'My biggest problem is my sweet tooth'

Larry Nicholson Jr., 23, Tampa

Height: 5-foot-11

Starting weight: 260 pounds

Current weight: 204 pounds

Why I did it: As of December 2008, I had reached my all-time high of 260 pounds. A normal day of eating for me consisted of donuts and coffee in the morning and fast food for lunch and dinner. I also had a constant sugar craving, which I would satisfy with candy, cakes, cookies, ice cream and milkshakes.

I never really felt comfortable going out with friends, taking pictures, meeting new people or even going to school and work. My self-esteem was always low, and my health suffered severely. I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and I was borderline diabetic at age 21. It was time to make a lifestyle change. After experiencing excellent results following a low-carb lifestyle, my friend Sarah introduced me to Atkins.

How I did it: I followed the Atkins Nutritional Approach, which is not the "bacon, eggs and cheese" diet people think it is. On Atkins, I eat a wide variety of whole foods, including lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. In addition, I eat complex carbohydrates that take longer to break down in my body and provide steady energy. I avoid simple carbs such as white flour and refined sugars that can spike my blood sugar and lead to weight gain.

The biggest change was basically limiting myself to a certain group of foods. Portion size was also a major change for me. On previous "diets" I pretty much ate all that I wanted. I would pour on salad dressing until it covered the entire salad, but Atkins taught me to control my salad dressing portion to 2 tablespoons per serving.

It's easy when it comes to preparing meals, but I also can go to any restaurant and still be able to eat on the plan.

When I first started on the Atkins diet, I wanted to lose weight slowly but surely; I aimed for about a pound or two each week. I also drank more water throughout the day. I joined a gym and set a goal to go at least two days a week.

I would do roughly 45 to 60 minutes on the elliptical and treadmill for my cardio routines, and I would spend about 30 minutes on weight training every other day. I took off on the weekend. When I first started working out, I didn't like it all that much because I would be short of breath and feel tired and defeated after 20 minutes. However, after training for a week, I built myself up to be able to work out for at least 60 minutes at a time. I made sure I consulted with a personal trainer to get new ideas so my body didn't get used to the same routines.

After one year, I had lost 56 pounds. I hope to be down to 170 pounds by the end of this year.

Hurdles: My biggest problem is my sweet tooth.

The cravings would hit me mainly when I would be around friends who were eating sweets, or maybe I would be watching a Krispy Kreme or Dairy Queen commercial. However, whenever the sweet cravings would come, I would simply have a light and healthy Atkins snack bar.

I turn to the Atkins online community whenever I hit a plateau. Reading about others' weight-loss successes has kept me motivated and positive. If I hit a barrier, I know I can post a question or concern and get the positive feedback I need to stay focused.

Going the distance: I really don't consider the Atkins plan a diet; I look at it as a lifestyle change. Knowing that I can be healthy and fit keeps me focused on following the plan.

Best advice: It is important to learn how to eat healthy and in moderation. I learned how to watch out for the excess carbs in certain foods and the difference between good carbs and bad carbs. I never knew that pasta, breads and sweets were causing me to keep the weight on until I started this process!