Former swimmer waves good-bye to weighty worries

Sure, dropping excess pounds is weight off your body. But it's also weight off your mind. For Rodrigo Zavaleta of San Jose, Costa Rica, that freedom opened a new chapter in his life.

Rodrigo swam for Costa Rica's national team during his teenage years. Practicing twice a day burned a lot of calories and kept him in superb shape. But in his 20s, he stopped swimming, and his weight shot up.

He ate a lot of fast food and Chinese take-out. He rarely had home-cooked meals and avoided vegetables. And without any exercise to burn calories, Rodrigo ballooned to 200 pounds.

When his mother passed away six years ago, Rodrigo became depressed, and ate even more. Soon he weighed 297 pounds.

Breathing was difficult, especially at night. With all the excess weight on his chest, he couldn't lay down or get up easily, and always snored. He couldn't fit comfortably in his car, and his legs and knees constantly ached.

Rodrigo couldn't look in the mirror without feeling disgusted. He tried dieting, but couldn't stick to a plan because he had OCD. He became too anxious for the weight to come off, and when he didn't see immediate results, he quit.

Rodrigo nearly took the drastic step of having gastric bypass surgery. But then he heard about L A Weight Loss. He visited his local San Jose center, and was impressed by the friendliness and care the personal weight loss counselors showed him.

They told him how surgery wasn't necessary. Grateful that he found an easy alternative, Rodrigo signed up.

He worked one-on-one with the weight loss counselors to develop a healthy eating plan. Rodrigo cut out fast food, and learned how to make healthy, simple meals at home. For breakfast, he usually opted for two scrambled eggs with a slice of cheese, yogurt, and toast; while enjoying a sandwich, grilled chicken, or salad for lunch.

Dinners consisted of salad and fruit. And L A Lite bars and fruit rounded out Rodrigo's snacks for the day. Through it all, he leaned on his wife and weight loss counselors for support and motivation.

The weight started to come off quickly. In fact, Rodrigo lost nine pounds the first week! He's kept up his L A Weight Loss regimen, and today weighs 215 pounds! That's 82 pounds gone!

Rodrigo no longer carries the guilt of being heavy. He enjoys walking outside for an hour daily, and plays soccer and basketball with his friends. He can fit into his car without a struggle, and better control his OCD and anxiety. And much to his wife's happiness, he doesn't snore anymore!

The best part about being thinner is feeling alive. Rodrigo enjoys life -- and he's about to enjoy it even more with a new baby on the way. His wife is 12 weeks pregnant!

L A Weight Loss worked for Rodrigo because he learned how to eat healthy. He trusted the L A Weight Loss counselors, and followed their guidance. He loves to talk about L A Weight Loss, and has motivated many friends and family to join the program, too.

Rodrigo looks forward to being a great dad, and continuing to lose weight to regain his swimmer physique.

Great job, Rodrigo! Keep up the fantastic work!

Here's Rodrigo before, feeling guilty at 297 pounds:



Here's Rodrigo today, happy and carefree at 215! Way to go, Rodrigo!



FAST FACTS

Name: Rodrigo Zavaleta
Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
Age: 35
Height: 5'8"

Starting weight: 297 pounds
Goal weight: 180 pounds
Current weight: 215 pounds
Program start date: March 21, 2006

Favorite food: Cereal.

Biggest temptation: French fries.

Biggest motivator: Getting support from his wife and L A Weight Loss counselors.

Biggest obstacle: Controlling his OCD.

Old eating philosophy: Indulging in junk food.

New eating philosophy: Eating the right foods for his body.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling happy.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat more protein and cut down on carbs.