Success story: Lakely Smith-Ryals
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Lakely Smith-Ryals has lost more than 100 pounds, and is still losing.
Lakely Smith-Ryals
• Amount lost: 104 pounds, so far
• How: Weight Watchers, exercise
Lakely Smith-Ryals is about halfway to her goal weight. After months of regular exercise and staying true to Weight Watchers, she's dropped more than 100 pounds.
"When I came to work here (The Clarion-Ledger) last June, I went to
an employee health fair," she said. There, she learned she had diabetes.
"I decided, 'I can't have this,'" she said.
She bought a treadmill and joined Weight Watchers. Before changing her
lifestyle, she weighed 416 pounds; her goal is to weigh less than 200.
"I'm not stopping," she said.
Today, she weighs 309, and stays fit by taking Tae Kwon Do classes. And the best news of all has come from her doctor.
"My doctor has taken my diabetes medicine down from 2,000 mg a day to 500 mg," she said. "I have also been able to get off my Cpap machine for sleep apnea which is wonderful. I do not have enough apneas anymore to require wearing the mask or using the machine.
"I am sleeping better now than I have in years."
To tell us your success story, e-mail sandi.beason@jackson.gannett.com.
