North Carolina mom gets back into her "skinny clothes"

When your pre-baby weight is a not-so-distant memory, it can be great motivation to get back to what you once weighed. With clothes in the closet that once fit, and pictures proving it wasn't a dream, shedding the baby weight becomes a reachable goal, rather than a dreadful chore. That was exactly the motivation new mom Erin Crouse needed.

Although Erin didn't struggle with weight as a child, she fluctuated a bit after her marriage. She made wise food choices, but she overate at most meals. Despite her healthy diet, portion control was not something she knew how to get a grip of.

After the birth of her son, Landon, in April 2007, 173-pound Erin was determined to get back to her pre-baby weight of 140 pounds. She ate healthy foods and exercised as often as possible, walking at any chance she got. The first 20 pounds came off immediately, but then the scale was stuck.

Erin struggled to shed the pounds for a year, but nothing worked. She was set to be the maid of honor in her brother-in-law's wedding, and with Landon's first birthday quickly approaching, Erin knew it was time to get help with weight loss. So in March 2008, she joined her local Hickory, N.C., L A Weight Loss center.

For Erin, L A Weight Loss was a stab in the dark. She had heard good things, but didn't know anyone personally who had been on the program. Her trust was in the hands of her counselor. Erin admits the first couple of days were an adjustment, but after she became comfortable with the program, she realized she was eating more than she had before the program, and weight was coming off easily.

Soon after starting the program though, Erin was diagnosed with subacute cutaneous Lupus, and was put on a steroid medication with a common side effect of weight gain. Despite this possible setback, Erin kept her spirits high, and continued to see the pounds disappear as she worked with the L A Weight Loss program.

By May of this year, Erin's weight dropped down to 150 pounds, just in time for the wedding. Now Erin enjoys the healthy foods she loves, but knows how to control her portions. She loves high-fiber cereal with nuts and milk for breakfast, and grilled chicken with veggies for dinner. In between she eats yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and L A Lite bars for healthy snacks.

Erin's lost a total of 35 pounds, and feels great at her new weight of 138 pounds. She feels more confident and loves the response she's gotten from friends and family. Her husband now calls her "skinny mini!"

To celebrate her new weight, Erin's gone shopping ... in her closet! The "skinny" clothes that were once daunting are now her daily wardrobe. And Erin says it feels great to be able to buy whatever she wants when she does go shopping for something new.

Plus, her lower weight means more energy. Good thing Erin is getting her fill of exercise chasing after her son. Congratulations, Erin! You look great!

Here is Erin in March at 173 pounds:



And here she is looking slender at 138 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Erin Crouse
Hometown: Hickory, N.C.
Age: 29
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 173 pounds
Goal weight: 138 pounds
Current weight: 138 pounds
Program start date: March 2008

Favorite food: Popcorn.

Biggest temptation: Sweets, especially ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Seeing the scale go down and the supportive girls in her office.

Biggest obstacle: Taking a steroid notorious for weight gain.

Old eating philosophy: Limiting food, eating lots of salad, and not eating the right way.

New eating philosophy: Eating more frequently and having a larger variety of foods.

Best thing about losing weight: Loving that she's feel like her old self again.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eating smaller meals and snacks is a great way to keep your metabolism going.

Nevada mom gains a baby, drops the weight

Babies bring so much into new mothers' lives -- joy, love, and sometimes, extra weight. And as Grace Iubelt knows, that weight is often hard to lose.

Grace had never been happy with her weight, but it wasn't until after she gave birth that it truly became a problem. No matter what she did, Grace couldn't shake the baby weight, even though she considered her diet healthy.

Then Grace crossed paths with an old friend who didn't recognize her. Why? Because she now weighed a whopping 186 pounds. The encounter ignited Grace's motivation to drop the weight.

So in November 2006, Grace joined her local Sparks, Nev., L A Weight Loss center. Her personal weight loss counselor taught her the trick to successful weight loss: It isn't just what you eat, it's how much you eat.

Grace spread out her meals of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and other proteins into little meals throughout the day to keep her metabolism working. And to keep her sweet tooth satisfied, Grace indulged in a daily dose of chocolate L A Lite bars.

