92 pounds Lost With Jillian Michaels

"With Jillian's help, I lost 92 pounds and gained a new life!"*

Jillian MichaelsProgram: Success Story

I've struggled with my weight all of my life. I went from being a chubby kid, to a slightly overweight teenager, to an obese adult. I was anywhere between 70 and 110 pounds overweight, which is clinically obese and clearly a health risk. As a teacher, I was sending my students a poor message. The example I was setting was unacceptable.

At 28, I decided to take control of my life in a big way. I signed on to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser. But I was still skeptical. I'd tried every diet under the sun and had failed at every one.

Then Jillian Michaels became my trainer. She quickly saw right through me -- she could tell that I didn't believe I could do it. Her first order of business was to teach me that weight loss is a physical and mental game. She never accepted less than 100 percent, and she pushed me to do things I would never have done on my own.

We focused on setting goals and using a journal to keep myself accountable. When I went down a size, I would buy myself an item of clothing I had my eye on -- clothes were my goals! Within a few weeks, I'd replaced my usual food rewards with something even better — a new and improved me.

By the end of my run on the The Biggest Loser, I had lost 79 pounds. After the show, I took everything I learned from Jillian Michaels and went on to lose a total of 92 pounds. She taught me to love myself and put myself first. I still chant my mantra "let it go and believe" when things get tough or I hit a plateau. There is very little I am too afraid to try. Jillian is truly my life teacher.

Kelly Minner, standing next to a cut-out of how she looked before Jillian Michaels Before: "I was anywhere between 70 and 110 pounds overweight, which is clinically obese and clearly a health risk." With Jillian: "Her first order of business was to teach me that weight loss is a physical and mental game. She never accepted less than 100 percent" After: "I took everything I learned from Jillian and went on to lose a total of 92 pounds" *Remember: Like any weight loss plan, results vary.

65 Pounds Lost With Sonoma Diet

Suzy Lost 65 Pounds* With Sonoma Diet And Kept It Off!

"Over the course of a year, I've lost 65 pounds* — and I've kept off every pound of it! I can't believe it; I tell people all the time that I feel like a movie star!"

Facing a Challenge

I started gaining weight later in life -- mostly after the birth of my third child. As I got older, however, I also developed arthritis. The medication made me gain weight, and I even got the point where I was getting too big for my wheelchair. I fell down one time and you should have seen my husband trying to pick me up! I knew something had to change.

It's funny; I started following The Sonoma Diet before I had even heard of it! I set some sensible guidelines for myself -- I banished foods like sugar and white potatoes from my diet, for example, and ate smaller portions -- and it worked! I started losing weight right away. Then I saw The Sonoma Diet mentioned on TV and I got so excited. I got the book immediately. There's so much good information in it about eating right. I loved the plate guidelines and the Power Foods list. These were rules I was already trying to follow, and the book took all the guesswork out of it.

A New Kind of Feast

My arthritis doesn't allow me a whole lot of time in the kitchen, so the easier it is to prepare meals, the better. In the morning, I usually have cereal. I used to eat Rice Krispies, but if you read the nutrition facts label, you'll notice that they contain high-fructose corn syrup! Now I eat something like Kashi, or I'll have a piece of toast with peanut butter.

For lunch, I try to keep it simple -- tuna on whole grain bread, cottage cheese, tomatoes, a little bit of avocado. And I eat salads almost every evening with dinner, especially with chicken. I also love fruit! Before I started The Sonoma Diet, I'd eat ten Oreo cookies at once. Now I choose grapes or apples, or almost any kind of fruit, really. I never would have thought this was possible, but I find myself really wanting to eat healthier meals.

The Turnaround

Over the course of a year, I've lost 65 pounds* -- and I've kept off every pound of it! I can't believe it; I tell people all the time that I feel like a movie star! I remember when I finally got below 200 pounds. I never thought I would be there again. And here's a funny story: My whole life, I thought I had big legs. It turns out that's just where I naturally carry my weight. For the first time in my life, my legs actually look skinny! I have ankles and a shinbone and knees. Who knew?

Of course, I never told anyone that I was on a diet. I really don't like that word. I had tried the no-carb fad diets and I hated them! On this plan, you eat such an amazing variety of foods -- I can live without things like beans and nuts. To me, this is truly a lifestyle change, and something that I can really live with for the rest of my life.

