At 185 lbs., 5-foot-9-inch Julianne Cornelius knew the size “large” bikini she tried on in a fitting room in May 2004 was too small for her. But she bought it anyway, promising herself: “I’ll lose weight and fit into it by summer.”

As a size 16, the former beauty queen from Floydada, Tex., had accumulated a closetful of clothes that didn’t fit because she had been gaining weight for years. When an entire season passed without the mother of two boys — Skyler, 21, and Jordan, 15 — losing the weight to wear that bathing suit, she realized she couldn’t slim down on her own.

First, Julianne, 43, had her husband, Eric, take a photograph of her in the tight two-piece for inspiration. Then she drove to the nearest LA Weight Loss Center in Lubbock, Tex. — 50 miles away!

Smarter Choices

As the unflattering photo hung in both Julianne’s closet and her kitchen to remind her to stay on course, Julianne learned how to diet successfully: Eat five times a day and consume three portions each of protein, vegetables and fruits; two each of dairy and starches; one serving of fat; and two nutrition bars. By following the instructions meticulously, Julianne lost 7 lbs. in the first week.

Her weight loss slowed to 1 lb. to 2 lbs. a week after that, but it still kept Julianne motivated. Documenting in a journal every bite she took and meeting each week with an LA Weight Loss counselor helped her fend off temptation. A former aerobics instructor, Julianne also got some Leslie Sansone DVDs, working out every morning in front of her television. “At home, there’s no wind, rain or mosquitoes to stop me!”

Picture Perfect!

By summer 2005, the two-piece still didn’t fit — it swam on her newly achieved 135-lb. frame! So Julianne went shopping again. “I have six bikinis now, and they’re all a size 4!” she says happily. “My husband picked them out for me. He goes through catalogs saying, ‘Order it!’?” Eric confesses: “I enjoy seeing her so happy!”

She also water-skis like the rest of her family now. “It used to take me five tries to get my balance,” she marvels. “But I feel as light as a feather on the lake.” Brand-new photos of Julianne that grace her closet and kitchen capture her svelte self.

“The photos say I live for today now because this is what I look like!”