Lesley Young/Special to The Commercial Appeal

A combination of running, weight training and counting calories enabled Renee Stanfield of Tipton County to lose 68 pounds.

Seeing her church friends post on Facebook about participating in the St. Jude Memphis 5K, Renee Stanfield thought she would give it a try.

Her first time on a treadmill opened her eyes a little bit.

"I could not last a minute," said the 43-year-old Tipton County resident.

Rather than shrinking from the task, Stanfield became more determined.

"I knew I had to figure this out for myself," she said. "I had to reach a point and find my ability, so I kept at it."

She kept at it for two months, and completed her first 5K, the EJ Goldsmith 5K, in November 2009.

"I was happy with my time. I had never done a 5K before," said Stanfield, a banker.

Since then, she has run numerous 5Ks, completed two half-marathons, joined the Memphis Runners Track Club, and worked with with a personal trainer once a month for a monthlong workout schedule.

So far, she has lost 68 pounds, and she has no intention of stopping.

"I would like to eventually be 155 pounds, but at this point I would be happy with 180," she said. "I know as you get closer to your goal, it's harder to lose. I'm going to be happy with whatever number I eventually get to."

When she began her training in September 2009, she also began to change her eating habits, combining her knowledge from Weight Watchers, books she had read and watching "The Biggest Loser."

"I multiplied my weight by seven and then subtracted 200 to find out how many calories I could have a day. I started out eating 2,200 calories a day, and as I would lose weight, I would redo the math," she said.

She says she never deprives herself, occasionally allows a Diet Coke with her new water-only drinking regimen, and religiously studies and adheres to food-label serving suggestions.

"I figured if I'm going to run and exercise, I have to change my eating habits to coincide with what I'm doing," she said.

She tries to make it to the gym for 6 miles of running and walking four or five days a week, and bumps up her training to running 5 miles a day when she has a half-marathon ahead of her.

And since summer of last year, Stanfield has met once a month with personal trainer Corey Klein at his gym, Klein Fitness on South Main, to get her weight training schedule.

"I call it the 'schedule of pain,' " she said. "I've learned that running is good, but you have to have strength training. It's an altogether sort of thing."

Mostly, keeps her eye on her goal.

"I use 5Ks as my goal," she said. "If I keep a goal in front of me, I can continue."

Renee Stanfield

Age: 43.

Home: Tipton County.

What she did: Stanfield began training slowly for her first 5K in September 2009, building up to finally completing a half-marathon by running and walking it. Now, she trains for numerous 5Ks and has completed two half-marathons.

Trainer: Corey Klein, Klein Fitness, 338 S. Main, (901) 264-0348 or (573) 823-8753, kleinfitness.com

Advice: "Figure out what works for you. And it's all baby steps. Look at little chunks of weight instead of thinking you have 150 pounds to lose. That number is too big and scary."

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.

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Success Story: Renee Stanfield