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Three brides reveal how they managed to take it off. The result: gorgeous gals with wedding photos they'll cherish forever.

Janet Walker Age: 34 Before: 167 lbs. After: 150 lbs. Pounds Lost: 17 Wedding Date: June 27, 2007

Before

After

Janet’s weight reached an all-time high of 205 before she got it down to the 167-pound range. But when she got engaged to Fernando Bravo-deAcha in February 2007, something clicked. Call it a bikini moment: “We were getting married in Cancun,” says Janet, “and our guests were planning to spend the week with us at a beach resort. So not only did I want to look good in a wedding dress, I also wanted to feel comfortable in a bathing suit and shorts the rest of the time. I just knew, in my heart of hearts, that no matter how happy I was to be getting married, I didn’t want to look back at my photos and wish I’d lost weight before the wedding.” Janet signed up with Jenny Craig, and by the time she and Fernando exchanged vows on the beach, she was down to 150 lbs.

The no-guesswork diet: Not having to weigh, count, measure or even cook was a boon: “All you have to do is eat the food you’re given,” says Janet. “I travel a lot for work, and it was great to be able to bring the program’s prepackaged snacks with me so I wouldn’t be tempted by airport food.” Janet also made good use of Jenny Craig’s workout DVDs, and a guide for managing eating on the road (it lists hundreds of restaurant menu options so you can make smart choices when you’re out).

The gym connection: Diet alone didn’t do it for Janet; she took step, yoga and conditioning classes at a gym. The upshot: Janet was more toned, and she lost inches, not just weight. So addicted was she to her workouts that she even took a spin class at the resort on the morning of her wedding. “It was a great way to burn off nervous energy,” she laughs.

The dress: Like a lot of brides, Janet went dress-shopping soon after she got engaged. “At first I was shocked. Wedding dress sizes run large, and I was being told to order a dress in a size even bigger than I thought I needed.” But by her first fitting, she had a happy surprise. “The seamstress had a lot to take in. What was really fun was that she had to keep adjusting the hem—as my hips got smaller, the dress hung longer,” she says.

The post-wedding update: Janet now uses healthier ingredients when she cooks. She says, “My Mexican husband, who loved fried dishes, has started adjusting his favorite recipes, too. And we exercise together. Now he’s also lost weight.” Turns out marriage can be inspiring in more ways than one.

Janet’s Tips

• Plan ahead. As a bride-to-be you have so much to do, so carry healthy snacks with you (fruit and other nutritious foods). Otherwise, you’ll eat junk food, which will only sabotage your weight-loss goals.
• Have a good support system. My three friends met me every day at the gym to work out together. This kept me motivated, pushing me to work harder in my step class and to add extra weights to my routine.
• Create a vision of how you want to look on your wedding day. And think about it every time you’re tempted to have dessert or fast food or to skip your exercise routine.

Photography: Arturo Ulloa with Funever Photos.

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