Before: 298 lbs.
After: 157 lbs.
Program used: CalorieKing.com

When Marsha and her husband, Ryan, first met, they did everything together — they even gained 30 lbs. Marsha, now 31, took it as a good sign: “People are always saying that you fall in love, and then you get fat.” By the time Ryan, now 33, and Marsha married in 1999, the bride had hit 205 lbs. As newlyweds struggling on a tight budget in Ann Arbor, Mich., they ate whatever was on sale at the grocery store, choosing fattening fare like macaroni and cheese over healthier options such as fresh produce.

In November 2001, with the arrival of triplets, the Goodemoots were an instant family of five. Suddenly responsible for three little ones, 5-foot-6 Marsha became concerned about her size — at nearly 300 lbs., she could barely button her size 22 pants.

And as the triplets started walking, Marsha had a more immediate problem: She couldn’t keep up with them. Realizing it was time to make a drastic change, she went on the Atkins diet and lost 80 lbs. over the next 10 months. “But I couldn’t see myself ruling out carbs forever,” she recalls. “I also wanted a healthy diet that would be a good model for my kids.”

Going Online

An Internet whiz, Marsha suspected she might be able to solve her weight problem by going online. One day she came across CalorieKing.com, a Web site that provides weight-loss tools such as nutritional information about foods. The site offered an eating plan in which 30 percent of your daily calories comes from fat, 30 percent from protein and 40 percent from carbohydrates. Marsha quickly signed up.

“I loved the idea that nothing was off-limits,” she says — though she did have to substitute lighter versions of such favorites as cheese and ice cream. Keeping a detailed log of everything she ate forced Marsha to be accountable for her choices. And it helped her plan ahead. For example, when she knew she’d be having a big dinner out, she would cut out snacks or eat a light lunch to stay within the limits. Within eight months, she’d lost an additional 60 lbs., bringing her weight down to 157.

No More Feeling Deprived!

Why has this plan worked? Past diets focused on deprivation, which made Marsha want to nosh more than ever. By learning to swap for healthier versions — rather than eliminate old favorites — Marsha has completely changed the foods she craves. Now Marsha can’t even imagine eating the full-fat version of most foods, and is “grossed out” to think of all the healthy salads she used to turn into “500-calorie nightmares” by dousing them with ranch dressing.

This newly energetic mom hopes to pass along her healthy lifestyle to her kids, who have already noticed a change: “Mommy is getting smaller, and we are getting bigger,” says Reagan, 4. Marsha, who grew up eating spaghetti and fried chicken, wants her children to think whole wheat pasta and high-fiber bread are the norm. (The good example has even rubbed off on Ryan, who has lost 34 lbs.)

She also hopes to instill in the triplets her love for exercise. Just this summer, Marsha joined a women-only gym, something she never would have done at her old weight. When the weather cooperates, she heads outdoors and takes the kids along on eight-mile walks in a three-seat stroller!

Now that she has reached a size 10, Marsha is finally comfortable in her body. Her mother-in-law, Beth Booher, isn’t surprised by her success. “When Marsha has a vision, she makes it happen — whether she’s redecorating the house, raising a family or losing weight,” she says proudly. “Thank goodness, because she has to be in good shape to keep up with my grandkids!”

Marsha couldn’t agree more: “Now I know my heart is healthier, and I’m outrunning my kids,” she says. “I can’t tell you how good it feels to know I’ll be around to be a good role model and watch them grow!”