at los highest and Increase endurance levels to lbs. in Vegan sugar substitutes for baking, and created a Facebook community called " Getting Closer Everyday ," los to inspire Gut health and leaky gut syndrome weight loss journeys and provide support. Am I a Candidate? I couldn't walk like I should be able to walk. Losing just five percent of your body weight can improve your health and help prevent diseases. In JulyStolfi, who was 19 years old at the time, decided to undergo vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery.

Inspiring weight loss -

Words of wisdom like "If you want it, work for it" offer a little pick-me-up every time I look at the screen. Don't fixate on pounds : Throughout my journey, I have always relied on active goals , like running a 5K or building muscle, to measure my progress. Working toward real-life results is way more rewarding than obsessing over a number on the scale.

Find delicious swaps : Instead of completely giving up my favorite comfort foods, I make them healthier. For example, for my good-for-you hash browns, I cook one shredded sweet potato in a tablespoon of coconut oil until it's soft and crispy, then I top it with cinnamon and sea salt.

Talk about yummy! TOTAL LOST: lb. Emily's weight loss tips:. Aim for 15 : When dreading a workout, I tell myself to try to make it through the first 15 minutes. After that point, I almost always feel more energized and want to keep going. Find a unique reward : Instead of celebrating with food when I hit a goal, I treat myself to something like a hike with my husband or a massage.

Change your vocab : I used to tell myself that I "couldn't" have something, which made me crave it even more. Now I say I "don't" engage in an unhealthy habit.

It's a little trick that makes the behavior seem less like a choice and more like part of my lifestyle. Nail down your emotion : I created my own mood emojis to help monitor how I feel after every workout and meal.

This lets me keep tabs on what's working for me and what's not. Laura's weight loss tips:. Instagram it! As my number of followers grew, so did my motivation. Being part of a community kept me accountable.

Score free fitness : Many weight-loss programs cost big bucks, but there are also plenty of reputable online resources that give you the same benefits for free. One of my faves: Blogilates by Cassey Ho. Buy a band : When I cannot get to the gym, I turn to my resistance band; it's an easy and portable way to add strength training on the go.

Read the menu : I love eating out, but restaurants offer too many options and don't always list ingredients. To keep from consuming more than I'd planned, I choose a healthy option from the menu ahead of time. TOTAL LOST: 76 lb. Casie's weight loss tips:. Bag it up : I portion out all my snacks , like almonds or sliced apples, ahead of time in ziplock bags.

This lets me take my healthy eats anywhere while keeping my serving sizes in check. Crush a quickie workout : On extra-busy days, I do a Tabata sequence—in just 20 minutes, I can get a full-body workout.

It revs up my heart rate. Write it out : When I dread the gym, I grab a pen and paper and map out my workout. Having a game plan prevents me from wasting time during my session. Find sweet swaps : I love peanut butter. To avoid some of the fat that comes with it, I mix the powdered kind, PB2, into Greek yogurt.

It gives me that nutty, creamy taste. AFTER : lb. TOTAL LOST : 83 lb. Shannon's weight loss tips:. Rock your motivation : I wear bright clothes at the gym with fun sayings like "Drink coffee, put on some gangster rap, and handle it.

Judge your labels : I always peruse food labels. Whenever there's something listed that I can't grow or make myself, I put the item back. It makes weeding out unhealthy processed foods much more straightforward.

Indulge wisely : Many people have weekend "cheat" days. Instead of depriving myself all week and potentially bingeing on the weekend, I choose sweets that fuel my body throughout the week, like Trader Joe's Coconut Cashews. AFTER lb. TOTAL LOST: 85 lb.

Erica's weight loss tips:. Schedule sweat sessions : Raising two girls keep me busy, so I have to be creative about fitting in exercise.

My ideal window: when my youngest goes down for her nap and the other is at school. I treat workouts as meetings that I absolutely cannot miss.

Hang out far from the kitchen : I always crave sweets after dinner while watching TV. Sometimes, I'll go upstairs to watch my shows instead of sitting in the living room, which is attached to the kitchen.

Losing one to two pounds per week is realistic—and attainable. Timely: Set a completion date for your goals—break down your main goal lose 15 pounds to smaller goals with an achieve-by date: Lose five pounds each month for three months. Be flexible with your goals. Diligently recording what you eat and how much you exercise increases your mindfulness and helps you stay on track with your goals.

