How does a 47-year-old woman who was just handed her divorce papers, with 30 pounds to lose and no self-esteem, turn her life around?

At that time in my life, I would have said, "Don't ask me." I had just walked away from a 10-year-marriage to a handsome, successful lawyer. So saddened by my failure to please him, I even let him handle the divorce. I did not want anything. "All I wanted was your love," I had told him, which was the one thing he seemed unable to give.

At the time of the divorce, I was carrying 157 pounds on my 5-foot 6 inch body. Back in high school, I was a cheerleader and loved gymnastics. How did I get so out of touch with my body? How did I let myself get so fat? I tried to get into shape off and on, mostly to get my husband's attention and approval. I'd see a perfect body running on the beach and think, "If I only looked like her, he'd love me."

Then a girlfriend told me about the Body-for-LIFE Challenge. She was one of those women - the ones who already have perfect bodies but think they're fat. She said to me, "Pam, I'm going to do this Body-for-LIFE. Do you want to do it with me?"

Long story short - by week 12, I'd lost 26 pounds of pure fat and gained 6 pounds of pure muscle. I'd gone from 27 percent body fat to 13.9 percent and had dropped three dress sizes. Before, I'd struggled into size 11/12. Now I could slip into a size 5/6. I hardly recognized the person I had become.