Theresa Painter becomes the picture of health

Many mothers see the birth of a baby as the perfect motivation to lose weight and get healthy for the sake of their children. For Theresa Painter, that motivation came a little bit later, in the form of her first-born grandson.

Theresa was overweight her entire life. She struggled with her weight growing up, and her bad eating habits kept her weight high as an adult. She constantly snacked throughout the day, and meals usually consisted of heavy pastas, greasy pizzas, and anything fried.

When Theresa's husband lost weight after a bad case of food poisoning, Theresa ate with him as he tried to rebuild his figure. Unfortunately for her, that meant a lot of cakes, pies, and fatty foods. It's not surprising that her husband wasn't the only one putting on the pounds.

Being overweight left Theresa physically and emotionally drained. She hated that she had let herself go, and she struggled with daily activities. Her back and knees were constantly aching from the extra weight. Theresa tried dieting, but couldn't shed any weight.

When her first grandchild was born, Theresa was determined to get healthy for good. She knew if she didn't get healthy then, she never would. In July 2007, Theresa joined her local Knoxville, Tenn., L A Weight Loss center.

With help from her one-on-one weight loss counselors, Theresa learned how eating right could transform her life. Her counselors helped her change her diet from heavy to healthy. She cut back on the carbs, thick sauces, and greasy dishes, and replaced them with grilled meats, stir fry, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Theresa learned the importance of portion control, and broke her diet down to three meals and three snacks each day. Whenever she was hungry between meals, Theresa found L A Lite bars hit the spot.

It wasn't long before the weight starting melting away. After exactly one year on the program, Theresa has lost 108 pounds, and currently weighs 171 pounds. She's only 21 pounds away from her weight loss goal of 151 pounds!

Theresa has found that everyday activities are so much easier with a smaller body. Even chores are more enjoyable. Theresa has fun shopping, and loves all the new styles and sizes that are available to her now. And she's able to devote at least 30 minutes each day to new exercises, such as dance videos.

Even better, she feels great about herself, physically and mentally. Theresa's confidence has increased, and she feels like she can do anything. And now, she knows she'll be around for her grandkids. She loves taking them on walks and playing with them at the park.

Way to go, Theresa!

Here's a 279-pound Theresa with her first grandson in 2007:



And here she is today at 171 pounds with her second grandchild. What a difference! Great job, Theresa!



FAST FACTS

Name: Theresa Painter
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.
Age: 49
Height: 5'0"

Starting weight: 279 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 171 pounds
Program start date: July 2007

Favorite food: Vegetables.

Biggest temptation: Pizza.

Biggest motivator: Staying healthy for her grandchildren.

Biggest obstacle: Eating well when her husband doesn't.

Old eating philosophy: Eating whatever, whenever.

New eating philosophy: Focusing on herself and making wise decisions.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling better and happier.

Best weight loss secret learned: It's all about portion control!