FOX 5 Special: Weight Loss Challenge 2

ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Losing weight is not easy, and most diets fail. Most people start out on their diets strong and committed, and then life throws a curve and everything falls apart. Three months ago, two Georgians set out to beat the odds.

Back in February, Chezon Jackson and Jomal Vailes won a contest. The contest was aimed at people who need to lose weight for health reasons.

The prize was free training sessions and advice from a local expert.

Months later, Jackson and Vailes have now had their first tastes of success and of some of the hurdles they will face in the months ahead.

Vailes works to get kids hooked on one of the Atlanta's treasures, the Georgia Aquarium.

While across town at Georgia Perimeter College, Jackson learns how to reach out to the deaf.

For the last three months, Vailes and Jackson have also taken on the job of trying to get healthy.

Both Jackson and Vailes are making progress with Body Solutions' personal trainer Dan McGrath.

"I don't feel sluggish, that's the best way to put it. I don't feel like I'm too big to do anything. Now I feel like I'm fitting in my life, if that makes sense," said Jackson.

There have been some bumps on the road.

"Between trying to make sure that I get all my schoolwork done and trying to make sure that everything in my life was working," said Jackson. "So when I'm stressed out, I'm not losing any weight. When I'm stressed out, either I'm eating too much, or I'm not eating enough."

Stress makes losing weight hard, because it causes the body to hang on to fat.

"So Dan said, 'This is what I'm prescribing for you. I need you to rest. I need you to relax. I need you to let some of that stress go,'" Jackson said.

For people trying to lose weight, life gets in the way a lot so its important that being healthy becomes a top priority.

For Vailes, finding time to exercise is a hurdle.

"I mean food is hard, but finding the time to say, 'This is my time. I'm going to take Jomal time three or four times a week to just take care of Jomal,'" said Vailes.

The most important thing for a weight loss regimen is consistency. If you don't have time for a 60 minute workout, do 20 minutes, but stick with the program.

"It's simple math. The weeks I'm committed to the gym the pounds fall off and I have a great weigh in. And the weeks that I don't, you know, the numbers don't lie," said Vailes.

If someone gets tripped up, McGrath advises people to learn from it.

"So you just say, "I did good this day, I did bad this day, but I understand why and I'm not going to have it happen that way again.' Don't let it bury you under. Today is one day, tomorrow is another," said McGrath.

After three months, Vailes has dropped 28 pounds. Back in February Vailes weighed in at just over 300 pounds.

"I probably look in the mirror more than I ever have, than I ever have been before. I recognize it in my face. I recognize it in my body. T-shirts that I had to stretch forever, I don't have to stretch anymore," Vailes said.

Jackson, who was also once close to 300 pounds, lost about 12 inches off her body.

"It was just that immediate confirmation, like 'Yeah, I did it! I lost something!' That's a great feeling," said Jackson.

Jackson is down 18 pounds. "Even when I'm just sitting around, I just have all this energy. I just need to keep moving, that's the thing for me now, to keep moving," said Jackson. "I'm happier, I'm happier, I definitely am!"

The challenge now for both Jackson and Vailes is to stay the course for summer and hopefully, for life.

"I don't see Jomal ever stopping and I don't see Che ever stopping. This is going to be how they're going to live the rest of their lives. And there's no reason everybody can't do it," said McGrath.