Strategies for Every Day

Holidays and parties have been a breeze. When I first started on this plan, it was right before Thanksgiving, so I got through that holiday, then Christmas, and then my birthday without a problem. I just learned to say no to unhealthy food. It's as simple as that. I went to a barbecue at a friend's house and there was pasta and lots of food with creamy sauces. I just promised myself that I wouldn't touch any of it. At one point, however, someone brought out a vegetable tray, and I knew I could have some of that. It's just a matter of making the right choices.

And I can go to any restaurant I want. That has never been a problem. At a place like Red Lobster, almost everything on the menu is fried, but there are options. Last time I went, I ordered a piece of salmon, some shrimp, and wild rice -- it was delicious, and I didn't feel stuffed afterward. At Chili's, I found a wonderful salad with black beans. I've learned that I can make the right choices anywhere. And boy, do I feel empowered!


Tips and Tricks From Suzy

• Banishing the bad stuff: Before I started The Sonoma Diet, I'd go through a jar of mayonnaise or whole sticks of butter in a week. I don't even buy those things now. Unhealthy food just isn't important anymore, and really, it's not even appealing to me.
• A fix for fish: I've always loved fish, but I ate it breaded and with fatty dipping sauce. Now I grill or bake my salmon with just lemon, olive oil, and herbs, and it's every bit as delicious.
• Favorite compliment: I can't tell you how I love to hear these words: "Wow, Mom! You're getting so skinny!"
• Managing the occasional treat: Of course, there are times when I will allow myself to have a treat. I lost the weight slowly, so I know that I won't gain it back immediately. But I also know that if I really want that ice cream cone, I need to be especially conscientious about what I eat the next day.

* Results not typical.

Dropping 103 lbs Was a Matter of Life or Death

By eDiets Staff Writer

For most of us, weight loss is a matter of better-fitting clothing and more energy. For featured slimmer Dean W., losing weight was a frightening matter of life or death.

Morbid obesity had dragged poor Dean down to the lowest point of her life. She admits that before finding help and hope from Oprah-trainer Bob Greene and a low-carb lifestyle, she considered ending it all.

It wasn't just the weight that she was dragging around that made Dean's outlook so bleak. Declining health also played a huge role in her suicidal thinking.

Dean suffered from severe depression and the first stages of type 2 diabetes. She also endured fibromyalgia, a nightmarish disease characterized by chronic pain in the muscles and soft tissues surrounding joints, fatigue and uncomfortable tenderness in various areas.

She took 12 different medications daily. She was only 34, yet she felt like her life was over.

At her top weight, she tipped the scales at 215 pounds. Dean spent much of the past seven years trying every diet she could find -- everything from Weight Watchers to the cabbage soup diet. Nothing seemed to work.

Dean estimates that since her marriage nine years ago, she’s spent at least 25 months in bed suffering from various ailments. Just last year she underwent five surgeries and nearly died when her liver failed. But Dean has proven to be like a cat with nine lives.

"I was severely depressed and suicidal," she tells eDiets. "Physically I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t play with my kids. I couldn’t function. I was absolutely miserable. I felt worthless. When I felt bad physically, I stopped caring about stuff. I didn’t do my hair or makeup. I didn’t care that I lived in a t-shirt and sweats. I was a full-time mom and figured, 'No one sees me.'"

Dean pulled off her remarkable made-for-TV transformation from obese to "Oh, my!" when she hooked up with Bob Greene, Oprah Winfrey’s personal trainer. Since following Bob’s Get With The Program, Dean has gone from 190 to 112 pounds for a grand total of 103 pounds trimmed from her petite 5-foot-2 figure.

The best part: A year later, the size-20 clothing remains packed away and she's sporting form-fitting size 4s and 6s.

Dean is living proof that where there’s a will there’s a way. Even when she spent months in the hospital last year, she never wavered on her goal. She refused to deviate from her healthy eating regimen and she stayed active -- even when that meant slow walks down the hospital hallway, IV and all.

She credits her mental toughness to Bob Greene, who she'd seen on the Oprah show many times before she finally decided to take that first step and seek his help. After reading Greene's "Make The Connection," Dean realized that Oprah's personal trainer had cut through to the heart of the matter.

Emotional eating had played a huge role in Dean's weight gain. She turned to food in times of sadness and in times of joy. She followed up with Green's book Get With The Program. It proved to be a lifesaver.