You will also learn a lot about the nutritional content of the foods you eat, which will help you make more informed decisions. You can record your food and exercise in a variety of ways:. Nobody can motivate you like you can. Your thoughts matter—the way you talk to yourself matters.

Be gentle and compassionate. I will commit to exercising tomorrow instead. Writing in a journal helps you stay connected to your thoughts and emotions around weight loss. You can use a journal to record your food intake and exercise, but the important thing is to write in the journal and reflect on the day to help you move cluttered thoughts, ideas, and emotions from your brain to a physical place to help you clear your mind.

Keeping a journal helps you stay mindful and motivated. Start with a list of foods you like to eat, and then go down the list and make notes about how you can fit them into your diet. If you feel like you have to drag yourself to the gym, outside for a walk, or to the basement treadmill, make it more enticing by giving yourself something to look forward to during the workout.

Get engaged in an audiobook or podcast that you only listen to while you work out. Play a guided meditation during your daily walk, or use your exercise time to think about and plan your next vacation, outline your novel, or brainstorm ideas to redo the house or create a backyard oasis. A friend or family member who is also on a weight-loss journey can be one of your biggest allies—and best motivators.

Working out with a partner makes it more fun, makes the time go faster, and makes you feel less alone in your quest to lose weight. Reach out for support. If you have depression or anxiety that makes it hard to stick with a weight-loss plan, talk to a therapist, who can provide you with coping tools and help you change negative thought patterns that keep you mired in negative feelings.

If you need help figuring out what to eat, visit with a registered dietitian. As your primary care provider, Forward emphasizes prevention. Losing just five percent of your body weight can improve your health and help prevent diseases.

Our Weight Management Program is a week, doctor-led program that includes assessments and medical testing, goal-setting, motivational programming, and ongoing monitoring. Hit enter to search or ESC to close.

Dan Nguyen March 7, No Comments. How to get intrinsically motivated to lose weight Set realistic goals Record your food intake and exercise Engage in positive self-talk Make a checklist or calendar Keep a weight-loss journal Do activities—and eat food—you enjoy Fight workout boredom Find a weight-loss or workout partner Get support How Forward helps you stay motivated to lose weight Exercise and diet are key components for weight loss.

At first, he decided on gastric bypass surgery and had to lose some weight ahead of the procedure. In his first two months following an eating plan, he lost 55 pounds. He lost 45 more by June, a total of pounds.

It was at that point he decided not to go forward with the surgery. He had also started exercising, first just by walking. He eventually joined a gym and goes five days a week, still walking on the weekends. I never had any confidence and now I see how far I have come.

I can run. I can do burpees. I can do push-ups. I can do planks. I take these small victories," he told TODAY. FIGHT TO RELEASE IT!!!! After the birth of her daughter in , however, things changed for Saintfort. Weighing pounds, her highest, she decided to try dieting. But it wasn't until her daughter turned 10 and one of her classmates called Saintfort "fat" that she made lasting changes.

She cut out fast food and soda and started doing daily three-mile walks around the lake in her town. Barry Parkes took his weight loss one step at a time. After tipping the scales at pounds, he began joining his wife on her daily walks, and they trekked between three to six miles every single day.

Between that and budgeting his calories with a Fitbit, Parkes dropped to pounds, marking a pound weight loss in just a year and a half!

To read more of his inspiring story, follow the link in our bio. A post shared by Men's Health menshealthmag on Oct 25, at am PDT Oct 25, at am PDT. Barry Parkes never really worked out and didn't eat healthily, but thought he was fine as long as he didn't weight pounds.

However, when he got to the point where he did weigh pounds, he knew something had to change. But he didn't quite know where to start in order to make a lasting impact until one of his coworkers recommended getting a Fitbit.

The device and app helped Parkes create a calorie budget and he also started going on daily walks with his wife. After about a year and a half, he lost pounds. He said he now has more energy and doesn't snore anymore. Plus, he and his wife have found they're even more in love than before, he told the outlet.

You got to commit to doing it and then you've got to stick with it and be consistent. Did it take me 2 years to lose 88 pounds? It has taken me 10 months. In the left picture, I was weighing in for yet ANOTHER attempt at losing weight. I would end up failing, again, in about weeks.

