Melinda Martin comes full circle by losing a full person

We talk to real women and men about their weight loss journeys every day. We recount their struggles and triumphs on this blog. But nobody can tell these stories better than the women and men themselves.

Case in point: Melinda Martin, of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. I was digging around in the L A Weight Loss archives last week, and came across her file. We profiled her last December, 23 months after she joined L A Weight Loss, and dropped from 337 to 164 pounds.

Reviewing her file, I found a fascinating document she sent me at the time: her weight loss story, in her own words. Melinda relates what it was like for her when her mother died, how she turned to food for solace, and her moment of revelation to lose weight and change her life.

She describes how she lost 173 pounds (that's a whole person!!!) -- and is smaller now than when she first met her husband.

If you +really+ want to know and feel what weight gain and loss feels like, or just need someone to relate to, please, read Melinda's story. I guarantee it will strike a chord.

Reading it, I noticed she was then four pounds away from her goal weight of 160 pounds. I wanted know how she's doing today, and if she reached her goal. So my colleague Janelle and I called and interviewed her on Friday, for a podcast.

I'm happy to report she lost those last four pounds, and is now in maintenance! She also revealed some great tips for sticking with a weight loss plan.

So read her unedited story, and then listen in on our personal conversation here.

It's stories like this that make me love my job!