"'Get With The Program' connects emotional eating with physical being," Dean tells eDiets. "That was my problem. I’m an emotional eater. I didn’t know that. When I was happy, sad or stressed, I would go to the drive-thru. I didn’t get the connection until I read the book and then I thought, 'Wait, he’s talking about me.'"

Dean remains an emotional eater, however, she’s learned to make smarter choices. When she does turn to food to "medicate" her feelings, she reaches for a healthy snack, goes for a walk, reads a book, drinks water or practices yoga. She no longer makes a beeline for her favorite fast-food haunts.

While she does enjoy a treat every now and then, she prefers eating fruits, grains, vegetables and protein. Dean has used a winning combination that includes two popular programs. She attributes the bulk of her weight loss to the Atkins Diet Nutritional Approach. But she’s also sold on Get With The Program for lifetime maintenance.

"I eat more balanced," she notes. "I watch my portions. I try not to eat late at night. Balance is the essential key to success. This is something I can do for the rest of my life."

One reason Greene’s program fit Dean’s needs perfectly was that the fitness aspect could be modified to match her lifestyle. When she first got started, she couldn’t lift weights or power walk because of her fibromyalgia. She relied on yoga and Pilates to build up her strength. Slowly she got into the step of the things. When strength training, she uses light weights and does more repetitions. On a good day, she power walks 4 miles with 2 1/2-pound weights wrapped around her ankles. It wasn't that long ago she couldn’t manage one lap around the block.

Dean says her healthy eating and exercise routines have done what her many medications couldn’t: They've improved her quality of life so much that even the worst days of pain are bearable. And the more she exercises, the better she feels. She has much more energy and far less pain.

"I wake up every day and my body aches for the first hour," she says. "After that I have the energy to get up, make breakfast, play with the kids and exercise. Bob asked me how things are different for me now. I told him that just like brushing my teeth and taking a shower, exercise is something I do every day. It’s something I can’t go without. Even on a bad fibro day I still do stretching or some kind of activity. Before, I would just lay here."

Dean says she never would have come this far without making a major change in her way of thinking. That meant looking for a permanent solution, not a short-term fix.

"I was ready to change, not go on a diet," she says. "I wasn’t going to try one more diet or one more program and fail. I changed my entire life for the rest of my life. I decided that even on a bad day when I’m bedridden, which is half the time, I accept it instead of fighting it. It goes by faster and I forgive myself for being sick. I don’t use it as an excuse.”

Dean still suffers from depression though it’s not as severe. She’s also reduced her daily medications to three. She no longer dwells on negative. Instead, she works on what she can do -- even on the bad days. There’s no stopping her. Her next goal is to write a book about her experiences and inspire others who think it can’t be done.

"I have fibromyalgia, diabetes and three kids. If I can do it, anyone can," she notes.

Getting fit will have a huge impact on all areas of your life! Are you ready to get in great shape fast? eDiets and Bob Greene can help you get there. Sign up for Bob Greene 's Total Body Makeover workout -- you won't need a gym or fancy equipment -- just Bob Greene and eDiets.

I finally stopped dieting and managed to lose weight

eDiets Exclusive: 'Biggest Loser' Chef Spills Secrets!

By Glenn Mueller
eDiets Senior Writer If you want to lose weight without giving up your favorite foods, Chef Devin Alexander has your recipe for success. In fact, shes got more than 125 of them. This celebrity chef and best-selling author recently joined forces with some of the cast members and experts behind NBCs smash hit series The Biggest Loser to create a cookbook that finally bridges the gap between delicious meals and healthy eating.

Now, even if you arent selected to be a contestant on the popular weight-loss reality show, you can still become the biggest loser in your very own kitchen by preparing these healthy recipes for yourself. According to Chef Devin, healthy eating doesnt have to be about deprivation or missing out on your favorite meals.

"I dieted for seven years and got fatter and fatter," Chef Devin tells eDiets . "Then I finally stopped dieting and managed to lose weight."

Though she struggled with her weight when she was younger, Chef Devin finally managed to drop a whopping 55 pounds, which she has kept it off for more than 12 years now (you can see her remarkable transition in the pictures to the left). And instead of depriving herself to slim down, the cooking enthusiast decided to tinker with some of her favorite recipes to make them healthier.

"People look at my before and after pictures and assume that I must be starving myself," Chef Devin says. "I heard that by cutting just 100 calories a day from their diet, a person can lose about 10 pounds in the course of a year. This led me to tweak some of my favorite recipes, so that I could still eat the same stuff."

