Reidsville, NC -- We first met Jody Phillips in May. That's when he shared his story about losing 276 pounds in 13 months.
At his heaviest, Phillips weighed 554 pounds.
"It was hard. I got to the point where I couldn't lay down to sleep. I had to sleep in a chair because when I laid down I couldn't breathe and I was having all kinds of medical problems," he said.
Phillips weighed 548 pounds when he started to lose the weight after the doctor gave him a wakeup call.
"He said, 'you could have up to a year to live,'" said Phillips.
His goal was to lose 300 pounds and he's excited to announce he's surpassed that.
Phillips, who is 45 years-old, has lost a total of 330 pounds. He said it took him 17 months to drop the weight.
"One day I decided I had to do it and just I did it," he said of his weight loss journey. "I eat as many calories in one week now as I used to eat in one day."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 33.8% of adults in the United States are obese and about 17% of children and adolescents (ages 2-19) are obese. In 2010, no state had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%.
Click here to see an animated map on the CDC's website showing the dramatic increase in obesity in the United States since 1985.
Phillips' success is a result of cutting back on calories and exercising.
"Everything I ate, I wrote it down and that was the best thing that I did," he said. His journal allows him to keep a close eye on his calorie intake.
Phillips is more than happy to talk with you and answer your weight loss questions. You can reach Jody Phillips at cindylouwho1194@yahoo.com.
News 2 spoke with Dr. Betsy Schiller, a registered dietician, about the increase in obesity in the U.S. and ways to address the problem. To watch her interview, click on the video player in this story.
WFMY/CDC