Marlene Bruce changes her lifestyle and her life

Any mom will tell you they fell in love with their babies before they even laid eyes on them. But besides gaining the loves of her life during her two pregnancies, Marlene Bruce gained some serious pounds that she just couldn't shake.

Marlene struggled with her weight all of her adult life. Her first pregnancy though, put her over the edge. Marlene was easily 50 pounds overweight, and couldn't shed it. After her second pregnancy and another 50 pounds, her doctor told her she was obese.

At 227 pounds, she was tired all the time, and couldn't keep up with her energetic kids. The extra pounds also gave Marlene backaches and headaches.

Marlene knew she needed to lose weight, but after a number of failed attempts, knew she couldn't do it alone. When Marlene's personal and emotional life took a hit with her divorce at the age of 31, she was ready for a full lifestyle change.

So in April 2007 she turned to her local Chico, Calif., L A Weight Loss center, where she was matched up with a one-on-one weight loss counselor. Marlene and her counselor worked together to design a diet plan that fit her lifestyle.

She cut out the frequent fast food runs, all-day snacking, and usual dessert indulgences. Now, her diet consists of lean meats and proteins, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. To satisfy her sweet tooth, Marlene indulges with lo-fat frozen yogurt and the occasional lite ice cream.

Marlene also joined a gym to get her body (and her metabolism) moving. Now, she puts in an easy 3.5 miles on the treadmill, and walks the neighborhood with her friend Jemma.

All of Marlene's healthy lifestyle adjustments did the trick. Marlene passed her weight loss goal of 150 pounds, and currently weighs 145 pounds. That's a total of 82 pounds!

Since slimming down, Marlene's entire attitude has improved. Her health problems have subsided. She's not ever embarrassed in public anymore, and she has no problem keeping up with her kids. In fact, they are able to spend more time doing fun things together now, such as roller blading and mini golfing.

Best of all, Marlene finally feels like her outside matches her inside. She's beautiful both inside and out! Way to go, Marlene!

Here's Marlene at 227 pounds:


And here she is now looking fabulous at 82 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Marleen Bruce
Hometown: Chico, Calif.
Age: 37
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 227 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 145 pounds
Program start date: April 2007

Favorite food: Chocolate.

Biggest temptation: Ice Cream.

Biggest motivator: Staying healthy for her kids.

Biggest obstacle: Getting past the emotional eating habit and changing her lifestyle.

Old eating philosophy: Grabbing her favorite fast food fixes whenever she wanted.

New eating philosophy: Eating more lean meats, vegetables, and fruits.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling confident again in life.

Best weight loss secret learned: Controlling portion sizes can control your weight.