I Did It! Weight-Loss Success Stories

July 30, 2013
These inspiring people lost weight—sometimes 100 pounds or more—with diet and exercise.
Start Slideshow

1 of 48

Ready, set, lose

Getty Images

Looking for a little weight-loss motivation? Look no further! Check out these women and their amazing success stories. Whether they stuck to a new meal plan or trained for a marathon, they all reached their feel-great weight goals. Choose your own path and soon you'll be yelling "I did it!" too.

(Want to share your own success story? You can enter

your weight-loss story here. We'd love to hear from you!)

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 48

Maribel Contreras

Tommy Garcia

Age: 38
From: El Monte, Calif.

Now: 140 lbs
Before: 217 lbs

How she did it: She registered for a 12-week body transformation contest at my gym. In addition to revving up her workouts, she swapped out her typical fast-food meals for healthier options. In total, she lost 77 pounds.

3 of 48

Nicole Finkbeiner

Felix Sanchez

Age: 33
From: Houston, Tx.

Now: 125 lbs
Before: 170 lbs

How she did it: She changed her diet and realized that cardio could be more than just slogging along on the elliptical, which helped her drop 45 pounds.

Advertisement

4 of 48

Barbara Delamarter

Age: 38
From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Now: 132 lbs
Before: 185 lbs

How she did it: Downloading the MyFitnessPal app and lacing up her running shoes helped Barbara kick 53 pounds to the curb.

5 of 48

Jamie Weil

Age: 49
From: Cottonwood, Calif.

Now: 150 lbs.
Then: 235 lbs.

How she did it: She stopped turning to carbs for comfort and worked out daily to shed 85 pounds.

6 of 48

Michelle DeGennaro

Age: 43
From: Warwick, NY

Now: 142 lbs.
Then: 244 lbs.

How she did it: On the verge of weight-loss surgery, Michelle gave Nutrisystem and exercise one last try and peeled off an incredible 102 pounds.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 48

Chelsea Jackson

Age: 33
From: Atlanta

Now: 140 lbs.
Then: 195 lbs.

How she did it: After realizing a simple one-mile walk had become too difficult, Chelsea decided to eat clean and slip in daily exercise to regain her pre-college figure.

8 of 48

Alexis Hinson

Phoebe Rourke-Ghabriel

Age: 38
From: League City, Texas

Now: 137 lbs.
Then: 188 lbs.

How she did it: Alexis held on to the weight she gained from her two pregnancies for some years, but after joining Weight Watchers she learned all about healthy foods and healthy portions. She kicked the last 20 pounds by slowing training for a marathon with her friends.

9 of 48

Jennifer Roe

Age: 40
From: Lodi, NJ

Now: 144 lbs.
Then: 200 lbs.

How she did it: A truly inspiring transformation, Jennifer signed up for a half-marathon despite her distaste for running, and before she knew it began logging serious miles. She worked her way up steadily, and has since completed many half-marathons and 5Ks. She'll soon run in a 200-miles relay race, too.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 48

Jennifer Drummond

Age: 40
From: Oakley, CA

Now: 142 lbs.
Then: 175 lbs.

How she did it: Jennifer found the perfect workout companion in her dog, who she took on nightly walks. She also started eating smaller portions and more veggies, as well as using a DVD to get in more fitness time.

11 of 48

Marlene Reyes

Age: 38
From: Las Vegas

Now: 130 lbs.
Then: 215 lbs.

How she did it: A notorious yo-yo dieter, Marlene found healthier eating habits with Jenny Craig, but really saw the pounds melt off when she finally incorporated fitness into her lifestyle.

12 of 48

Cynthia Barnett

Age: 45
From: Atlanta

Now: 144 lbs.
Then: 186 lbs.

How she did it: Some family and friends went on the journey to lose weight along with Cynthia, and this support system was a driving force in their success. Coupled with DVD workouts and diet changes, she's healthier and happier than ever.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 48

Kimberly Linham

Age: 36
From: Glen Allen, VA

Now: 140 lbs.
Then: 235 lbs.

How she did it: Kim's "no excuses" attitude and a slow but steady diet and workout routine helped her eventually shed 95 pounds.

14 of 48

Lori Biele

Age: 36
From: Boston, MA

Now: 149 lbs.
Then: 195 lbs.

How she did it: After an injury sidelined this college volleyball star, she gained more than 40 pounds. But after going on Nutrisystem, Lori got her energy back and has now completed several triathlons.

15 of 48

Sydney Pershing

Age: 32
From: Miami

Now: 125 lbs, size 4-6
Before: 287 lbs, size 22-24

How she did it: Started biking, first just a few blocks at a time, eventually building up to longer rides. Sydney also started eating more vegetables and lean protein instead of pizza, and eventually lost 162 pounds!

