In June 2011, at 245 pounds, Robin Strempek knew she had to take control of her life. She created a plan, and 18 months later had lost 100 pounds.

While Strempek was active in martial arts as a child, her weight began to creep up as she started college and she gained the “freshman 15.”

“I never paid attention to what I ate,” she said. “I continued to gain weight during college, and after I had my daughter Madison in 2005 I would buy new jeans, grow out of them, buy another pair up a size, then another size up, until I finally reached a size 22.”

When Madison was in kindergarten, Strempek was teaching music full time at Ridgely Elementary School, pursuing a master's degree, and playing violin in two orchestras and a string quartet that performed at weddings on weekends. She was also president of Maryland's Orchestra Directors Association.

“I had been sedentary my whole adult life,” Strempek said. “A musician's diet is fast food.”

At the same time, her marriage was crumbling.

“I was unhappy,” said Strempek. “This wasn't the life I imagined. I felt like I didn't have control of it. As soon as I decided to leave [her husband], I began to journal.”

That night she made a list of goals: Lose 100 pounds, improve her credit score by 300 points, change jobs and return to martial arts and win titles.

Eighteen months later, she had achieved all these goals. Strempek's story will be featured on the cover of Woman's Day's February issue, which will be on newsstands Tuesday.

Strempek didn't consult a nutritionist or personal trainer. Instead she began her own program of lifestyle changes.

The morning after leaving her husband she began to work out. She knew she needed rules, so she started a quest for lifestyle changes she could employ daily.

“I read online you could lose weight if you stopped drinking soda, and I was drinking two to three regular sodas a day,” she said. She decided to go soda-free for two weeks.

By the end of that time, she didn't crave soda, which she has sworn off for good.

Strempek spent months applying her two-week trial method. She tried running. That didn't work, “but I began walking, which became a lifestyle change,” she said.

Her ultimate goal of returning to martial arts took preparation.

“I did the P90 workout at home for 30-40 days before I returned to martial arts,” she said.

To her surprise, she breezed through the martial arts workout the first time and quickly progressed to earning her second-degree black belt.

“I knew if I only worked out at home, I wouldn't be successful,” Strempek said. She now does tang soo do four times a week. She takes three classes and teaches one. She's competing again and has won first place in several events.

After 18 months, Strempek had lost 100 pounds, going from a size 22 to a size four. She also achieved every goal in her journal, including starting a career in information technology for the government that tripled her income.

Four years later after starting her transformation, she has not gained a single pound back.

“I did this all solo,” Strempek said.

Strempek has changed so much she created Life Changes 180. Her motto is “Change your story, change your life, change your destiny.”

“While sitting there heavy, I felt I didn't have control of my life,” she said.

As CEO of Life Changes 180, she advises people to take control of their lives.

“You've given your pen to someone else to write your story. Turn the pen and write your own story. I took control of my pen,” Strempek said.

Strempek's drive has spread to Madison, who is now 12. The Crofton Middle School sixth-grader published “Everyone Makes Mistakes: Living with My Daddy in Jail.” Madison's book is an Amazon best-seller.

Her daughter's success drove Strempek to write “Everyone Makes Mistakes: A Parent's Perspective,” due out the end of the month.