When her grandmother first taught her to cook, Chef Devin never dreamed that this simple hobby would one day become her full-time vocation. Today, she is known as one of the most popular caterers in all of Tinseltown, hosting parties for Reba McEntire, Carol Burnett and the cast of the Late, Late Show With Crag Kilborn. In addition to working with The Biggest Loser, shes shared her healthy cooking tips with Good Morning America and the Discovery National Body Challenge. And when she isnt cooking up a storm in the kitchen, Chef Devin writes articles for many popular magazines, including Prevention, Shape, Muscle & Fitness and Women's Health, where she is the Contributing Food Editor. Alert eDiets readers may even remember a popular series Chef Devin wrote for our newsletters last year about restaurant nutrition.

"I am not a stick figure, and I am not overweight," Chef Devin says. "I eat chocolate, exercise moderately and I cook all day. And, I never, never feel deprived."

Now, in this eDiets exclusive, Chef Devin shares a few of her favorite healthy cooking tips:

Small Changes Add Up To Big Differences. Remember that cutting out just 100 calories per day will help you lose 10 pounds in a year. That doesnt mean you have to prepare a sausage pasta dish with broccoli or make hamburgers out of mushrooms. Chef Devin says just use the leanest cut of meat you can find. She also recommends substituting low-fat cheese for the real thing. "Some low-fat cheeses do not taste good, but others taste great," Chef Devin says. "You just have to experiment." For best results, she suggests shredding the low-fat cheese finely in recipes, so that it will melt better.

Hold The Mayo. Though low-fat mayonnaise on its own doesnt taste very good, Chef Devon says you can certainly dress it up. She recommends mixing your mayonnaise with horseradish, Dijon mustard, chili garlic sauce, or other ingredients with strong flavor.

Be Aware of How Much You Are Eating. According to Chef Devin, you can begin practicing proper portion control the moment you get your food home from the store. She suggests filling little plastic bags with a portion of cereal or chips. That way, you wont be tempted to eat more than you should. "Be aware of how much you are eating," Chef Devin says. "If you want a big portion, that should be a choice you are making consciously."

If you watched last nights exciting episode of The Biggest Loser, you saw Chef Devin teaching contestants how to prepare healthy recipes from her latest book. Her personal favorite recipes in The Biggest Loser Cookbook include: the Almost Fast-Food Burger, Cocktail-Hour Tuna Tartare, Sausage, Egg, And Cheese Breakfast Sandwich, and a BBQ Pork Sandwich. Other Mouth-watering recipes in the book include: Better Blueberry Pancakes, Thin-And-Crispy Sausage And Mushroom Pizza, Parmesan-Pepper Sweet Potato Fries, Winning "Fried" Chicken and Chocolate-Kahlua Mousse Parfaits.

Best of all, even if the only thing you normally make is reservations, you will be able to prepare most of the recipes in this book. Though there are a few elaborate recipes in the book that you can use for entertaining, Chef Devin says the majority of them can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

To give you a preview, Chef Devin was kind enough to share a couple of her favorite recipes from The Biggest Loser Cookbook :

Almost Fast Food Burger

If those drive-thru burgers call your name, this is, hands down, definitely the burger for you! As a kid and teen, I was addicted to fast food, so I was determined to recreate those drive-thru flavors and secret sauces at home. This burger is much, much leaner than any youre likely to find at a fast food restaurant, but the sauce makes it taste so reminiscent of them. I often make this burger in a low-carb tortilla instead of a hamburger bun and I always add a few more pickles. If youre watching your sodium closely, you may not want to stick to it "as is" below.

1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 pound 96-percent lean ground beef
1 slice (3/4 ounce) fat-free American cheese (optional)
1 whole-grain or whole-wheat hamburger bun
1/4 cup chopped romaine lettuce leaves
1 thin slice red onion
3 dill pickle rounds

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. Stir to mix. Set aside. Shape the beef into a patty that is about a half-inch wider than the bun.

Preheat a medium nonstick skillet or grill rack on high heat. Place the patty on the pan or grill. Cook for one to two minutes per side, or until desired doneness. (Do not smash the burger with the spatula.) About 30 seconds before the burger is cooked, top with the cheese, if desired. Place the bun halves, cut sides down, on the pan or grill. Cook for about 45 seconds, or until roasted.