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 48

Petrita Red

Age: 37
From: San Francisco

Now: 162 lbs, size 12
Before: 274 lbs, size 20

How she did it: Traded candy bars, fast food, and soda for veggies, and started jogging and kickboxing

17 of 48

Starla Wilkins

Age: 35
From: Hoover, Alabama

Now: 146 lbs, size 10
Before: 176 lbs, size 14

How she did it: Started playing soccer and Wii Just Dance with her sons and adopted our CarbLovers Diet plan

18 of 48

Jen West

Age: 31
From: Birmingham, Alabama

Now: 145 lbs, size 8
Before: 192 lbs, size 14

How she did it: Started a

weight-loss blog and posted photos in a bikini every week to track her progress, upped her exercise, and adopted our CarbLovers Diet plan

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 48

Sarah Schallern

Age: 34
From: Falls Church, Virginia

Now: 155 lbs, size 10
Before: 300 lbs, size 28

How she did it: Joined Weight Watchers and started biking

20 of 48

Angie Filardo

Age: 35
From: Verona, Wisconsin

Now: 128 lbs, size 4-6
Before: 368 lbs, size 26-28

How she did it: Cut calories and started exercising, rewarding herself along the way with a new handbag or workout gear for reaching mini targets, like walking 15 minutes each day

21 of 48

Doree Kalfen

Age: 52
From: Deerfield, Illinois

Now: 126 lbs, size 4
Before: 230 lbs, size 20

How she did it: Started walking (and then running!) and eating six small meals a day full of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean meats

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 48

Lisa Adelman

Age: 49
From: Boston, Massachusetts

Now: 130 lbs, size 6
Before: 180 lbs, size 14-16

How she did it: Signed up for a 13.1-mile walk to benefit cancer research, and trained for 10 months to prepare. Lisa has since walked a full marathon!

23 of 48

Ashli Johnson

Age: 34
From: Cookeville, Tennessee

Now: 140 lbs, size 6-8
Before: 206 lbs, size 14

How she did it: Cut back on calories. Ashli switched to ordering kids' meals at the fast-food restaurants she loves and ate only a serving of her favorite snacks, so she could still enjoy her favorite foods. She also started exercising, and ran a 5K for the first time.

24 of 48

Julia Gressick

Age: 28
From: Madison, Wisconsin

Now: 130 lbs, size 6
Before: 223 lbs, size 20

How she did it: Started exercising and using Nutrisystem to help her eat at regular meal times. Julia lost 38 pounds right off the bat, and then upped her exercise routine, finishing her first marathon 93 pounds lighter.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 48

Heather Lemanski

Age: 27
From: Detroit, Michigan

Now: 135 lbs
Before: 210 lbs

How she did it: After gaining 70 pounds as a result of kicking her smoking habit, Heather adhered to a simple plan. She could eat whatever she wanted as long as she stayed around 2,000 calories a day. She cut that to 1,800 calories a day, started cycling, and lost 75 pounds!

26 of 48

Carter Higgins

Age: 33
From: Burbank, California

Now: 175 lbs
Before: 312 lbs

How she did it: Started going to boot camp five mornings a week, and was motivated to stick with it thanks to the camaraderie. She also kept a food journal, swapping chips for veggies along the way, and dropped 137 pounds in just under a year.

27 of 48

Carmen Hollinsed,

Age: 41
From: Briarwood, New York

Now: 130 lbs, size 8
Before: 190 lbs, size 16

How she did it: Starting cooking healthy meals and using a scale and food journal to track everything she ate. Carmen also started walking, and two months later she was logging 10,000 steps a day.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 48

Kim Smith

Age: 30
From: Portland, Maine

Now: 150 lbs
Before: 210 lbs

How she did it: Inspired by watching the Ironman World Championship on TV Kim started exercising, working up to 60-90 minutes, five days a week. She ate small meals five times a day and eventually shed 60 lbs. Then, along with her husband, she scaled 19,340 feet of Mt. Kilimanjaro, something she said she never could have done if she hadn't lost the weight.

29 of 48

Tracy Ring

Age: 31
From: Chicago

Now: 170 lbs, size 10
Before: 242 lbs, size 20

How she did it: Tried new routines at the gym like spinning, weight lifting, yoga, and cycling, and learned how to make healthier choices at restaurants.

30 of 48

Katherine Harvey

Yep, She Stayed Skinny!

Age: 47
From: Dixfield, Maine

Now: 125 lbs
Before: 196 lbs

How she did it: After a series of illnesses, Katherine's weight shot up by 20 pounds, but she picked up walking and running and even ran her first 5K!

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 48

Alisha Schram

Age: 38
From: Enterprise, Alabama

Now: 147 lbs
Before: 210 lbs

How she did it: After struggling to lose the baby weight after her second pregnancy, Alisha started following the Nutrisystem eating plan and joined a gym. Today she takes spinning classes and runs with her husband and says she feels stronger than ever!

32 of 48

Ali Hocart

Age: 39
From: New York City

Now: 137 lbs, size 4
Before: 164 lbs, size 10

How she did it: Adopted our CarbLovers Diet plan, and upped her cardio to five or six workouts a week, plus two or three strength training sessions

33 of 48

Ashley Caudill

Age: 26
From: Valencia, California

Now: 149 lbs
Before: 300 lbs

How she did it: Ashley bought a cheap treadmill and worked out at home until she felt comfortable enough to join a gym. She cut back on fast food and ate small meals throughout the day. She also kept a blog to track her weight loss. Now she's less than half her size!

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

34 of 48

Meaghan Nelson

Age: 33
From: Jersey City, New Jersey

Now: 113 lbs, size 0
Before: 163 lbs, size 10

How she did it: Stopped drinking alcohol, adopted The South Beach Diet plan, and started walking everywhere

35 of 48

Lisa Oaks

Age: 40
From: Gilbert, Arizona

Now: 132 lbs, size 4-6
Before: 192 lbs, size 16-18

How she did it: Cut out alcohol, ice cream, and excess sugar, and started eating more fresh veggies. Lisa also started walking (and built up to running) and watched 60 pounds melt away in eight months.