"I Finally Learned the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss"

Lori's Weight Loss Plan

Age: 38
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 134
Pounds lost: 61
Months at current weight:12

The Diet: Breakfast is oatmeal with skim milk and a banana. For lunch, Lori has a fat-free hot dog, cold cuts with vegetables or a salad with fat-free dressing. Dinner is three to four ounces of lean meat with steamed vegetables or a salad. Lori snacks on slices of cantaloupe or watermelon during the day.

The Workout: Lori walks on a treadmill for 30 minutes five or six times a week. Twice a week, she takes an hour-long kickboxing or aerobics class. On weekends she lifts weights at home.

Stick-With-It Tips: Keep something that inspires you handy to help boost willpower. "I use a fishing-line sinker imprinted with the words every ounce counts' and pull it out whenever I'm tempted to eat something I shouldn't." Another trick: Plan ahead. "On Sundays, I outline a week's worth of dinners. It helps me stick to a healthy diet."

Biggest Temptation: Cookies, especially Girl Scout Thin Mints. "I'm an all-or-nothing eater," Lori says. "So I stay away from them completely."

What She Couldn't Wait to Wear: A pair of sexy black capri pants -- size 6. "When I tried them on and they fit, I was shocked. I couldn't believe how great they looked."

Originally published in Fitness magazine.