From Size 30 to Size 4

Lynne used to wear a size 30 or even 32. She now wears sizes 4 and 6. She weighed 296 pounds in January 2005 and got down to her goal weight of 129 pounds by March 2007. She is 5'5" tall.

Her first step was to join a Weight Watchers online group. Months later she started walking one mile a day around a track. Now she's a vegetarian and works out five days a week.

About exercise she says;

The best part about exercise when I started is that my weight-loss went into high gear. I started posting 2+-pound losses almost every week for the first six weeks. Even after that, my losses were usually in the 1- to 2-pound range. Because of exercise, I have a flat stomach (even though I have some loose skin), strong arms, toned legs, and a buttload of energy every day.

She also has an online support group on her blog for other people who'd like to lose weight and are seeking online support and friendship.

It's hard to believe she's a grandmother. See more amazing before and after photos at her site.

Charlie Brooks Loses 30 Pounds

Charlie Brooks is a famous actress in the UK. In 2004, after having a baby, she weighed 168 at her height of 5'5". In 2005 she decided to hire a personal trainer and do 'a before and after workout' video. Over the next month, as she worked out two or three times a week, she lost about 14 pounds. By the end of the video she had lost about 30 pounds.

She says her workout DVD is different because it is not some famous star doing a workout video where they start out super slim and finish super slim. In her video you actually see the weight loss transformation take place.

Unfortunately, her video, which is quite popular in the UK, (and on Amazon.co.uk) is not available on Amazon.com, although you can find about 1,900 other workout videos there.

45 Pounds Lighter Without the Soda

John used to drink a lot of soda. He decided to give it up. This was the key change that helped him lose 45 pounds in nine months. He now weighs 190 and feels great. Although it took him several weeks to beat the soda cravings he's sure now he wouldn't touch the stuff again. See his quitting soda story here.

How to Eat More Fruit: Try Fruit Treats

Here's a fruit that I've maybe only bought once in my life. It's the pomegranate (also known as Chinese apple). Inside are hundreds of pretty kernels, each with a tiny seed surrounded by ruby red pulp. These kernels can be eaten, seeds and all, and they're great sprinkled in salads. You can also press the kernels for juice and strain out the seeds. Wear an apron when working with pomegranates; the juice can stain your clothes.

The pomegranate is not in season now, but check out the beautiful tropical fruits page at the Cook's Thesaurus for more great ideas to diversify away from the more boring apples and bananas.

Rhonda Loses 20 Pounds

Rhonda is 36 years old. She is 5'4" and has wanted to bring her weight down to the 120's for a long time. She recently accomplished her goal by losing 20 pounds and going from 143 to 123 pounds.

She did this by starting a regular and rigorous walking program. She walks four or five days a week around the neighborhood and this saves her the commuting time to the gym. It took her four months to lose twenty pounds. See her story here.

The photo here is Walking in the Rain by clairity.

Video: Before and After Weight Loss

Phil lost 192 pounds. He lost the first 100 pounds in seven months. He started off by just walking a mile a day and switching to a low-carb diet of 15 - 30 grams a day. There's a really nice video about his before and after weight loss story here. Check out his inspirational story at CNN.

Elated About Losing 20 Pounds

Paul has lost 20 pounds in the past month since he started a new lifestyle as a New Year's Resolution. He wants to lose 30 more pounds but he is absolutely elated about his progress so far. He's changed his diet by eliminating fast food and eating healthy meals. He snacks on fruit and nuts. He's been walking a lot and plans to join the gym as a next step.

Now I'm not jealous or anything, but it's pretty hard to truly lose 20 pounds of fat in one month. Half of it might be water loss. When you give up junk food, all the excess sodium in your body that was forcing you to retain water will help you lose a lot of water weight. Also, it is possible to lose more than 1 or two pounds per week when you initially weigh 270 pounds. Anyway, as he starts exercising and building more muscle over the next month, his weight loss will definitely slow down, but he'll be looking and feeling even better than he does now.

See his photo and story here.