That is what I did for 7 straight years. getting MENTALLY ready to do more than just jump on another bandwagon. My biggest piece of advice I can give anyone starting a weight loss journey is to make sure you are MENTALLY ready.

If you are following anyone on Instagram who makes you feel anything other than positive or encouraged, unfollow them. There are enough mental changes going on when you begin a weight loss journey. jenspoundjourney on Dec 11, at am PST Dec 11, at am PST. Jen Wagner had always been athletic, but when she got married, she stopped working out and gained pounds, reaching her highest weight of pounds in I didn't recognize my own reflection, and when I would see photos of myself, I was disgusted.

I didn't know who that was," she told Popsugar. Though she had tried for six years to lose weight on fad diets and different programs, she finally buckled down in February this year. She started with her diet, first on keto , then to low-carb. Now she tracks her calories using MyFitnessPal and does intermittent fasting.

She also exercises by playing tennis, swimming, walking with hand weights, jumping on trampolines with her daughter and even doing yard work. Her ultimate goal is to lose the pounds she gained after getting married and she documents her journey on Instagram.

I feel like the person I had longed to be all those years I was overweight. This is just a reminder that you guys can do anything you put your mind to. I never thought I would make pictures like these.

This is me showing you at my worst; I didn't care what I looked like because I felt so horrible about myself. I learned that my weight gain was caused by unresolved trauma and grief that I never allowed myself to deal with.

The person on the right is a person I sometimes still see, and it can be so hard to look in the mirror sometimes and be happy. I'm not used to it.

I was used to pushing things away except second helpings okur to keep smiling. Now I am embrace them to keep smiling; I have decided to focus on myself and what I truly want.

This is what I've wanted all my life.

Sometimes the hardest part of making a big change Inspiring weight loss Wrestling nutrition strategies motivated. Eeight is why we've found some seriously inspiring Weifht who have lost between 84 and IInspiring each. Los, get more of our best weight loss and diet tips. Save these incredible weight loss success stories for later! Don't forget to follow Woman's Day on Pinterest for more success stories. One day in the spring ofI looked in the mirror and said, 'I have to do something. Top Tip: In addition to exercising and meal prepping together, these best friends are committed to being partners in health.

Inspiring weight loss -

Working toward real-life results is way more rewarding than obsessing over a number on the scale. Find delicious swaps : Instead of completely giving up my favorite comfort foods, I make them healthier. For example, for my good-for-you hash browns, I cook one shredded sweet potato in a tablespoon of coconut oil until it's soft and crispy, then I top it with cinnamon and sea salt.

Talk about yummy! TOTAL LOST: lb. Emily's weight loss tips:. Aim for 15 : When dreading a workout, I tell myself to try to make it through the first 15 minutes. After that point, I almost always feel more energized and want to keep going.

Find a unique reward : Instead of celebrating with food when I hit a goal, I treat myself to something like a hike with my husband or a massage. Change your vocab : I used to tell myself that I "couldn't" have something, which made me crave it even more. Now I say I "don't" engage in an unhealthy habit.

It's a little trick that makes the behavior seem less like a choice and more like part of my lifestyle. Nail down your emotion : I created my own mood emojis to help monitor how I feel after every workout and meal.

This lets me keep tabs on what's working for me and what's not. Laura's weight loss tips:. Instagram it! As my number of followers grew, so did my motivation. Being part of a community kept me accountable.

Score free fitness : Many weight-loss programs cost big bucks, but there are also plenty of reputable online resources that give you the same benefits for free.

One of my faves: Blogilates by Cassey Ho. Buy a band : When I cannot get to the gym, I turn to my resistance band; it's an easy and portable way to add strength training on the go.

Read the menu : I love eating out, but restaurants offer too many options and don't always list ingredients. To keep from consuming more than I'd planned, I choose a healthy option from the menu ahead of time.

TOTAL LOST: 76 lb. Casie's weight loss tips:. Bag it up : I portion out all my snacks , like almonds or sliced apples, ahead of time in ziplock bags. This lets me take my healthy eats anywhere while keeping my serving sizes in check. Crush a quickie workout : On extra-busy days, I do a Tabata sequence—in just 20 minutes, I can get a full-body workout.

It revs up my heart rate. Write it out : When I dread the gym, I grab a pen and paper and map out my workout.

