Pounds lost: 60
Turning point: A bona fide tomboy and youth athlete, it wasn't until I became embarrassingly lazy, complacent, and overweight in my mid-20s that I decided to put down the fork, turn off the TV, and face my fears. For me, those fears involved walking into a real running store, buying a pair of real running shoes, and signing up for a marathon training program as a way to meet new people and break out of a rut. I was heading down a dangerous path of self-destruction and it was my U-turn. Crossing the finish line of that first race was my 'aha!' moment of lifelong change.
Weight-loss tip: Make gradual changes to your overall lifestyle instead of drastic, extreme changes, and always maintain a sense of humor about things—know that you'll never be perfect!
