"I Lost 65 Pounds - And Kept It Off"

Bonnie's Weight Loss Plan

Age: 29
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 133
Pounds lost: 65
Years at current weight: 5

The Workout: Five days a week, Bonnie runs four miles or spends 40 minutes on an elliptical trainer or a stationary bike. She lifts weights before every cardio session and does 20 minutes of abdominal exercises every day.

The Diet: Breakfast is a protein shake and two slices of toast. For lunch she has a salad with romaine lettuce, chicken, kidney beans, tomatoes, corn and fat-free ranch dressing. A typical dinner is a chicken breast, green beans and a glass of skim milk.

Stick-With-It Tip: Eat for energy. "Getting enough lean protein?like chicken breast or egg whites?builds muscle and gives me the stamina to keep going."

Biggest Temptation: Cake. "I can't resist the frosting, but I've learned that I can satisfy my craving by having just a taste of it."

Best Compliment Since Losing Weight: "A woman at the gym told me she wanted arms like mine and asked me to show her what exercises to do," says Bonnie.

What She Couldn't Wait to Wear: A belted brown suede jacket. "When I hit 145 pounds, I splurged and treated myself to one. I love the way it accentuates my waist."

Originally published in Fitness magazine.