Posted on January - 14 - 2011
Success Story: Byron Cross
When Byron Cross saw a photo of himself weighing nearly 400 pounds, he decided enough was enough.
Lesley Young/Special to The Commercial Appeal
“I wanted to change. I wanted to do something so I could be around for my family,” said Cross, 40.
Discouraged by ineffective diets, Cross reluctantly gave Weight Watchers a shot after seeing a friend have success with the program.
One week into the program, the furniture store manager lost 11.2 pounds.
Since that day in August 2006, Cross has stuck to his point system and exercised regularly, pushing the scales back to 249.
“I have so much energy now when I play with my kids,” he said.
He says Weight Watchers works for him because he has learned how to eat while maintaining his normal life.
“You can always find something grilled or baked on the menu. I do a lot of grilling and baking,” he said. “I still do burgers. You got to enjoy yourself. If I see something I want to eat, I ask myself how much I want to work out on the treadmill.”
Cross heads to the gym, 24 Hour Fitness on Ridgeway, five to six times a week for an hour on the cardio machines and a weight-lifting session.
“I try to burn 1,000 calories a day,” he said. “Sometimes I burn 1,300, but I just try to burn more than I take in.”
He plays other tricks with himself, such as how to handle his vices, namely Doritos and Snickers.
“I went for 10 months without Doritos or Snickers, so after I lost 100 pounds, I started buying the fun-size Snickers, and now I eat Lays light, fat-free chips,” he said. “When you eat healthy, you get to eat more.”
He includes four to five servings of vegetables or fruit a day, and drinks a gallon of water daily.
Since he decided he could continue the program on his own, Cross has paid himself $10 every Friday when he weighs himself rather than at his weekly meetings.
He says he’ll probably buy a new wardrobe with his loot.
“I’ve already bought new clothes twice,” he said. “I think I’ve got one more round.”
He hopes to lose an additional 30 pounds to have some room to play with while building more muscle tone.
In addition to the old size-56 pants he has hanging in his closet, Cross keeps another reminder of his old self nearby: the photo that inspired it all.
“I look at it pretty much every day,” he said.
Have you lost weight and kept it off, adopted better eating habits, started exercising or had success living a more healthful lifestyle? E-mail your story to sunyata00@gmail.com.
Byron Cross
Age: 40
Hometown: Memphis
Fitness regimen: Cross joined Weight Watchers and a gym, counting his points every day and working out five to six days a week, and his weight dropped from 400 to 249 pounds.
Gym: 24 Hour Fitness, 1285 Ridgeway, 763-3265, 24hourfitness.com.
Advice: “AIP. Anything is possible.”
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