Losing 75 pounds started off as a competition among Cherie Taylor of Lansing, her husband and six friends.

"Every week we'd meet at a house, pay $5, use the same scale, enter it into a log book and figure out who had won that week by losing the most weight," says Taylor about a contest she and her friends started in January.

By May, Taylor had lost 75 pounds and was the winner of all the money that had been collected for those five months.

"I went down four or five clothing sizes," Taylor says. "I used the money I won to buy new clothes. I didn't have to shop at Lane Bryant any more."

Taylor found that losing weight with friends was a big motivator.

"I'm very competitive," Taylor says. "I'd see my neighbor going to work out, we were neck and neck in losing weight, and I'd say I have to go work out because he's doing it. It got to the point where if I didn't work out, I felt guilty."

Using a combination of the Weight Watchers point system, common sense, getting rid of fattening food in the house and exercise, the Taylors worked together in losing weight.

"It honestly didn't seem like hard work," Taylor says. "You don't realize how much you're over eating until you start keeping track of it. I got used to weighing out our food portions. My husband lost 37 pounds. We stopped keeping pop in the house and just made good food decisions. I also discovered the Hungry Girl Web site which helps you count and also has great recipes."

This summer, Taylor focused on maintaining her weight loss but says this fall they're going to start the contest again. Her new goal is to lose 35 more pounds.

She's also helping her children focus on eating well and sensibly.

"Now when my kids say they're full, then they're done," she says. "They don't get seconds."

Taylor added exercise to her regime as well.

"The first day I got on the elliptical, I was barely on it and thought I was dying after ten minutes," she recalls. "But I stuck with it and I went from that to one hour with no problem."

Before she lost weight, Taylor had stayed away from the beach.

Recently, she and her 10-year-old son took scuba diving lessons because Taylor wasn't afraid to get in a wet suit any longer. They plan on diving at Disney World later this year.

"I did this because I didn't want to be the one left behind in our group," Taylor says. "I was the biggest of all of us. It's hard at first, but eventually it all comes naturally and you don't even have to work at it."

Cherie Taylor

Age: 34

Height: 5'11"

Weight: Doesn't want to say

Pounds Lost: 75

How long it took to lose it: 5 months

Clothes size: Now wears a 16 dress

The Workout: Doing the elliptical machine for an hour daily, at least six times a week

The Diet: A variation of Weight Watchers and being motivated to keep going

Tip: Stop eating when you're full.