and she eats organic meats and vegetables.

Exercise routine: "I try to do like Pilates or yoga, very low-impact, nothing too stressful, maybe three times a week," she said.

Biggest challenge: "Just discovering what the problem was," Turnipseed said, "because I'm quite disciplined when I know my health will benefit."

How life has changed: "Just listening to my body — that is one thing this has taught me. I know what stress feels like. When I am having those moments, I try my best to deeply breathe," Turnipseed said. "One of the things Nancy mentioned, when I saw her last, was to try and wake up an hour before the kids. … As soon as I wake up and my little one is up … it's a speedy takeoff … just having a moment to be with myself before my day starts, so that I can have a slow takeoff."

Share Your Success: Each week, Success Stories focuses on an individual’s unique weight loss journey. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 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 our reporter, Michelle C. Brooks at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle: ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.