• Diet plan: Chakiris followed “Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution” . “You have to understand how the diet works, what your body needs — you can gain weight on a low-carb diet if you don’t know what you are doing,” he says. Chakiris loves veg

By Kim Droze
eDiets Managing Editor

When Erin L. read fairy tales as a child, she never imagined she’d one day become a real-life Cinderella.When Erin L. read fairy tales as a child, she never imagined she’d one day become a real-life Cinderella.

The one big difference in her fairytale makeover: there were no evil stepsisters. When it came to cruelty, Erin was her own worst enemy.

This 28-year-old Texan used to look at herself in the mirror and mooooo. Erin says dragging around 227 pounds on her 5’8” frame made her feel like a cow put out to pasture. She despised going out in public and she found the attitudes of her family and friends changed along with her waistline. Most days, she felt rundown and tired.

But it didn’t take a cattle prod to jolt her into action. Erin found all the motivation she needed right here at eDiets.com. She’s dropped a beefy 79 pounds. Today the stunning stay-at-home-mom weighs just 148 pounds and is in the best shape of her life.

However, she doesn’t only measure her success in pounds lost. She’s also trimmed 50 inches from her chest, waist, belly, hips, legs and arms. And her body fat has shrunk from 39.3 percent to 21.8 percent.

“My body shrunk,” she tells eDiets. “My energy went up, along with my endurance and strength. I can breathe better. My face isn’t puffy and swollen anymore. I no longer break out the way I used to.

“When I look in the mirror, I see all the changes that were accomplished through hard work and determination. Some days I see it more than others. Some days I look in the mirror and see room for improvement; other days I am happy because I know I came a long way.”

The physical and mental changes have been dramatic… and life-altering. Erin’s own personal weight loss journey inspired her to become a certified personal trainer and help others experiencing the same plight.

“I knew if I could do the weight loss, anything is possible,” she tells eDiets. “I am more sympathetic towards the struggles people have with their weight. I became a trainer because I wanted to help people who are going through what I went through. Basically, I grew at the same time I was shrinking.”

Erin’s life has become the stuff that reality makeover shows are made of. The mooooos have become oooooohs. She’s grown her hair out and returned to her natural color. She wears makeup and accessorizes with jewelry. It’s not uncommon for her to primp before going somewhere, unlike the old days when she didn’t pay much attention to her appearance. Erin admits she still has a soft spot for casual clothes.

“I wear the tight workout tank tops again, but for the most part I wear shorts and a t-shirt. I was just happy to get in my clothes again, which are the classic lazy day style.”

The gym has become a second home, but the motivated mother of two still finds time for herself. Erin recently traveled to South Florida for a magazine photo shoot. Once in the Sunshine State, she had the opportunity to get a makeover, courtesy of Glamour Shots.