CINCINNATI -- Once upon a time, Heather Sapp tipped the scales at 330 pounds.

Video: Losing Weight Without Surgery

"I was living off fast food. I ate pizza three or four nights a week," she said. "I'd go out at lunch and eat McDonald's -- two double cheeseburgers, large fries, a large Coke."

When she should have been enjoying the best years of her life at 24 years old, Sapp felt more like someone who was dying.

"I didn't really have a life. I didn't go out much," she said. "I would go to work, come home, and then just go to sleep because I'd be so exhausted."

When doctors suggested gastric bypass surgery, she knew she'd hit rock bottom.

"I realized that wasn't the life I wanted to live. I didn't want to be tired all the time. I didn't want to be sad," Sapp said.

So she dropped 130 pounds and nine dress sizes in a little more than a year.

That is a big accomplishment for the girl who at one point could barely zip up a pair of size 28 jeans.

"I keep these around just for motivation because they help me realize where I was compared to where I am now," Sapp said. "I look back now and I'm like 'That's me? Was I really that big?' I don't even recognize myself."

Of course, it wasn't as simple as just saying, "Pounds go away!"

She hit the treadmill every morning for an hour, and then she was back at it in the afternoon.

Sapp also had three grueling workouts a week with her trainer and adopted a new way to eat.

On a typical day, Sapp had egg whites, raw veggies and oatmeal for breakfast, 4 to 6 ounces of grilled chicken or fish and more raw veggies for lunch, then the same for dinner.

Plus, she snacked on raw veggies or had a protein shake throughout the day.

No sugar. No fat. No processed foods.

"It's a lifestyle change, not a quick fix," Sapp said. "I feel like I missed out on a part of my life because I chose the lifestyle I did."

Now Sapp's on her own personal mission to convince others not to make the same mistakes she once did.

"The time to change is now. You may not have tomorrow, but if you make the changes today, the first couple of days will be hard. The results will keep you going. It's an uphill battle, but you have to know you can do it," she said.

Sapp said she's not at her optimal weight yet, but she's still working on it.

She plans to become a personal trainer to help others lose weight, too.