I did it!

AMANDA DE LA CERDA

Age: 40
Current weight: 189
Total pounds lost: 111

"You don't see any overweight people at 80. They don't make it that far," says Amanda De La Cerda of Atlanta, Ga., who started a weight-loss program when she was approaching 40. Even though she had always been overweight, De La Cerda was afraid the extra pounds would ruin her health. She also wanted to set an example for her daughter, then 2.

She tried a variety of exercises and activities -- she walked, took the stairs, played with her daughter more and studied Pilates, yoga and belly-dancing.

Eating, she says, was a little easier to control. Writing her food choices down helped her stick to her diet. Maintaining her weight has been harder, but De La Cerda says she still ended 2006 lighter than she started it. The key for her is to keep her activities flexible and to stay focused, even on days when she would rather not exercise.

"I knew in my gut, in my heart, that once I started, I never wanted to go back."

Advice: "Make a goal. Don't let a small setback stop you. Do more today than you did the day before."

Source: www.detnews.com