Diet Success Stories: How I Lost Weight

Name: Amy Garrett

Home: Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania

Age: 35

Height: 5'7"

Previous Weight: 260 pounds

Current Weight: 145 pounds

Pounds Lost: 115 pounds

How I Lost It

Walking changed my life. It's the way I shed the majority of my weight. I stroll around my neighborhood for an hour five days a week or do at-home DVDs—my favorite is Leslie Sansone's 5-Mile Walk. I even bought a treadmill for when it's too cold outside. I track all of my workouts on SparkPeople.com.

I made healthier food choices. I cut out fast food, reduced my salt intake and started reading nutrition labels. Keeping a food journal on SparkPeople.com helped me realize how many calories I was consuming—especially in foods I considered healthy, like regular yogurt and wheat cereal. I switched to low-calorie foods and added fruits and veggies to my diet.

I move to the music. Listening to my favorite songs on my MP3 player motivates me to up the intensity of my workouts. I love anything with a good beat.