North Carolina nurse: I needed to lose weight, STAT!

Every day as an endoscopy nurse in Cary, N.C., Heidi Ludwick helps people live a healthy and active lifestyle. But at 197 pounds, she had trouble transferring that knowledge to her own life.

And as a single mother raising a teenage boy, Heidi learned early on that her needs took a back seat to her career and raising a family.

That all changed in 2005 when she saw photos of herself from a vacation in St. Martin. She started to cry as she saw how overweight she'd become. She decided then and there to make a change.

As Heidi thought about how to go about losing the weight, she remembered some words of wisdom that her grandmother, who recently passed away, had shared: "Sometimes it's important to spend money on yourself to become a better mother."

Armed with that advice and some money her grandmother left to her, Heidi joined L A Weight Loss. That was in June of 2005. Her investment quickly started generating returns, with Heidi dropping two to three pounds a week from the get-go.

Seeing the weight come off had an immediate effect on Heidi. At work, she bolstered her credibility when educating patients on how to improve their health. After hours, she became more confident in the dating world, walking into social situations with cool assurance. At home, she convinced her 15-year-old to cut the soda and junk food from his diet.

Heidi dropped 49 pounds in seven months, going from a size 20 to size 10. Having that extra weight off of her 5-foot-2-inch frame has given her the energy to get moving again. She runs, works out at the local YMCA, and is eager to try new ways to stay active.

Here's Heidi sweating on the beach at 197 pounds:



Va-va-va voom! This single mom won't be on the market much longer in her new 148-pound body! How's THAT for a liberated new woman?



FAST FACTS

Name: Heidi Ludwick
Hometown: Cary, N.C.
Age: 35

Starting weight: 197 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight:148 pounds
Program start date: June 2005

Biggest temptation: Bread and pasta.

Biggest motivator: Gaining the confidence to succeed as nurse -- and tackle the dating world!

Old eating philosophy: Too many starches, and too much late-night snacking.

New eating philosophy: Eating the right kinds of bread and pasta in moderation, and making smart choices when eating out.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling better about herself, physically and emotionally.

Best weight loss secret learned: You have to love yourself at your current weight before you can make a change.