Having a game plan prevents me from wasting time during my session. Find sweet swaps : I love peanut butter. To avoid some of the fat that comes with it, I mix the powdered kind, PB2, into Greek yogurt. It gives me that nutty, creamy taste. AFTER : lb. TOTAL LOST : 83 lb. Shannon's weight loss tips:.

Rock your motivation : I wear bright clothes at the gym with fun sayings like "Drink coffee, put on some gangster rap, and handle it.

Judge your labels : I always peruse food labels. Whenever there's something listed that I can't grow or make myself, I put the item back. It makes weeding out unhealthy processed foods much more straightforward.

Indulge wisely : Many people have weekend "cheat" days. Instead of depriving myself all week and potentially bingeing on the weekend, I choose sweets that fuel my body throughout the week, like Trader Joe's Coconut Cashews. AFTER lb. TOTAL LOST: 85 lb. Erica's weight loss tips:.

Schedule sweat sessions : Raising two girls keep me busy, so I have to be creative about fitting in exercise. My ideal window: when my youngest goes down for her nap and the other is at school.

I treat workouts as meetings that I absolutely cannot miss. Hang out far from the kitchen : I always crave sweets after dinner while watching TV. Sometimes, I'll go upstairs to watch my shows instead of sitting in the living room, which is attached to the kitchen.

That way, I'm less likely to scavenge. Invest in a slow cooker : It's the ultimate time-saver. Despite trying multiple diets and exercise programs, Katie Bolden couldn't move the needle on the scale.

Even after being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS in , she struggled to make a change. It wasn't until she went partially blind and was diagnosed with early symptoms of multiple sclerosis , a chronic neurological disease, that she was forced to reevaluate her lifestyle.

So, Bolden started using the weight-loss app MyFitnessPal to track her nutrition intake and began adopting healthier eating habits. Simultaneously, she started swimming and hiking and eventually felt comfortable running and lifting weights.

In three and a half years, Bolden lost pounds and credits her family for her weight loss motivation. After suffering from a herniated disk in her lower back, Misty Mitchell's life fell apart. She lost her job and home and coped by drinking a lot of alcohol.

It wasn't until Mitchell stepped on the scale that she realized how much her health was suffering. In just over a year she lost pounds and now weighs a healthy pounds.

Documenting her weight-loss on Instagram was her biggest motivator and encouraged her to continue on her journey. After being overweight her whole life, Rebecca Grafton Bardwell decided to make a change once and for all.

Of course, that isn't always as easy as it seems. Over two years, Grafton Bardwell learned how to portion her food and exercise at a gym without caring what others thought of her.

Her pound weight loss made her feel healthier and happier than ever. Rebecca explains that there is no secret formula to losing weight. The key is to eat right and exercise. It may not happen super fast, but if consistency is key.

Shape is an inclusive community of wellness for all. If you're looking for tips or strategies for exercising or improving motivation for weight loss, you've come to the right place. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising.

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After having her second child, Tara Kavanagh knew she wanted to make a change. I wanted to experience new things and felt my size was holding me back.

Kavanagh decided she did not want to undergo weight loss surgery after seeing relatives who ended up gaining their weight back. She also swears by Jillian Michaels ' workouts.

person, I just up the intensity level now to get my killer workout! Kavanagh suggested finding a workout you won't get bored with, commenting that "Jillian's workouts are always fun and I look forward to doing them.

For years, Helen Costa-Giles had no real motivation to lose some of her lb. body weight, despite concerns from her doctor. But in , her yearly checkup took a somber turn when the mom of two learned that she was on track to develop chronic health problems because of her size.

Determined, she immediately threw out all processed and preservative-filled foods and started eating a clean diet. In just six months, with no exercise, she dropped close to 90 lbs. Costa-Giles then added weightlifting to her days and fell in love.

I kind of got obsessed because for the first time in my life, my body was actually doing what I asked it to do. Costa-Giles began running free exercise classes in her hometown of San Antonio at 4 a. I like to share my story because it's so relatable. Dustin LaJaunie has come a long way from the lbs.

he once weighed. He's since lost lbs. and counting with the help of his younger brother Josh LaJaunie, who started the private Facebook support group called "Missing Chins Run Club. The group is a safe place for people to share their stories and struggles and motivate one another to lose weight.

Eating plan-based and running alongside his brother, Dustin compared the Missing Chins to the trips he and his brother used to take when going hunting.

The Gloucester, U. My mum had a stroke very young, and it scared us as a family. I didn't want to put my family through the same thing, so knew I had to do something.

