Heather Duggan, 48, of Sandy Springs lost 35 pounds

Current weight: 138 pounds

Pounds lost: 35 pounds

Height: 5 feet 6 inches

Age: 48 years

How long she's kept it off: "My journey began in early June 2014 and I have arrived, although I still expect my weight will drop a little more," said Duggan.

Personal life: "An Atlanta native, I grew up near Emory," she said. "I live happily … in northern Sandy Springs and have two daughters, Allison, 19, and, Caroline, 17, and two cats. I am a certified cancer registrar, working remotely."

Turning point: "I launched quickly from 128 pounds in November 2013, to 173 pounds in June 2014, and suddenly realized that I was at my full-term pregnancy, highest-ever weight. During this time, my doctor also stumbled upon the fact that I have a strong case of asymptomatic celiac disease, a serious hereditary autoimmune disease in which the body attacks itself when gluten, a protein in wheat, is consumed … Not knowing what to do, I quickly began eating many readily-processed gluten-free labeled foods … manufacturers often add fat and sugar to compensate for the lack of gluten … [this] made me gain a lot of weight very quickly."

Diet plan: "I have eliminated gluten 99 percent from my diet, which requires a bit more diligence in discerning every last ingredient in foods, as gluten is hidden in many unsuspecting foods … I am now eating more natural, whole foods."

Exercise routine: "I began daily walking and running on my own, but quickly realized that I needed to get much more aggressive." She joined Just Fitness 4 U. "I made early morning, one-hour workouts part of my daily routine … I've learned to use body-weight exercises, weights and cardio, and for the first time in my life, I am running sizable distances."

Biggest challenge: "The hardest part is that change is slow; despite working out very hard, I saw no difference for a long time. My weight wouldn't budge one bit … I quit getting on the scales and then one day I was surprised — I was suddenly down 10 pounds."

How life has changed: "I never really believed I would get back to a reasonable weight range and surely never dreamed that I would also be in the best shape of my life," she said. "I now have a normal BMI, and have gained tremendous new confidence in the gym, as well as out of it … I want to keep it off and relish the influx of positives which are flowing into my life in all areas."