After hitting "rock-bottom" thanks to yo-yo dieting, Carnie Wilson recently slimmed down to 160 lbs. Read on for how she did it -- you can do it too!

After highly-publicized (and shown on the Internet) gastric bypass surgery, Carnie Wilson hit rock bottom this year with her weight -- a bout of yo-yo dieting ended with her weighing in at 208 lbs. But after starting a diet and exercise program last spring, Carnie dropped 50 lbs! She is determined to keep the weight off -- even as she tries to have a second child with husband Rob Bonfiglio. They already have three-year-old daughter Lola.

Carnie spoke to momlogic about her transformation, relationships, her new attitude about food, relationships and her new found confidence.

Here in her own words, are Carnie's top tricks to losing weight.

ML: How did you stick to your diet, even when you felt like giving up?

CW: I started by doing vigorous workouts and gave up all flour, sugar, red meat and dairy. I kept telling myself I deserved this healthy mindset and body. When faced with food options, I often asked myself "What do I really want -- that slice of pizza, or to reach my goal of losing 50 lbs. and getting pregnant?"

•I must say, keeping a food journal really made me accountable and it was exciting and empowering to see my steady progress. Every morsel of food went down on paper.

•I never wanted to give up -- never. Of course, I had some challenging days, but they just made me realize how much more I wanted to succeed.

ML: What's your top trick for resisting cravings?

CW: I suggest preparing healthy snacks in the morning or afternoon and keep them ready for when those nighttime cravings hit. And mix it up -- one day have celery sticks with all-natural peanut butter (1 tablespoon at a time). The next day, have hot chicken broth sprinkled with sautéed mushrooms and onions (heated in the microwave and ready for sprinkling).

•Another great snack is scrambled egg whites. (I always use cooking spray or a teaspoon of olive oil). Season them with sea salt and onion powder -- it's so satisfying. Another idea is to eat six baby carrots dipped in 2-3 tablespoons of hummus. It's so fab! Just limit your carrot-intake to three times a week (they have a higher sugar level).

•My weakness is nighttime cravings. After putting Lola to bed, I always need a little something. Sometimes I eat 5  to 10 raw almonds sprinkled with cinnamon. And other nights I sip on a nice big mug of herbal tea. Most importantly, I stay out of the kitchen and get into bed with a magazine or book. When I want to go back in the kitchen, I literally say to myself, "No. You are not going to snack right now ... you're not really hungry ... it's just your brain talking, not your tummy."

•Another trick: People don't realize that when they feel hungry, sometimes they're just thirsty. When cravings hit, power down some water, wait five minutes and your craving will pass -- I promise.

ML: If you could offer one piece of advice to moms starting a diet, what would it be?

CW: My advice to moms starting a diet is: Don't start a diet. Diets don't work. Just make healthy choices for you and your family. Start by tracking what you eat by using a food journal every day for three days (but eat as you normally would), then carefully add up the calories. Liquids count! You'll see you may be eating a ton more then you think.

•Also, decrease your fat, carbs and sugar and increase your veggie intake. Make your protein portions much smaller (3-4 ounces per meal). Drink at least two liters of water per day and go walking with a friend three times a week for 20-40 minutes.

•Set a goal to lose 1-2 lbs a week -- it's totally do-able. Most importantly: Do not underestimate the power of your own mind and body. Good luck!

Tell us about your weight loss stories in the momlogic community.

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