Sonya Jefferson gets choosy about chowing down

Kids are notorious for being picky eaters. Adults not so much. But when they are, they can be doing a good thing for themselves, as in Sonya Jefferson's case.

But she wasn't always so choosy at the table. People with poor eating habits surrounded Sonya while growing up, and she enjoyed whatever, whenever. Her dad and brother were overweight, and she soon joined the plus-sized party. Kids made fun of her in high school, and she retreated into her shell.

Things worsened in college. Sonya gained the freshman 15, and much more. She felt stressed living away from home, and turned to food as a diversion. Topping that was her erratic eating schedule common to college students, and Sonya ballooned to 250 pounds by senior year.

But her stress didn't leave. Sonya put on more weight after her dad died of a heart attack, and she was laid off. Depressed, Sonya didn't care what she ate. Her diet consisted largely of quick grabs at fast-food joints, sweets, and candy -- all of which gave her indigestion. She rarely cooked at home, and her weight soared to 339 pounds.

The extra weight caused her skin to break out, and Sonya felt old and sluggish. Living in Georgia, Sonya sometimes thought is was OK to be big. Many people were heavier, and happy -- love yourself no matter what! But Sonya wasn't happy. Her health was out of control, and she had to do something about it.

She researched local weight loss centers, and made a few phone calls. When she spoke to counselors at L A Weight Loss, she immediately felt at ease, and joined the Camp Creek, Ga., center the next day.

Sonya worked with personal weight loss counselors Sarah and Louise to adjust her eating plan. They taught her how to cook simple, healthy meals at home, such as rice casserole and vegetable dishes. She also started grilling food, and incorporating nuts and water into her day.

Soon she became a picky eater, and paid attention to what passed her lips. As she discovered how good healthy food tastes, Sonya forgot about greasy burgers and fries.

After 14 months on the L A Weight Loss plan, Sonya lost 104 pounds! Now at 235, she's quickly closing in on her goal of 170 pounds.

Sonya feels and looks 10 years younger. Without processed foods running through her system, her indigestion stopped and her acne cleared up. She shops in regular-sized stores, and enjoys teaching aerobics. In fact, some her students barely recognize her anymore!

And best of all, Sonya has new self-esteem and control of her life. She won't go back to fast food or the unhappy place she once was.

Way to go, Sonya! Keep up the great work, and we'll check back soon!

Here's Sonya before L A Weight Loss, at 339 pounds:



Here she is today, at 235. Keep losing, Sonya!



FAST FACTS

Name: Sonya Jefferson
Hometown: Fairburn, Ga.
Age: 40
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 339 pounds
Goal weight: 170 pounds
Current weight: 235 pounds
Program start date: Aug. 18, 2006

Favorite food: Seafood.

Biggest temptation: Cheesecake.

Biggest motivator: Wanting to wear stylish clothes that fit her.

Biggest obstacle: Hitting a weight loss plateau.

Old eating philosophy: Filling up on super-sized fast food meals.

New eating philosophy: Balancing her meals with healthy foods, such as boiled eggs, yogurt, and cherry tomatoes.

Best thing about losing weight: Learning how to satisfy your hunger while losing weight.

Best weight loss secret learned: Losing weight can make you look years younger!