"Queen of Sweets" gives her health the royal treatment

Sweets are a common temptation for many people struggling to lose weight. But they were more than that for Margaret Mondragon, as she gorged on cookies and ice cream daily.

She called herself the "Queen of Sweets," but it was really the cakes and cookies that were in control -- until she found the way to defeat the enemy.

Margaret had a petite, 5'2", 97-pound frame as a teenager growing up in Corpus Christi, Texas. Then she had her first daughter, Monica, at age 17. Her weight crept up a little. She went from a size 16 girls before pregnancy, to a size 13 juniors afterward.

Margaret had her second daughter Amanda five years later. Then, four months after she gave birth, her doctor discovered her colon was lined with millions of polyps. If Margaret didn't have surgery right away, she wouldn't live to see 30.

She was rushed into surgery, and had her colon removed. But it was such a shock for her body that her thyroid became inactive. Her metabolism dropped, and over the years, the pounds came on.

Her intense cravings for sweets didn't help matters. She considered her daily intake of cookies, cakes, donuts, and ice cream one of her food groups. Margaret also developed arthritis in her knees, and just wanted to sleep all the time.

Then one day last year, Margaret stepped on her scale. She was shocked when it read 250 pounds. She was bigger than her husband!

She had heard about L A Weight Loss's one-on-one counseling and real-food eating, and thought she'd give it a try.

Margaret joined the San Antonio center, and worked with her personal weight loss counselor, Michelle, to transform her eating habits. She still has a "sweet" food group, but now it includes fresh fruits and no cookies or cakes. She also drinks at least 64 oz. of water daily.

All told, Margaret lost 111 pounds, and is now down to 139 pounds. She weighs less than her husband again, and she's showing it off!

You can find her running 5k's (her fastest time is 37 minutes and 51 seconds for "Race for the Cure"), and playing basketball and soccer with her 11-year-old grandson Andrew.

Plus, her arthritis is gone, and her metabolism has increased. Margaret also motivated three friends to join L A Weight Loss, and get their health back on track. This queen really has conquered it all! Congrats, Margaret!

UPDATES: Margaret's husband recently bought a motorcycle and the couple enjoys riding it together. He refers to her as his "teenage-college wife" -- which Margaret loves!

Margaret also just ran in the Beach-to-Bay Relay Marathon in Corpus Christi, and finished her 4-mile leg in 51 minutes and 47 seconds without skipping a breath. She says she owes her accomplishment all to L A Weight Loss. She's already created a team for next year’s race!

This is Margaret before, at 250 pounds:



And this is the new Margaret, regal at 139 pounds. WOW! Great job, Margaret!



FAST FACTS

Name: Margaret Mondragon
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Age: 49
Height: 5'2"

Starting weight: 250 pounds
Goal weight: 130 pounds
Current weight: 139 pounds
Program start date: Jan. 18, 2006

Favorite food: Seafood.

Biggest temptation: Sweets.

Biggest motivator: Watching the pounds come off each week when she weighed in.

Biggest obstacle: Overcoming cravings for sweets, and fighting hypothyroidism.

Old eating philosophy: Consuming lots of cookies, cakes, ice cream, and soda.

New eating philosophy: Incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and water into her diet.

Best thing about losing weight: Weighing less than her husband.

Best weight loss secret learned: You can lose weight by replacing cookies and cakes with fruits. They're sweet like candy without the calories.