Medical Reports: Staying Slim

WSVN--Losing weight can be like riding a roller coaster.

There are always ups and downs.

Laurie Kelliher: "I would gain five, I would lose three and feel good about myself and then turn around and it was up to five more."

Laurie Kelliher's been losing and gaining back the same 15 pounds for the past nine years.

Staying slim is a constant struggle.

Laurie Kelliher: "I really would say in my case, keeping it off has been harder than actually losing the weight."

But her friend, Chantel Hobbs, is proof that it can be done.

Her weight loss story is so incredible, she was just featured in People magazine.

Chantel Hobbs: "I lost about 170 pounds."

More than five years ago, Chantel went from 326 pounds to 154 pounds -- a weight she still works hard to maintain today.

Chantel Hobbs: "I know that there's no day that I can stop working out theres no day that I get to wake up and have pop tarts all day. This is something that I will do my whole life."

For Chantel, staying slim means staying in the gym.

She works out six days a week teaching spinning classes, running and weight training.

Chantel Hobbs: "I think that the fitness aspect is really a key to maintaining the weight loss."

Plus she eats six small meals a day, so she's never hungry.

Anything from protein shakes to grilled chicken and lots of salad.

Chantel Hobbs: "I always try to keep with me some nuts. I always try to have something to snack on. Something I know is healthy.But that it's close by me so that I don't have a good reason to grab something thats not healthy."

Now, most of us don't have to workout so much.

But dieticians suggest all of us keep a written record of everything we eat and how much we weigh, just like we did when we were dieting.

Sonia Angel: "Weighing yourself once a week keeps you on track of what what is going on and prevents you from gaining again."

Also beware of traps and know your weakness!

Sonia Angel: "You need to watch out for what made you gain weight in the first place. If your trigger was because you were an emotional eater and you ended up eating everytime you were upset or depressed, then you need to focus on how you can break that habit."

Chantel refuses to go back to her old habits and her old weight -- she knows she's come too far.

Chantel Hobbs: "If I think I ate a little too much at this meal, then I might make a sacrifice. I might work out twice that day. You definitely have to learn to compensate in your life."

Now, Laurie is ready to get off the weight-loss rollercoaster and make those same sacrifices.

Laurie Kelliher: "Everyday you wake up and it's a fresh start. I want to keep this weight off and I want to be more fit."

Christine Cruz: "Finally, if you're looking to stay motivated, dieticians suggest posting up a picture of the 'old you' on the fridge or the mirror. Anything to help you stay slim."

FOR MORE INFORMATION: