'Dateline' diet challenge: Reunion time

Dawn's weight loss story
Former student council president Dawn Singh wanted to lose 30 pounds on a vegetarian diet. Though she hates to cook, Dawn had to come up with new healthy recipes. She also added exercise, but out of the gate this single mom was all tripped up, feeling discombobulated with the change of routine. But by taking white flour and junk food out of her diet, the scale was going down.

By Easter, one month in, her old habits were fading. This year she had just one chocolate egg. And by two months, her discipline had paid off. Dawn had dropped 12 pounds.

By summertime, the vegetarian's oldest daughter was moving up to high school, while mom was going down in pounds. She lost 22 in three months, and suddenly Dawn was in demand.

DAWN'S DIET DIARY Breakfast Couple scrambled eggs, coffee Morning snack: Yogurt, nuts Lunch  Salad with grilled salmon Or soy burgers Or soy chicken salad with Middle Eastern food on top On the side: hummus, tabouleh, chickpeas, baba ganoush. Dinner Salad, tomato soup, or a light soup If very hungry, put piece of fish/protein/dark green vegetables. Dessert Not a dessert person, but would sometimes have a beer after work Exercise Lift weights once a week (1 hour) Yoga/Pilates mix once a week (1 hour) Walk 3.5 miles four times a week Weekends: Walk to errands, take stairs ride bike downtown (1-3 miles)

In July our slender vegetarian was on a radio show, talking up the diet challenge. By late July, Dawn was even thinner. She was down 24 pounds and overall, much happier. And that was the story of Dawn's summer, a lifestyle change.

By the fall our vegetarian was a new woman. Now her meals were always light and healthy. By mid-September, after six months of dieting, we found Dawn at the annual blubber run, in full bloom, manning the beer stop. By now she was great shape, eating 1500 calories a day and still working out. She was just one pound from her goal. Her only complaint was that she no longer had clothes that would fit. But that soon changed. The lady with the dreads got some new threads, including an outfit for the reunion.

The student council president wanted to lose 30 pounds with a vegetarian diet. She started at 182 and finished at 52 pounds lighter, beating her own personal goal by two pounds.

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