100 Pounds Lighter: Time to Party

CUMMING, Ga.-- One year and more than 100 pounds ago, Erika Hayes could not imagine herself inside a gym. "No, never," she says with a laugh. "NEVER! It was not in my heart at all."

To understand why, you need to see an old picture of Erika. She was 340 pounds. She said she got out of breath after a walk up the stairs. After trying (and failing) several diets, Erika said she simply gave up. Her voice breaks when she remembers how hopeless she was: "I had come to the conclusion that this was going to be the rest of my life. I was going to be 340 pounds and growing."

She took a job at a doctor's office and started learning about nutrition, food, health. Her mom, Jackie Smith, said the change in her habits and her attitude was like a light switch suddenly going on: "She was so excited, and she just started to carry herself differently. It was amazing."

After losing 55 pounds on her own, Erika hooked up with Conni, a personal trainer. All together, she's down 105 pounds. This weekend, she's throwing a party in a place she would never have set foot in before: the gym. She says she wants to start a revolution, fueled by inspiration.

"You can change. People can change," she says, slapping her knee for emphasis.

Erika is still on her weight loss journey. She's joined now by those she's inspired, including her mom, Jackie.

"She's inspired me," Jackie says. "What happened with her is she ended up with that attitude that I can accomplish anything."

Erika's weight loss party is Saturday at 7:00 PM in Cumming at the BodyPlex gym at 5967 Bethelview Rd.