Place the bun bottom on a serving plate. Top with the patty, lettuce, onion, and pickles. Spread the reserved sauce evenly over the inside of the bun top. Flip onto the burger. Serve immediately.

Makes one serving

Per serving: 281 calories, 26 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (2 g saturated), 60 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 736 mg sodium.

Boston-Cream Peanut-Butter Breakfast Banana Split

Who doesnt want a banana split… any time of the day? Heres one thats not only so decadent youll forget youre eating healthy, its so fun, youre likely to feel like a kid again -- a kid getting away with eating "junk food" for breakfast.

1 small ripe banana (about 6 long), peeled and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter
1/2 cup low-fat, artificially sweetened Boston cream pie-flavored yogurt
2 tablespoons crunchy high-fiber, low-sugar cereal (such as Grape-Nuts)

Place the banana halves in a small banana split dish or shallow bowl, with the cut sides facing inward. Spread the peanut butter evenly over the open banana. Spoon the yogurt in the middle. Top with the cereal. Serve immediately.

Makes one serving

Per serving: 294 calories, 8 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 3 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 241 mg sodium.

South Beach Diet Improves Lives

The South Beach Diet has improved the lives of many people -- and it can improve yours, too! You'll enjoy tasty and satisfying foods -- even dessert -- while you shed pounds, boost your self-confidence, and improve your health. The South Beach Diet is easy to follow, too. Just read what our members have to say.

I have a new non-scale victory … okay, I have two of them!

# 1: I have a pair of "skinny" jeans that I put on last night. I pulled them up right over my hips, over my rear end; buttoned them; zipped them; and bam -- they were on! Now that's a victory if I've ever heard of one!

# 2: On Saturday night I went to a party at a friend's house. Lots of people were there who have not seen me for weeks and some who haven't seen me since the 4th of July. All of them complimented me on how good I looked, and some even called me skinny! Now THAT was a fun party! Thanks, South Beach Diet!
Thin Duck (17349105)

I have now made it to the two-month mark on the South Beach Diet, and I've lost over 15 pounds. I'm feeling great!!
kaykay (17790491)

Hey, everyone! I've completed one week on the South Beach Diet and for the most part, my sugar cravings are gone. The key for me is preparation. I'm inspired to get in shape so I can feel great about myself.
Marz (18770823)

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one

Easy Does It

From Sonoma Diet

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. Before you start counting calories, weighing all your food, or tallying up lists of points, remember that eating isn't supposed to be complicated. Enjoying good food in sensible portions is usually all it takes to lose weight.

Read what one Sonoma Diet Online member has to say about it:

"What can I say about The Sonoma Diet ? I have lost 27 pounds* in 7 weeks, I have more energy than I've had in a long time, and -- best of all -- the food is absolutely wonderful. Most diets forbid you from eating entire food groups and leave you frustrated, which usually leads to failure. But the Sonoma Diet plan is full of wonderful recipes and food choices that keep you satisfied.

We think of diets as something we do only when we need to shed pounds, but you can keep eating this way long after the pounds are gone. I plan to make this a way of life. What a great choice!"

Sonoma Diet presents Dr. Guttersen's Tip of the Day

Setting Your Sights on Weight Loss

Maybe you need more motivation than just a number on a scale. Instead of focusing so closely on pounds, try to think of health and fitness goals that you want to reach in tandem with weight loss. For example, maybe you want to lower your blood cholesterol or increase your energy level during the day, or maybe you would like to get in shape to walk a 5K race for charity. For a little extra inspiration and a concrete measure of your progress, make notes about your goals and accomplishments in your journal.

* Results not typical

Four Elements of Diet Success

By Dr. Matthew Anderson
Exclusive for eDiets

Need a diet that'll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? We offer 23 personalized plans including the red-hot, carb-smart Glycemic Impact Diet.

How many times have you read or watched an ad for a weight-loss program and gotten excited and hopeful because of the astounding weight loss it promised you? Then how many times have you attempted to follow the regime only to fail? Then after failing, how often did you blame your self instead of the program?

If you have had this experience even once, then you have been "had" by a Weight Loss Wimp. If you follow the guidelines I have described below, you will have a far greater chance of finding the right program for you and losing weight permanently.

If you are even vaguely experienced in the struggles of weight loss, then you have encountered a number of Weight Loss Wimps. They love to make loud noises to attract your attention. But sadly, making noise is what they do best. While they are legal they are only slightly more effective than the scams.

