Julie's Get-Skinny Tips

Shave it off. Give yourself mini weight-loss goals to stay fired up. Instead of trying to lose 129 lbs. all at once, Julie focused on getting below 250, then under 225, and eventually into the 100s.

Ditch excuses. “If I had a dollar for every time I said ‘I’m big boned,’ I’d be rich,” says Julie, who started getting smaller when she stopped rationalizing why she was big.

Rally support. Invite friends and family to be your cheerleaders. Last year, Julie’s husband and her friend made a “birthday cake” out of fat-free Jell-O and Cool Whip so she could enjoy her birthday and still stick to her goals.

Identify old faithful. When eating out, Julie knows she can always order grilled salmon with vegetables, vegetable or shrimp fajitas, or a chicken Caesar salad. Substitute vegetables (minus butter) for rice, pasta or fries on the side.