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Before: 180 pounds
After: 128 pounds

The Lifestyle
Virginia resident Cindy Santa Ana, 45, remembers exactly what she used to eat growing up: lots of canned soups, toaster pastries, frozen meals, and fast food. “I wasn’t getting nutrient-dense, real food,” she says. “It was more packaged, convenience items.” When she had her two girls and decided to become a stay-at-home mom, Cindy became less active, which made her weight start to seriously creep up. “I didn’t feel comfortable in a swimsuit or any of my regular clothes,” says Cindy. “I had to keep buying [bigger] sizes until I got up to a size 16.” She estimates that, although she is 5’4?, she must’ve weighed about 180 pounds by the end of 2009.

The Change
Cindy’s health suffered as her weight grew. She got regular sinus infections, dealt with hip and leg pain, and came down with lots of migraines, all of which she blamed on her size. Eventually, her doctor diagnosed her Hashimoto thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that caused inflammation in her body. Cindy was constantly taking different medications to reduce the symptoms of this disease and her other problems. But the worst part was that she lacked energy to keep up with her kids. “I would look forward to naptime every day so that I could nap, too,” says Cindy. She’d sleep for two hours in the middle of the day just because she was so wiped out. “I woke up one day and realized I didn’t want to live like that anymore,” she says.

When Cindy was ready to make a change, she sought the help of a friend who worked as a health coach. It was especially groundbreaking for Cindy to discover how to shop for local foods, read nutrition labels, and cook meals from scratch. Her favorite powerhouse food: kale. Now she throws it in her omelets, juices, salads—”I love me some kale,” says Cindy.

Of course, she had to include more exercise into her routine, but she looked at it more as a stress-reliever than a weight-loss tool. “I notice when I don’t exercise, I can’t think as well,” says Cindy. “I get grumpy or irritated during the day. It’s like my Zen time.”

And get this: Cindy ever hit a gym. Instead, she turned her basement into her own workout center. She bought a $75 stationary bike off of Craigslist and got free weights to help her strength train. But Cindy also needed an exercise she absolutely loved doing, and for her, that was dance. “I’ll put on some fun music and just dance around silly like no one’s watching me,” says Cindy, “which nobody is—so I can do whatever I want!”

Cindy couldn’t be prouder of her accomplishments. “It was exciting—exhilarating—to see the changes in the medicines I didn’t need anymore,” says Cindy. “My migraines went away, and my energy kicked up.” Now, Cindy weighs 128 pounds, a weight she’s maintained for two years.

The Reward
For the first time in 20 years, Cindy feels comfortable in a bikini—but she’s also incredibly proud of how much stronger she is. “I have abs and shoulder definition, which I’ve never had before,” says Cindy. “It’s sort of empowering to be strong.” She even gets a kick out of being able to lift her own carryon luggage onto planes. “I don’t need anybody to help me do that,” she says. “I can swing my kids around and feel stronger than I ever have before.” And with all of this added confidence, Cindy has followed in her friend’s footsteps to become a health coach, too!

Cindy’s Tips
Plan to work out. “Set workout clothes out at night so that they’re the first things you put on in the morning. That way you’re ready and don’t have to think twice about it.”
Know what you’re going to eat. “If you haven’t planned a meal [ahead of time], you might reach for an [unhealthy] one instead.”
Find an exercise you love. “When you commit an exercise you enjoy, it doesn’t feel like a chore.”

More from Women’s Health:
The Dangers of “Waist Training”
9 Ways to FINALLY Lose That Stubborn Belly Fat
QA: Why Is It SO HARD to Lose the Last 5 Pounds?