Slim-Down Success Stories

Tamara Kleinberg

Age: 32
Hometown: Denver,
Colorado
Height: 5" 8"
Before: 180 lbs.
After: 135 lbs.
Pounds lost: 45

Like most brides-to-be, Tamara Kleinberg couldn't wait to buy her wedding gown. "I imagined finding the perfect dress that would make me look beautiful," she says. But her excitement turned to horror when even the largest sizes didn't fit. "I had to have the saleslady stand behind me, holding the dresses closed, because they wouldn't zip up past my lower back," she says. "I went home and cried. The idea of walking down the aisle was no longer appealing—it was a nightmare."

From childhood through her mid-twenties, Tamara had stayed fit and trim by playing sports, working out at the gym and walking everywhere. "But then I moved to a new city with my husband-to-be, Mike, bought a car and discovered fast food," she says. "My lifestyle changed dramatically." She drove everywhere, made regular visits to the drive-thru, and says her efforts at the gym became half-hearted. Plus, as she kept up with what Mike was eating, her portion sizes grew. Eventually, she tipped the scales at 180 lbs., and wore a size 16.

The day after the dress-shopping fiasco, Tamara took action. She researched diets, read an array of weight-loss books, and then chose the tips that worked for her. She cut out sweets and fast food, and started eating mini-meals of about 300 to 400 calories that contained protein, carbs and a little fat. These included scrambled egg whites with cheese for breakfast; salads with chicken for lunch; and chicken with vegetables for dinner. Tamara substituted appetizer-sized plates for large dinner plates (so she wouldn't feel as if she had to fill up a whole plate with food!), and made a deal with several friends that she'd e-mail them a daily log of what she'd eaten. "This kept me accountable, because I didn't want to have to write ‘cookie dough' where my friends would see," she says.

Tamara felt strongly that exercise had to become an important part of her life once again. She read fitness magazines and books, and got advice from personal trainers. "Once I had all the information, I created a program to fit with my lifestyle," she says. This entailed exercising six days a week for 45 to 60 minutes, rotating between cardio exercise, like running or biking, and strength training. To help stick with it, she scheduled her workouts into her date book in pen. "You have to make exercise just as important as a work meeting and schedule it in," she says. "You would never skip a meeting that your boss called, and you can't do that with yourself, either." Throughout, she kept track of her weight-loss by taking a monthly photo of herself in a bikini. "When I was feeling unmotivated or frustrated, I'd look at these photos and realize I'd come a long way," she recalls. Seven months after that devastating dress-shopping trip, Tamara walked down the aisle, in a size 6 wedding dress—and 45 pounds slimmer.

Word of her weight-loss success spread, and soon friends of friends started calling to ask her to help them lose weight for their weddings. The response inspired her to get certified as a personal trainer, rent a small studio and offer a program for brides. Then a book publisher asked her to write a book about her program, and last year Bridal Bootcamp360 (HarperCollins) was published. "I realized that the end goal was not my wedding day, but to feel strong, fit and good about myself forever," she says. "And I love helping other people do the same."

Tamara's Tips

• Join a gym near your workplace. You don't need anything fancy, and the convenient location allows you to squeeze exercise in before work, after work or anytime you have an hour.
• Make beautiful meals. Don't just throw lettuce and tomatoes on a plate—create an attractive tossed salad, and you'll feel more satisfied.
• Nix any excuses. Make a list of all the reasons why you simply can't exercise and eat right. Then draw a big black X through your list—and don't give in.
• Weigh in weekly. Do it on the same day, at the same time and on the same scale.
• Break your larger goal into smaller ones. Instead of saying, "I want to lose 40 or 50 pounds," which can seem impossible, say, "This month, I'm going to lose five pounds." This is far more manageable.
• Build your own support team. Even athletes, who can accomplish a lot on their own, are better with someone coaching them. The same goes for you. Sending a food log to friends can really help you stay on track.