Total Makeover Guide.

Total Makeover Guide

Ready for Takeoff

January is a month for making -- and promptly breaking -- resolutions. But not for Kathleen McNary, Heather Allison, and Deidre Sully. These three women are hell-bent on losing weight over the next 12 months. Allure's team of diet, beauty, and fitness experts are just as determined to help them reach their common goal. We'll watch their progress as they swear off junk food, work up a sweat at the gym, and learn the true meaning of willpower. And in these pages, they'll share their struggles -- and successes -- as they transform their bodies and their lives. They promise. By Cara Litke

Kathleen McNary, 24, school administrator

BODY BACKGROUND: "I was a chubby kid -- I started wearing an adults' size 8 in middle school, when everyone else was still wearing kids' clothes. But despite being big, I was always active. When I started college, I worked out all the time. But toward the end of school, I stopped going to the gym, and the weight crept on. I've been on and off Weight Watchers since I was 16, but after my initial success, I never lost more than 15 pounds. And I've lost weight on the Atkins and South Beach diets, but it's always temporary. I find that those types of diets are too extreme for me. I'm aware that I eat unhealthy foods, but that doesn't stop me -- I just really love them!" CURRENT EATING HABITS: "I always give in to temptation. After a long day at work, pizza is much more appealing than whatever is in my fridge. I know that it adds another 500 to 1,000 calories to my day, but at that point I just don't care. I'm not really a sweets person, except for the occasional bag of Sour Patch Kids, but I love cheese and French fries -- any kind of salty comfort food works for me." BIGGEST HURDLE: "It will be really hard for me to make the time to work out consistently. I have a busy schedule, and I'm used to making excuses for myself. But now, there are no excuses." MOTIVATION: "I feel settled in New York City, and I love my life. Now, I'm ready to spend the time and energy I need to in order to take care of myself and stop worrying so much about everything else. I know that if I can accomplish this, I can do anything." GOAL: "I just want to know what it feels like to see 160 on the scale. But who knows? Maybe I'll even reach 150. If I'm confident, toned, and look good in my clothes, I'll be more than thrilled."

Heather Allison, 30, university fund-raiser

BODY BACKGROUND: "I've always had a round body with skinny legs -- even as a baby, I was apple-shaped. In high school, I felt pressure to lose weight to fit in, so I started playing field hockey and lost 20 pounds on Jenny Craig. But in college, I got lazy. My compulsive eating was out of control, and I felt so self-conscious about being overweight that I pretty much stopped dating altogether. At my heaviest, I weighed nearly 200 pounds. I've learned a lot about nutrition since then, but I still make bad choices. If I don't get motivated, I'm worried that I'll gain all that ...