Marie Byrne credits doing at-home Jillian Michaels workouts and decreasing her portion sizes with helping her drop 70 lbs. She also said having a partner with Parkinson's disease inspired her to get her health on track. What excuse did I have not to exercise when he didn't make any excuses?

Byrne began counting calories and making sure she eats three healthy meals each day in addition to starting her mornings with Jillian Michaels' workouts at 5 a. The office worker weighed lbs. by the time she was pregnant with her first child due to poor eating habits and a lack of physical activity.

After complications from her C-section left her depressed, Brittany Greenslit started walking and doing Pilates and yoga to help lift her mood. As soon as she was well enough, she began doing Jillian Michaels' workout DVDs.

Greenslit started eating lots of fruits, veggies and protein. If she goes out, she orders a chicken salad instead of her former go-to order of a cheeseburger and French fries. The St. Cloud, Minn. Alicia Steele , the longtime on-air host, gained weight when she went through menopause.

She got inspired to lose weight when T-Tapp Method creator Teresa Tapp appeared on a PBS show she was hosting and decided to give her DVDs a try. Steele dropped four dress sizes using the program and kept the weight off for more than five years. She "completely changed" her eating habits, and eats "lots of colorful, fresh food.

Beyond spending 15 to 20 minutes each day working out with the T-Tapp DVDs, Steele's weight loss tip was to try dry brushing: "This helps with exfoliation, detoxification and improving circulation, which improves fascia fitness," she said.

Megan McGee began gaining weight when she got into an unhealthy relationship and stopped spending time with friends or going to the gym. After getting out of the relationship, she decided it was time to make a change — especially since she worked in the health profession. The Middlesex, England-based nurse decided to join Slimming World to take control of her health.

She preferred group exercise classes and began regularly meeting with a personal trainer. McGee also went from skipping meals and snacking throughout the day to sticking to set meal times.

Her biggest tip was to not be afraid to make a change: "There is nothing to lose and so much life to gain. Rebin Roy told PEOPLE she "could easily down a pitcher of margaritas and 20 buffalo wings at happy hour," and smoked a pack-and-a-half to two packs of cigarettes every day for 14 years.

While she quit smoking after getting pregnant with her first child in , she kept her unhealthy eating habits until she began having health problems after having her third child. She joined WeightWatchers and dropped from lbs. by watching her portions.

Roy began eating six small meals a day while allowing herself the occasional fast food burger by only eating half of it. To stay motivated, Roy has competed in bodybuilding competitions.

She also recommended using a slow cooker to prepare healthy meals. I'll put some chicken in in the morning and it's done for dinner.

Hannah Jenkins shared that overeating was just part of her daily routine. After dinner, she'd continue to snack on packaged foods like ramen with cheese and more snack cakes. But when she got to college, everything changed.

She started her weight loss journey on New Year's Day Using her My Fitness Pal app to log her food, workouts and water intake, Jenkins' daily meals included loading up on protein for breakfast by eating either oatmeal with fruit and peanut butter or a protein shake, and then sticking to lean proteins and small amounts of carbs like sweet potatoes and rice.

Jenkins' workouts focused on a hour of cardio each day plus strength training three days a week. Tanisha Washington had reached a high weight of lbs.

by age 21, but she had always struggled with her weight. I have the most horrible memories because I was associated with all that weight I was carrying. Washington successfully lost 50 lbs.

in college, but gained it back when she unexpectedly got pregnant her junior year. After giving birth, she decided to get healthy for herself and her baby. She stuck to the low-carb, high-protein Atkins diet and used strength training to tone her body.

Hollie Barrett , the superstore employee from Suffolk, England, had reached lbs. and felt her weight was preventing her from being the hands-on mom she wanted to be. That experience jumpstarted her determination to lose weight. Barrett had recently seen a friend's post on Facebook about their success with the weight loss program Slimming World and decided to give it a try.

Barrett turned to the Slimming World food optimizing plan. Barrett, who stuck with long walks and jogging, advised that you should find a plan you can stick to: "I used to jump from fad diet to fad diet, and they were all so strict and hard to follow. Then she read a book called The China Study about the merits of a plant-based diet, and cut dairy and processed meat out of her diet.

