THE TURNING POINT: I had a lot of physical conditions and I wasn’t even 40. I probably was living in a 60-something year old body. I was pretending that it was okay to be overweight. I think in society, especially in my community, there are so many overweight people you sort of accept it. I wanted to be a better role model for my nieces and nephews. I didn’t want my mother to look at me in disappointment. I mean they say they’re not disappointed, but they are.

THE PLAN: The big thing is when I look at labels, if I cannot pronounce the words, if I feel like I need my PhD to enunciate the words, I probably shouldn’t eat it. To me, that’s the easiest. Some of the words if I don’t understand it, it shouldn’t go in my body. I like going to any place with a salad bar. And now I prefer to cook at home because when you eat out, there are healthier options, but sometimes you’ve got to be mindful of the sodium so, I prefer to eat home. And at home, I eat a lot of fish and chicken.

THE SETBACKS: I was in a situation where even though certain people said they supported me, they would bring cakes around me and bring fried foods around me. And at work, you have sweet foods and you know, unfortunately, when you hang with your girlfriends, we don’t go walking, we go out to restaurants and we go hang out where there’s liquor and everybody wants to have fun. So to me, once you change the mind, you have to make a decision to live a healthy lifestyle. I don’t care what’s going on around you, it’s a mental commitment. And once you make that mental commitment, your body will follow.

THE TRIUMPHS: The first time I went up Stone Mountain with one of my friends, it was an emotional celebration, because I conquered something that I couldn’t do before. It is such a wonderful feeling. To me, I was like high five. So that was an awesome day. And I do 5ks all the time. I’m jogging a lot, I’m walking a lot. I’m practicing for my first half marathon in February so that’s major. And I’m just moving. And one thing I want to instill to everyone, just move. If you can’t afford to go to a gym — I just joined a gym this week and I really didn’t want to join it, but if you have some sneakers just go walking, just move.

KEYS TO MY SUCCESS: Zumba class. Hiking Stone Mountain. A group called Healthy is the New Fine, founded by Fabre to help herself and her friends find encouragement.