Dropping LBs: Barbara Quinn, Syosset

HER STORY While her weight yo-yoed slightly most of her life, it was after the birth of her third child that Barbara Quinn's weight began to balloon. She was guilty of eating on the run, grabbing whatever was handy, making mostly unhealthy choices.

"I liked breads, rice, pasta," says Quinn, who adds that she also never practiced portion control. "I was a true carb hound."

It was a litany of medical problems that finally drove her to make a change. She was achy from arthritis. She had a family history of heart trouble and diabetes. And her blood sugar was normal, but just barely.

"I woke up the day after my doctor's appointment and decided I didn't want to be a statistic. I also didn't like my energy level or what I saw in the mirror. Here I am telling kids that they need to work out and eat right, while I'm standing before them not living my own words out."

With a combination of dietary changes and a return to the gym, she dropped 100 pounds in 12 months.

"I am in the best shape of my life, both physically and mentally," Quinn says. "I wanted to be a good role model for my track kids, as well as my own kids."

DIET Breakfast is a high-fiber, high-protein cereal with fruit. She goes the vegetarian route at lunch with just fruits and vegetables. She sticks to fish or chicken with a salad and vegetables for dinner. While she doesn't weigh her meals, she is conscious of portion size. And she never eats late, usually having dinner before 5 p.m., followed by an early evening snack of fruit.

EXERCISE She does an hour of cardio each day, followed by an hour of weight training and abdominal exercises.

ADVICE "I took everything five pounds at a time," Quinn says. "My biggest thing when I was fat was fear of getting on the scale. Don't be afraid. It is just a number." Quinn says weighing herself every day is key to her success.