In a year she lost the majority of her weight through changes to her eating habits alone. Sticking to a vegan diet, the Rochester, N. Goodenough suggested getting creative with your meals, sharing that her vegan diet "became fun because I was trying new different recipes, and everything tasted different so it was cool and fun.

In , husband and wife Nathan and Brenda Bennett both found themselves struggling with their weight even though they led active lifestyles.

The Bennetts cut out sugar and processed foods from their family meals and began using My Fitness Pal to track their calories and exercise. The couple focused on clean eating and portion control, with a goal to work out six days a week.

Brenda shared that their fitness sessions are a "friendly competition. Brenda also suggested finding an accountability when trying to lose weight: "It was a big help to cheer each other on and not let the other person run down to the convenience store and cheat with whatever you can get your hands on.

We keep each other strong. Jessica Battle , a Delaware-based paralegal, had reached lbs. by the time she was 20, but it wasn't until her father had heart surgery when she was 25 that she decided to take charge of her health. She also began eating smaller portion sizes and started an Instagram account to help hold herself accountable.

Battle stuck to eating mostly vegetables, fruits and protein while counting the amount of protein, fats and carbohydrates she was eating every day. Her workouts consisted of weight training DVDs at home. Battle shared that her best weight loss tip is to make gradual changes.

For me, I knew that jumping right into eating only vegetables, fruit and lean proteins wasn't going to work," she said. When Karyl Mullins moved back to her hometown of Lexington, Ky.

thanks to family gatherings that revolved around Southern cooking. At 34, Mullins was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

She joined WeightWatchers to take control of her health. Mullins began eating small portions to stay within her WeightWatchers parameters, along with taking kickboxing classes and running a marathon.

Gillian Faith , a British Columbia-based stay-at-home mom, admitted that she "stopped caring" about her body after having her first baby at age After having her second child, Faith weighed lbs.

and shared she was a "food addict. After her third pregnancy and a divorce, Faith realized she needed to take control of her weight. However, she took things too far and developed anorexia and bulimia.

In , she started bodybuilding, which she credits with finally getting her health on track. Faith worked to stay away from anything that comes "in a can or box" and avoided gluten, dairy and soy.

She was working out six days a week for an hour each time. Getting creative on the treadmill was key to Faith's best wight loss tip. It really tones hamstrings and glutes. Rebecca Grafton , an insurance saleswoman, shot up to lbs. after spending a pastry-filled semester studying abroad in France during college, and continued to eat lots of baked goods after graduating.

In January , she booked a trip to Jamaica and decided she wanted to lose weight so she wouldn't be self-conscious about how she looked in a bathing suit. They gave me a calorie target, and I followed it. I literally had to reteach myself to cook.

Grafton's diet consisted of getting enough protein while limiting her carbs, and still allowing herself wine on the weekends. She began working out every day doing a mix of cardio and weights with her favorite exercise equipment being the StairMaster.

If you usually slip on the weekend, commit to a Monday morning workout," she said. Mackenzie Walker , a Windsor, Ontario-based student, used to eat pizza for breakfast and drink as many as 15 cans of soda a day, reaching a high weight of lbs.

When her father had gastric bypass surgery, she changed her diet and began eating the small meals he was consuming. She also used Instagram to find weight loss tips.

Walker started tracking her proteins, fats and carbs while still allowing herself to drink diet soda to curb cravings. To stay toned, she turned to strength training.

Jana Roller, a professional photographer who weighed lbs. at her highest, decided to lose weight after a traumatic incident. I thought, 'This needs to change right now. Roller decided to take up bodybuilding , and trained for two years for her first competition. Her prep involved 5 a.

workouts and a strict meal plan. Jeanine McDonald , mom-of-four, fell into unhealthy eating habits after having kids. When one of her sons told her she looked "really fat," she decided she needed to start making health a priority.

On nights she had a sitter, McDonald shared that she hit the gym, and on other nights she focused on workouts at home once her kids were asleep. Thanks to running and a vegan diet, Tim Kaufman was able to get a grip on his health and even weaned himself off an addiction to painkillers.

Once weighing over lbs. and became part of what he calls s "tight-knit group" dubbed "The Missing Chins Run Club. Vanetza Cines, a military officer, took up bodybuilding to be an inspiration to her troops.

at her highest — told PEOPLE. My soldiers looked up to me and I had to counsel them when they couldn't meet the standards, and yet I myself couldn't meet the standards.

