Sometimes the hardest part of making a big change is getting motivated. Which is why we’ve found 10 seriously inspiring women who have lost anywhere from 84 to 206 pounds. Their weight-loss secret? Good old-fashioned healthy eating and exercising.
Martha Price, 52, from Stoneham, MA
Weight Lost: 84 pounds
I started working with a weight-loss coach at Healthy Fit for Women in Woburn, MA. The key was slowly making changes in the way I ate, which eventually led to permanent habits. I used to think I was eating “healthy” foods, but my portions were way too large, not to mention packed with sugar. I started eating breakfast, then tried to eat five small meals a day, every three hours, instead of larger ones later in the day. I now pay more attention to food labels and allow myself the occasional indulgence to keep cravings at bay.
Top Tip: Create accountability for yourself—try keeping a journal to keep track of the food and calories you are eating each day.
Rachel Lima, 39, from Sacramento, CA
Weight Lost: 85 pounds
I gradually scaled down my portion sizes (to 1/3 of what I had been eating), and if I wanted ice cream, I went for a walk to get it!
Top Tip: Hire a personal trainer—I started going to one at my gym, 24 Hour Fitness. Who better to invest in than yourself?
Michelle Fritts, 25, from Rockville, MD
Weight Lost: 89 pounds
I wrote down everything I ate as well as the calories, and did a combination of cardio and weight-lifting at the gym almost daily. Sometimes, I’d just go for a walk or do toning exercises in my office during lunch to squeeze in whatever exercise I could!
Top Tip: Find support from a network of people who are also living a healthy life. I found mine in my boyfriend and coworkers, as they were either dieting right along with me, or at least working on living a healthier lifestyle.
LeAnne Richards, 48, from Hesperia, CA
Weight Lost: 90 pounds
I joined Weight Watchers and promised myself I would attend all the meetings. I also diligently tracked everything I consumed and maintained a one-hour daily regimen of riding my bike or walking.
Top Tip: Find an exercise buddy—it not only keeps you motivated but also makes exercising more fun!
Maureen Albrecht, 56, from Arcadia, CA
Weight Lost: 111 pounds
After years of trying but failing to lose weight with my busy schedule as a law enforcement officer, I tried the Lindora Lean for Life program—a medically based program that consists of three meals and three snacks per day and aims to permanently change eating habits.
Top Tip: Stop making excuses! In order to change your life, you have to change your habits, which means fully committing to a new healthy lifestyle.
Charlotte Siems, 49, from Stillwater, OK
Weight Lost: 112 pounds
I started doing the T-Tapp Workout, a DVD series that combines strength and aerobic training. It requires no equipment and takes minimal time (some workouts are just 15 minutes). This helped reshape my body as I lost the weight. I also started to eat only when I was hungry and stop when I was full.
Top Tip: Take your own photos (front, side, back) monthly because sometimes you see progress in those pictures that you won't see on the scale or tape measure.
Laurel Fooks, 33, from Springfield, OR
Weight Lost: 125 pounds
I got organized: meal planning, food tracking and enjoyable physical activity helped me drop pounds. I started with walking and pushing my baby in the stroller (if it was too cold out, I did Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds in my living room during naptime). From there, I built up to short jogs, and eventually started running. I also joined SparkPeople.com, which provided me with a supportive community and weight-loss network.
Top Tip: Focus on baby steps. If you try to make huge changes in multiple areas all at once, you’ll burn out and feel defeated. I used to never eat breakfast, so I started eating just a piece of fruit when I woke up. Now, I crave a full, healthy breakfast each morning.
Mary Darcy, 41, from Charlotte, NC
Weight Lost: 152 pounds
I signed up for the Nutrisystem program and, for the first time in my life, I was truly eating a well-balanced diet including fruits and veggies. Plus, I never once felt deprived.
Top Tip: Set small weight-loss goals for yourself—it makes the whole process much less overwhelming!
Terri Fisher, 40, from Sioux Falls, SD
Weight Lost: 201 pounds
I lost my weight through the Weight Watchers At Work program, which was great because the meetings were conveniently held at my office. Once I was able to become more active, I started doing exercises like karate and kickboxing with a couple of my girlfriends, which kept me on track because it’s so much fun!
Top Tip: Tell everyone you know that you are trying to lose weight and get healthy. This kept me accountable during the tough times.
Brenda Smith, 43, from Lithia Springs, GA
Weight Lost: 206 pounds
I’ve always worked out, but it was my emotional connection with food that kept me from losing weight. With the help of my trainer at Gold’s Gym and participation in a 12-step support group for food addiction, I finally took control of my body. I recognized that I ate through every emotion I was feeling, whether that was joy, sadness or stress. I learned that receiving support is crucial because you feel a lot of shame with addiction and you need to lean on others to help get you through the difficult times.
Top Tip: Think about how much weight loss will affect other areas of your life. I never realized how unhappy I really was until I lost weight and improved my health.
