A lifetime of weight gain, one year to take it off
Whether she was happy, sad, angry, or just plain bored, Louise Elske turned to food to comfort her emotions. In a letter she wrote to my colleague Katie, she describes how this emotional eating contributed to her lifelong weight battle.
She was wearing "chubby clothes" at 10 years old. She had her wedding dress custom made because she couldn't find larger sizes at bridal shops. And she was on high blood pressure medication.
Louise did something about her weight when she hit 294 pounds at age 30. She lost 115 pounds, then spent the next 17 years putting back on the pounds -- plus 20 more.
Then in May 2005, Louise, 57, joined her best friend on a trip to the L A Weight Loss Center in Madison, Wis. By the time she left the center, Louise had committed herself to losing 50 pounds in 25 weeks.
And commit she did. Louise wrote down everything she ate, and measured all her food to ensure proper portions. When she got her weight under 200 pounds, her doctor started weaning her off her blood pressure medication. She also started exercising three times a week.
She also learned to expand her love for food to include healthier choices, such as chicken, fruits, and vegetables.
When she hit her initial goal of losing 50 pounds, Louise kept going. After 12 months on the program, she had dropped 137 pounds!
Louise has now maintained her slender 177-pound figure for a year, and even inspired her two sons to join L A Weight Loss, too. They've lost a combined 88 pounds on the program so far.
That's Louise on the far right at 314 pounds:
And look at her now at 160 pounds!
FAST FACTS
Name: Louise Elske
Hometown: Columbus, Wis.
Age: 59
Starting weight: 314 pounds
Goal weight: 141 pounds
Current weight: 177 pounds
Program start date: May 2005
Favorite food: Chicken.
Biggest temptation: Sweets such as cheesecake.
Biggest motivator: Doing the program alongside her best friend.
Biggest obstacle: Learning to take things one day at a time.
Old eating philosophy: Eating fast food, big plates of pasta, and sweets to feed her emotions.
New eating philosophy: Controlling her portion sizes, reading labels, and filling her grocery cart with fruits and vegetables. When she entertains, she uses recipes from L A Weight Loss cookbooks.
Best thing about losing weight: Crossing her legs and fitting comfortably in restaurant booths.
Best weight loss secret learned: Giving away all your "big" clothes is a great motivator.
She was wearing "chubby clothes" at 10 years old. She had her wedding dress custom made because she couldn't find larger sizes at bridal shops. And she was on high blood pressure medication.
Louise did something about her weight when she hit 294 pounds at age 30. She lost 115 pounds, then spent the next 17 years putting back on the pounds -- plus 20 more.
Then in May 2005, Louise, 57, joined her best friend on a trip to the L A Weight Loss Center in Madison, Wis. By the time she left the center, Louise had committed herself to losing 50 pounds in 25 weeks.
And commit she did. Louise wrote down everything she ate, and measured all her food to ensure proper portions. When she got her weight under 200 pounds, her doctor started weaning her off her blood pressure medication. She also started exercising three times a week.
She also learned to expand her love for food to include healthier choices, such as chicken, fruits, and vegetables.
When she hit her initial goal of losing 50 pounds, Louise kept going. After 12 months on the program, she had dropped 137 pounds!
Louise has now maintained her slender 177-pound figure for a year, and even inspired her two sons to join L A Weight Loss, too. They've lost a combined 88 pounds on the program so far.
That's Louise on the far right at 314 pounds:
And look at her now at 160 pounds!
FAST FACTS
Name: Louise Elske
Hometown: Columbus, Wis.
Age: 59
Starting weight: 314 pounds
Goal weight: 141 pounds
Current weight: 177 pounds
Program start date: May 2005
Favorite food: Chicken.
Biggest temptation: Sweets such as cheesecake.
Biggest motivator: Doing the program alongside her best friend.
Biggest obstacle: Learning to take things one day at a time.
Old eating philosophy: Eating fast food, big plates of pasta, and sweets to feed her emotions.
New eating philosophy: Controlling her portion sizes, reading labels, and filling her grocery cart with fruits and vegetables. When she entertains, she uses recipes from L A Weight Loss cookbooks.
Best thing about losing weight: Crossing her legs and fitting comfortably in restaurant booths.
Best weight loss secret learned: Giving away all your "big" clothes is a great motivator.
Labels: 137 pounds, High blood pressure, Louise Elske, Wisconsin
posted by Jackie Zima-Evans @ 11:45 PM
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