After years of eating junk food Annette Baldwin knew she had to change when the scale hit 185.

Annette Baldwin
Roeland Parl, Kansas
Age: 29
Height: 5?5
Inches lost: bust 6; waist 8; hips 8

Biggest obstacle
Eating out with friends. At first it was hard to eat with others who could seemingly eat whatever they pleased. But I reminded myself that if I eat healthfully most of the time, I could have a treat once in a while.
Weekly exercise program
-Running or power walking: 60 minutes/3-5 times a week
-Weight training: 20 minutes/3 times a week.
Eating philosophy
Instead of counting calories, I try to eat three meals and two snacks that are low in fat and calories and high in fiber, each day.
What I learned
- Frozen friends. If you don?t have a lot of time to cook, low-fat frozen entrees are lifesavers. At 500 calories each, they are a good alternative to fast food.

-Skip the fried food.When you eat out, look for foods that are baked or grilled instead of fried.
Get rid of them.Once your old clothes are too big on you, give them away.You don?t need them, plus you can use the room for your new clothes.

-I was a cheerleader in high school and that kept me skinny, no matter how much junk food I ate. Then in college, I stopped cheerleading but I still ate as unhealthfully as ever. I ate whatever I wanted without thinking about fat or calorie content. At first, the extra pounds gave my body some womanly curves I loved, but as I headed toward 160 pounds, I knew I had a weight problem.

Soon after graduating from college, I got married and became pregnant. During my pregnancy, I continued to eat without limits. My turning point came three years later when I stepped on the scale (which I hadn?t done since my daughter was born) and saw I weighed 185 pounds. Seeing that number was startling ? I wasn?t too far from 200 pounds and I knew the larger I got, the harder it would be to find clothes that fit me.

I also knew my unhealthy eating habits were at the root of my weight problem, so I revamped my diet. My marriage didn?t work out so by then I was a single mom and worked full time and I didn?t have a lot of time to cook. I stocked up on low-fat frozen entrees, low-fat yogurt, vegetables, fruit and skim milk. I started each day with a healthy breakfast, such as fruit and whole-grain cereal. I also took a week?s worth of frozen entrees and snacks to work and each day I also brought a salad or other vegetable. At home, I steamed or broiled chicken or fish. Instead of using high-fat sauces or butter to season my food, I used herbs and spices. I used measuring cups to make sure my portions were the right size.

To get moving, I strapped my daughter in her stroller and we went on walks each evening. It was nice to be out in the fresh air after spending the whole day in the office and it gave us a chance to spend time together.

After a few weeks, my co-workers noticed the difference and I realized my clothes were looser. To boost my exercise, I went to my apartment?s gym, which had a treadmill, and I started power walking for an hour, three to five times a week. (My sister, who lived nearby, graciously offered to watch my daughter.)

It took me a year to lose the weight, but now that I?ve done it, I feel great. I gave away all my old size-14 clothes and went to the mall and bought a whole new wardrobe of size 6?s. Old friends who haven?t seen me for a while are stunned when they see the new me and always ask how I did it. I get a kick out of telling them I didn?t go on any crazy diet ? I just ate right and exercised.