Tired of feeling sluggish and out of control, Carol decided to make a change—and in just three months, she shed 30 pounds ... “I didn’t just want to lose weight—I wanted to feel good ...

Combining those healthier habits helped me to lose 30 pounds in about a year. And I kept it off, despite moving to Houston, where my life as a restaurant critic was even more calorie-packed.

Need to drop a few pounds ... those on other diets: 20 to 43 pounds for men and 14 to 40 pounds for women. They also had big weight-loss goals, hoping to lose an average of 47 pounds.