Dropping Pounds: Jamie Lynn Granelle

Granelle, a banker who is also attending nursing school, says her busy schedule contributed to her weight problems. It was always easier to grab a slice of pizza than to sit down for a salad, she says.

"I was learning about all these diseases at the hospital and seeing all these things obese people were going through," Granelle says.

She says the turning point was the night she dreamed she was dying of diabetes. "The next morning, I woke up and decided it was time to change my life," Granelle remembers.

Granelle says making things work with her schedule and dietary changes was the hardest part. "I suddenly was counting and weighing everything, every potato chip," says Granelle, who uses the MyFitnessPal app on her phone to track her calorie intake and exercise.

After a lifetime of obesity, Granelle is experiencing a world of new things.

"The first time I placed a napkin on my lap, I started laughing," Granelle remembers. "I had never known what that was for. My breasts formed a shelf where the food fell. Every day, I experience things that slender people take for granted."

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"From what I've learned in school and from what I read, it says to keep your metabolism working you should be snacking every one to two hours," Granelle says.

30, Deer Park

Occupation: Banker and nursing student

Height: 5-foot-7