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Even though Kathryn Carney 47, battled weight gain and high cholesterol in her teens and 20s, she didn't realize how heavy she was until she stepped on the scale at her doctor's office: It read 240 pounds. She was 27 years old and also having back problems. "The doctor said that if I continued on the same route, I'd be at serious risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease," says Kathryn. "I stopped at a gas station on my way home and thought: I spend more time thinking about the fuel that goes into my car than about what I put in my body."
How Kathryn lost 90 pounds in 14 months
ACTIVITY "I started walking on a treadmill for just 1 minute in the morning and 1 minute at night. Within a month, I was doing 45 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes at night. It wasn't about walking at a certain speed or losing a certain amount of weight—it was about doing a bit more each day."
FOOD "I ate five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, cut out fried foods and switched from eating refined carbohydrates like white bread to complex carbs like whole-wheat bread."
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SIGNS OF SUCCESS "I promised myself that after one year of living healthfully, I'd treat myself to fast-food fries (an old favorite), but I couldn't finish them. Now my cholesterol is in a healthy range, and I still walk 30 to 60 minutes four or five days a week."
Keep the weight Off
Kathryn didn't just lose 90 pounds—she has maintained that loss for 20 years. Steal her secrets.
USE A CALENDAR Every time she exercises, she writes down her accomplishment. "Once I see a streak visually, on paper, I don't want to break it," she says.
FILL UP IN ADVANCE When Kathryn eats out, she devours a salad with protein ahead of time so she doesn't overindulge in restaurant food, which is often higher in calories.
MAKE IT EASY Kathryn preps meals for the week on Sundays. Every day she grabs one protein and two veggie portions from the fridge to create an instant lunch.
