Lasting results

KRISTY'S CHALLENGE

Kristy Staggers' weight problem started when she gained the Freshman 15 in college. "In high school, I was on the track and cross-country teams, so that kept me active and I could eat whatever I wanted," she says. Once in college, however, Kristy immersed herself in her studies and her part-time office job, and her workouts fell by the wayside. "Plus I still ate without any regard to fat or calories," she says. As the weight crept on, Kristy noticed the difference in her body. "I felt so out of shape, but I didn't have the energy to start an exercise program," she recalls.

HER TURNING POINT

After her first semester, Kristy tried on her favorite size-10 jeans and realized they were tight. "I stepped on the scale and saw that I weighed 130 pounds--I had gained 15 pounds in four months," she recalls. "That was when I knew I was heading in the wrong direction and needed to do something about it."

HER WEIGHT-LOSS & EXERCISE PLAN

Kristy didn't know where to begin, so she joined Weight Watchers. At her first meeting, she learned about controlling portions, reading food labels and incorporating more fruits and vegetables into her diet. She knew exercise was key to her success, but she wanted to first improve her eating habits.

MAKING SUCCESS HAPPEN

Initially, Kristy found it difficult adjusting to smaller portions, but since she ate a meal or a snack every three to four hours, she never felt she was starving. "I kept a food journal to help me keep track of everything I put in my mouth," she remembers. Kristy opted for lowfat versions of her favorite foods and snacked on whole-grain crackers and fruit.

She also started eating breakfast every morning. "I used to skip breakfast because I thought it was a waste of time," Kristy says. "But I learned that if I ate something healthful, such as oatmeal and fruit, I would eat better the rest of the day." At lunch, Kristy would have a salad with tuna or a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread with carrot "chips" instead of potato chips. As a result of eating smaller, healthier meals, Kristy lost 15 pounds in three months.

Then she enrolled in a health-education class. Her teacher required each student to make a healthy lifestyle change for the semester, so Kristy chose to start a regular exercise program. "I hadn't worked out for almost a year, so I took it slow," she says. Kristy joined the campus fitness center and started walking on the treadmill for 15 minutes four or five times a week. "It felt great to be moving again," she recalls. "I had more energy and couldn't wait for the next workout." She varied her program by alternating weight training and stair climbing.

Six months later, Kristy had lost another 5 pounds, reaching her goal weight of 110 pounds. "I've never felt this happy with my body before," she says. "Exercise and eating right is a lifetime commitment--I will never take a break from it again!"

* To submit your own Success Story, go to Shape.com/model.

RELATED ARTICLE: KRISTY STAGGERS, 22, ARIZONA

* Height: 5'3"

* Pounds lost: 20

KRISTY ON ...

* MUSICAL MOTIVATION

"I downloaded all of my favorite songs onto my MP3 player and listen to them while doing my cardio workouts. It keeps my spirits and energy levels high."

* SETTING NEW GOALS

"After reaching my weight-loss goal, I needed a new challenge. I found a marathon-training guide online and completed my first marathon earlier this year. It was an amazing experience!"

* HER FAVORITE EXERCISE PARTNER

"My mom and I weight train together in the gym and are also running buddies. Working out with each other gives us time to talk and catch up."

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group