Weight Loss Wimps are different from scams in that they can document some success, thus they are legal. They do actually work for some individuals at least for the short term and most are not dangerous to your physical health. I consider them potentially harmful to your emotional health because they have an extremely high failure rate and often cause the participant to blame themselves instead of the inadequate (wimpy) program.

How to Identify a Weight Loss Wimp.

Actually, it is incredibly easy to identify a Weight Loss Wimp because almost 95 percent of all weight-loss programs qualify. If you are considering a weight-loss program right now, chances are it has all the ingredients of Wimpdom. Here are the crucial identifiers.

A WLW has only one (diet plan) or possibly two (diet and exercise) of the basic weight loss elements and they portray their program as whole and fully successful.

Question: Can you identify the Four Basic Elements of Successful Weight Loss?

If you are unable to say yes to this question, then you could easily be taken in by most WLW’s. (See ingredients below)

Guess what? Here is the good news. There is only one thing you need to know in order to identify a Weight Loss Wimp and that is Point No. 1 above. No kidding. If you look closely at any weight loss process you can quickly tell if it contains all four elements. If even one element is missing then you would do well to turn around and run in the opposite direction. If you stay, you will have almost guaranteed failure, disappointment and most often increased self-hate (most weight-challenged individuals blame themselves instead of the wimpy program).

Here are the Four Basic Elements of Successful Weight Loss. Please use these as a guideline to inspect any weight loss process that you may consider:

1. The Physical Element
Part One -- Attention to what and how much you eat. Most WLWs are good to great at this part. The trouble is that they over emphasize its significance and neglect the other 3 elements.

Part Two -– Attention to various forms of physical exercise. Once again many WLWs are good at this but they also over emphasize its significance and forget elements 3, 4 and 5.

2. The Emotional Element
The true cause of chronic weight gain that is almost always totally avoided by WLW’s.

3. The Mental Element
Partially attended to by a few WLWs but never in depth and never truly related to the Emotional Element.

4. The Spiritual Element
Avoided like the plague by 99 percent of all WLWs, with the exception of a small number of fear-based religious groups.

Big Question: Where can you find a program that contains all four basic ingredients?

I know this may sound like an ad but I can honestly give only one answer to this question. I have done quite a bit of research about this over the last 20 years and so far I have found one program that includes and responsibly attends to all 4. The answer is eDiets.com. No other company, to my knowledge, on or off the Internet, can come even vaguely close to the in-depth and integrated program that eDiets.com has created.

If you know of a better one then let me know but no until you check out eDiets in depth and compare it carefully to the competitor. Until then I am very thankful that I happen to work for the best of the best.

Matthew Anderson, D. Min., is a counselor, organizational consultant, seminar leader and the author of books and tapes that can help you overcome your obstacles to well-being. eDiets members can join Dr. Anderson for his special chats the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. EST.

97 Pounds Lost With Jillian Michaels

How Kelly Lost 97 Pounds With Jillian Michaels

Ever wonder how the contestants on the TV show lost all that weight? They did it with Jillian's help -- the same way you can! Find out how Kelly Minner did it!

"When Jillian Michaels became my trainer, I took one look at her and thought, "What can she know about being overweight?" But she quickly saw right through me -- she could tell that I didn't believe I could do it. Her first order of business was to teach me that weight loss is a physical and mental game. I needed to believe that it was possible, because otherwise, well, it just wasn't. She never accepted less than 100 percent, and she pushed me to do things I would never have done on my own. Jillian saw the potential in me and wanted me to see it as well.

We focused on setting goals and using a journal to keep myself accountable. Size, more than a target weight, was the most important thing to me. When I went down a size, I would buy myself an item of clothing I had my eye on - clothes were my goals! I had to really work to get an article of clothing, but it was worth it. Within a few weeks, I'd replaced my usual food rewards with something even better -- a new and improved me."

-- Kelly Minner

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY

Write Your Own Success Story It's easier to write it off, rather than write your own success story, right? Yeah, I know. You think the only reason it worked for Kelly was because she was on TV -- with trainers and nutritionists at her beck and call. Well, it's not true. There's nothing that Kelly did that you can't do. But, just like Kelly said, it's the mental game that you have to win. Start right now by telling yourself that you can do this! It's your time to get fit and feel great. -- Jillian Michaels