I just felt like a hypocrite and a fake. In December , Cines read about a Bodybuilding. com challenge and decided to take part in it. She started working out three times a day and saw real changes in her body for the first time. Los Angeles-based Alex Perrineau reached lbs. at her highest weight.

The self-proclaimed "emotional eater" ate fast food for almost every meal, and was teased throughout school. So she decided to try Jenny Craig to finally make a lasting change.

Perrineau started eating Jenny Craig meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with healthy snacks in between. She worked out six days a week and ran for cardio. I love Jenny Craig because I don't have to think about what to cook.

Experiment and find what works for you," she said. Erika Cockrell had struggled with her weight since high school and "used food as an emotional pick-me-up" through the years as she dealt with her parents' divorce and problems with her own marriage.

When Cockrell reached lbs. For me it was all calories in, calories out," Cockrell told PEOPLE in the "Half Their Size" issue. Joanne Raymond had lost lbs. twice before she decided she was finally going to keep the weight off for good.

The Allentown, P. In , she started feeling sick all the time; she had constant headaches, trouble sleeping and pain in her knees. Her doctor told her all her problems were weight-related.

Raymond — who weighed lbs. at her highest weight — decided to overhaul her bad eating habits, replacing pasta with spiralized zucchini squash and Chinese takeout with healthy homemade chicken and broccoli.

Christina Jordan hit her low point when she was kicked off a Disneyland ride after being unable to buckle the seatbelt. Jordan — who weighed lbs. at her heaviest — began eating five to six meals a day that each include a lean protein, a complex carbohydrate and a healthy fat.

Diana Anguh's fast food habits lead her to reach lbs. when she was in high school. After being dateless at prom, Anguh decided to start working out and hit the gym every day.

She also began cooking her own meals rather than binging on fast food. After 16 months of hard work, Anguh hit her goal weight of lbs.

Growing up in war-torn Kosovo , Lindita Halimi often didn't know when her next meal would be. When the war ended, Halimi overcompensated by eating whole pizzas and entire jars of Nutella. The singer reached lbs.

between the ages of 17 and 20, and was bullied for her weight, with classmates calling her an elephant. When a woman on the bus mistook Halimi for a pregnant person, she decided she needed to lose weight.

The former American Idol contest learned how to get healthy by Googling weight loss tips and found healthy cooking tutorials on YouTube. Ashley O'Reilly started putting on weight when she got her driver's license at 16 and began frequenting fast food restaurants, getting up to lbs. in two years.

After hitting a low point during her sophomore year of college when a friend refused to be seen sitting next to her in class, O'Reilly decided to try Nutrisystem. Her new diet coupled with exercise helped her drop lbs.

Adrienne Osuna is proof that physical transformations don't always correlate with the number on the scale. Osuna — who weighed lbs. at her highest and dropped to lbs. She also practiced intermittent fasting, which means she did not eat from 7 p.

to 11 a. six days a week, although she did allow herself coffee with cream in the morning. Professional chef Michael Lachowicz hit lbs. thanks to a combination of unhealthy lifestyle factors. Drugs and alcohol reduced my inhibitions, so I didn't have a lot of remorse about eating ridiculous amounts of food.

Entering rehab and getting sober was an essential part of his weight loss journey. Lachowicz started working out six days a week while maintaining 1, to 1, calories per day.

So the Dexter, Mo. He also became a member of the private Facebook group, "Missing Chins Run Club" — a place where people can swap weight loss stores and struggles — and trained for marathons. When Kim Carter Martinez hit her highest weight of lbs. In order to be eligible for knee replacement surgery to help alleviate her arthritis pain, the Oakland, Calif.

Carter Martinez made "a lot of small changes" to lose the weight, like giving up Starbucks and cooking more meals at home. Eventually, she began following a paleo diet and progressed from doing Richard Simmons videos in her garage to going to the gym daily.

Jennifer Ginley was so self-conscious about her weight that she did not want her longtime boyfriend to propose to her, because she didn't want to be an overweight bride. In May , Ginley joined the weight loss program Slimming World with her mother and sister and said preparing healthy meals in advance helped her to drop from lbs.

Alexa Saddington dropped the weight with the Cambridge Weight Plan, which sets you up with a consultant who creates custom meal plans that include ready-made healthy meals. The U. at her highest weight — also began working out three days a week, and losing 85 lbs. since the end of

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