It wasn't the colon cancer diagnosis back in 1990 that moved Island entertainer Karen Kaleolani Keawehawai'i Farias to start living a healthier life.

Nor was it that moment in 1994 when her doctor added the word "obese" to her medical chart.

The wake-up call came just last year, when Keawehawai'i Farias' children challenged her to finally get fit.

"Two of my daughters (Staci and Melody Farias) started watching the kinds of foods they ate and each one worked out an individual exercise regimen," recalled Keawehawai'i Farias, 61. "They asked me to get on board, and there it was — love in its purest form."

It was then that Keawehawai'i Farias realized that she had to care about herself as much as they did, she said. On March 22, nearly a year ago, she decided to turn her life around.

"I took the challenge, not with or against anyone else," Keawehawai'i Farias said. "Today I am better and 35 pounds lighter for it."

Her workout of choice is walking, an easy and enjoyable exercise for the 5-foot-5 Kaimuki resident who's hush-hush about her current weight.

"I'm working on my own pace," Keawehawai'i Farias said. "I don't feel pressured."

Small changes in her eating habits have also made a big difference, she said.

Keawehawai'i Farias opts for healthier alternatives to favorite foods, like lower-fat bologna, so she doesn't feel like she's cheating herself.

She's also careful about portion sizes when she treats herself to foods like pasta, or a pork hash-type patty she enjoys every couple weeks.

"Now I get full on very little, whereas before I would just eat until there was no tomorrow," she said. "I learned that I love rice and I love poi, but I don't need to eat the whole pot and I don't need to eat the whole bag. If I have a little bit, it satisfies me now."

Cancer-free for about 18 years, Keawehawai'i Farias is seeing a significant improvement in her health in just a year. At a recent appointment, Keawehawai'i Farias' doctor commended her for her continued weight loss, blood test results, blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar level, she said.

"I have a lot more stamina and my clothes don't fit," she said and laughed. "When I cross my legs, one leg actually falls down the side of the other."

Keawehawai'i Farias said the best thing is knowing that she's making a difference in herself.

"Every day I look forward to trying to make a difference," she said. "It's not so that I could look good, it's just so that I could feel good."