"I Conquered My Cravings and Lost 52 Pounds"

Nancy's Weight-Loss Plan

Age: 33
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 130
Pounds lost: 52
Months at current weight: 15

The Workout: Nancy exercises three or four times a week for an hour and a half. She splits her workout between aerobics (running on the treadmill or taking a Spinning class) and strength training.

The Diet: Breakfast is a low-fat yogurt, cereal, or an egg-white omelet and a banana. For lunch, Nancy has a salad with chicken, a grilled veggie wrap, or a turkey sandwich. Dinner is often fish and a salad.

Stick-with-It Tip: Calm cravings with healthy foods. "When I want something sweet, I have a piece of fruit first. That's usually enough to satisfy me."

Biggest Temptation: Desserts, especially pie, chocolate, and cookies. "I treat myself once a week, usually splitting something with a friend."

What She Couldn't Wait to Wear: A slim-fitting tank top. "Even when I was thin in college, I didn't have great arms. But now that I've built up my triceps, a revealing tank top is the perfect way to show them off."

Originally published in Fitness magazine.