From blog, to magazine cover, to TV, these ladies do it all

The new year is off to a great start for Courtney Dawson of Louisiana and Sharla Pincock of Idaho. After slimming down to half their size on the L A Weight Loss program, they caught the attention of People magazine's editors.

The women were selected among thousands of candidates across the country to be featured on the Jan. 14th cover of People's Half Their Size issue.

Courtney went from 334 pounds to 168 pounds. And Sharla dropped from 301 pounds to 150 pounds. Click here to check out their magazine cover debut. That's Sharla on the left, and Courtney on the right.

Also take a look at their profiles on People's Web site, where Courtney and Sharla share their incredible weight loss stories with America. Congratulations, ladies!

But the news didn't stop there. NBC's Today Show caught wind of their stories, and interviewed the women live this morning. What a whirlwind!

Stay tuned, as I'll be sharing Courtney and Sharla's experience with People and the Today Show. I can't wait to hear about their morning with Matt Lauer. ;)

Update: Disney-loving dad rides to weight loss success

Since we last checked in on John Lay, he has continued to shed the pounds -- 13, to be exact.

This brings him a mere three pounds away from his new goal weight of 230 pounds. That's a total of 170 pounds lost!

His experience with L A Weight Loss has taught John that losing weight requires a lifestyle change, not just a diet. He also values the freedom his weight loss has given him.

John now feels he truly "fits" into life -- from plane seats, to smaller clothes, to his favorite rides at Disney World. And he looks great, too ;)

Keep up the awesome work, John, and let us know when you hit that goal!

FAST FACTS

Name: John Lay
Hometown: Bowling Green, Ky.
Age: 45
Height: 6'2"

Starting weight: 402 pounds
Goal weight: 230 pounds
Current weight: 233 pounds
Program start date: January 2005

Favorite food: BBQ pulled pork sandwiches.

Biggest temptation: Sweets, pies, and desserts.

Biggest motivator: Getting fees back from L A Weight Loss for a year of weight maintenance.

Biggest obstacle: Increasing his exercise.

Old eating philosophy: Eating until he was full, then eating more.

New eating philosophy: Eating only what his body needs, not what his body wants.

Best thing about losing weight: Seeing how far he's come, and fitting into smaller seats and clothes.

Best weight loss secret learned: Follow guidelines for portion control, and regularly exercise. Just stick with it!