Herbert Lang tips the scales in a favorable direction

For people who struggle with their weight, it sometimes only takes a single event to knock them off the see-saw into the major weight gain ground. For Herbert Lang, it was a single sentence.

Herbert struggled with his weight for all of his adult life. His retirement from the army however, finally tipped the scale to the side of major weight gain. After being told he was too big to be a good army instructor, he lost all motivation to stay in shape.

Herbert suffered from asthma and plantar fasciitis. He stopped exercising and his diet took a turn for the worse. Herbert's days were bookmarked by fast food meals, beginning with a drive-thru breakfast, and ending with a fast food dinner. For lunch, he would usually have a frozen meal. Before long, Herbert was tipping the scales at 322 pounds.

As a registered nurse, his desire to lose weight was no secret. He had tried a number of diets, but nothing worked. One day, Herbet's boss suggested he give L A Weight Loss a try. He looked into the program, and decided that the one-on-one meetings and personal accountability could be the motivation he needed to actually lose the weight.

Herbert joined his local Live Oak, Texas, L A Weight Loss center in April 2007. He was paired up with a personal weight loss counselor whom he met with several times a week. Herbert's counselor taught him the importance of a proper diet eaten in the right proportions.

For sweet treats and snacks, Herbert would munch on L A Lite bars. And when baking, he would mix Controltrim into his foods for an extra metabolism boost.

And it worked! Herbert shed the extra pounds. As his weight went down, his energy went up. Exercising became a possibility, and Herbert started hitting the gym again. He now goes to the gym three to four times a week, and meets with a personal trainer during two of those visits. Herbert also does little things every day to stay active, such as walking his dogs.

Since joining L A Weight Loss, Herbert has dropped 123 pounds. At 199 pounds, he's well on his way to his weight loss goal of 165 pounds. Herbert says he enjoys life more than he has in years.

Congratulations, Herbert! We're proud of you! Keep up the good work!

Here's Herbert pushing the scales at 322 pounds:



And here he is today, a much happier and healthier 199 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Herbert Lang
Hometown: Windcrest, Texas
Age: 49
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 322 pounds
Goal weight: 165 pounds
Current weight: 199 pounds
Program start date: April 2007

Favorite food: Cannolis.

Biggest temptation: Ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Watching the weight come off.

Biggest obstacle: Planning meals while on the road.

Old eating philosophy: Eating everything he saw.

New eating philosophy: Knowing when enough is enough.

Best thing about losing weight: Having more energy and appreciating life.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat the right proportions.

Texas woman swaps soul food for sound food

Some families are defined by hair or eye color. For Kendall Seale-Diakhate's family, it was good ol' fashioned soul food.

Food was a source of comfort for Kendall growing up. When her parents divorced during Kendall's childhood, family members consoled her by spending quality time together. It always included heaping portions of rice, butter, macaroni and cheese, and ice cream.

With all the rich servings, it didn't take long for Kendall to balloon. And she felt the pains of growing up as an overweight child. In high school, Kendall felt left out as her friends paired up with boyfriends.

Kendall suffered physically from her weight too. Already diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, her weight led to asthma, which left her constantly tired and out of breath.

She tried a number of diets, but nothing worked. Kendall married, and planned on buckling down to lose weight after her three pregnancies. When she hit the 300-pound mark, however, she knew for the sake of her health, she couldn't afford to wait any longer.

In May 2006, Kendall joined her local College Station, Texas, L A Weight Loss center. She immediately fell into weight-loss sync with the support of her one-on-one counselor.

Kendall learned all about the do's and don'ts of healthy weight loss. She added fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, and water to her diet. She also cut back on her butter, red meat, dessert, and snack food intake.

More importantly, she learned about proper portion sizes. Kendall now eats smaller meals throughout the day. Best of all, she never goes hungry, and never feels deprived.

After two years on the L A Weight Loss program, Kendall has lost 123 pounds. She's not as tired anymore, and her asthma has greatly improved. Things are so good, she's pumped up her exercise regime to her daily routine.

Every day Kendall is getting closer to her weight loss goal of 150 pounds. And when she does, she'll be exactly half the size she was when she began the program! Wow!

Now weighing 177 pounds, Kendall is a much happier and healthier person. Now that she's so close to accomplishing her weight loss goal, Kendall feels she can accomplish anything. Her next goal is to become a fitness instructor, and she's enrolled in a certification course.

Kendall's happiness has extended to her entire family. By cooking healthy meals and encouraging active lifestyles, she's doing everything she can to make sure her own family never has to battle with their weight. Amazing job, Kendall!

Here's Kendall in 2006 at 300 pounds:



And here she is today weighing in at a happy, healthy 177 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Kendall Seale-Diakhate
Hometown: College Station, Texas
Age: 37
Height: 5'5"

Starting weight: 300 pounds
Goal weight: 177 pounds
Current weight: 150 pounds
Program start date: May 2006

Favorite food: Peanut butter and light jam on toast.

Biggest temptation: Not eating off of her children's plates.

Biggest motivator: Feeling healthier and lighter on her feet, and watching the scale go down.

Biggest obstacle: Getting past plateaus.

Old eating philosophy: Eating whatever she wanted.

New eating philosophy: Being aware of everything she eats.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling a sense of accomplishment, and feeling fit and healthy.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat smaller meals throughout the day, and don't eat to the point of being stuffed.