Grace couldn't believe how well it worked. The pounds just seemed to melt away. She now weighs 151 pounds, and is working towards her weight loss goal of 127 pounds!!

Since losing the weight, Grace has gained a tremendous amount of energy. She does activities she used to be too tired for, such as going to the park or zoo with her daughter. She even went snowboarding for the first time in seven years, and is planning a rafting trip.

For Grace, this extra energy to keep up with her daughter is the best thing about losing weight. And the compliments from people aren't too bad, either. She feels like she can do anything. Congratulations, Grace! Keep up the good work!

Here's Grace at 186 pounds:



And here she is today, looking fantastic at 151 pounds. That's one hot mama!



FAST FACTS

Name: Grace Iubelt
Hometown: Sparks, Nev.
Age: 24
Height: 5'5"

Starting weight: 186 pounds
Goal weight: 127 pounds
Current weight: 151 pounds
Program start date: November 2006

Favorite food: Pasta.

Biggest temptation: Fatty snacks.

Biggest motivator: Being able to buy smaller clothes, and feeling better.

Biggest obstacle: Going through so many life changes.

Old eating philosophy: Eating too much food.

New eating philosophy: Eating the right amounts of everything.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling good, and knowing that she looks good, too.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat every couple of hours to keep your metabolism going.

U.S. Air Force member sends extra pounds flying

They go through years of training, climbing the great ziggurat of human strength and sacrifice. It's assumed, then, that these men and women of the U.S. Air Force are fit, and their bodies are ready for anything.

But what happens when love for food gets in the way of love for country? Ask Greg Brooks of Colorado Springs, Colo.

For most of his adult life, Greg's weight bounced up and down. Food was a central focus of his family gatherings, and he enjoyed indulging in high-calorie beers.

As a member of the U.S. Air Force, he frequently moved from country to country, and city to city. He ate out a lot, and usually didn't think twice about what was on his plate.

As a result, his exercise and fitness levels varied in each location. It seemed like in every new city, Greg was a new weight. By November 2006, Greg's 5-foot-10-inch frame was lugging 235 pounds.

When he failed his fitness test in Colorado Springs, Greg knew he was in trouble. He tried a few diets, but nothing worked. Greg lacked the motivation to count calories and cut back on greasy foods. But when he failed his second fitness test, Greg knew he had to drop the pounds, or risk losing his job.

Greg's wife recently had success losing weight on the L A Weight Loss program. So Greg decided to give the program a try, too. He joined his local L A Weight Loss center in April 2007, and worked closely with his one-on-one weight loss counselor to modify his diet and eating schedule.

Greg balanced his diet by cutting back on some proteins and starches and adding lots of fresh fruit and vegetables to his meals. He also ate L A Lite bars as a morning and afternoon snack.

Soon, Greg loved every salad combination he could create. And thanks to the lessons he learned in portion control, Greg could still eat his favorite foods -- such as desserts, pizza, and hot wings -- in moderation.

It's only been five months since Greg joined L A Weight Loss, and he's dropped 35 pounds! That means he reached his goal weight of 200 pounds.

He has lots of energy left over after work for walking and hiking. And everyone at the Air Force is proud of him. In fact, his success has inspired a number of his friends to join L A Weight Loss, too.

But the proudest person of all is Greg's wife. The best thing about losing weight for Greg is the look in her eyes when they are together. And of all the people Greg has impressed with his new looks, she is the most important!

With his success, Greg has proved he can pull his weight with his Air Force comrades ... or should we say, lose his weight? Anyway, it looks like he's flying high now!

Here's Greg at 235 pounds, a bit too heavy for the tough fitness tests:



And here he is now, at 200 pounds and ready for action! Way to go, Greg!



FAST FACTS

Name: Greg Brooks
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Age: 33
Height: 5'10"

Starting weight: 235 pounds
Goal weight: 200 pounds
Current weight: 200 pounds
Program start date: April 2007

Favorite food: BBQ.

Biggest temptation: Beer.

Biggest motivator: Getting constant support from his wife.

Biggest obstacle: Indulging in Sunday brunch without overdoing it.

Old eating philosophy: Eating anything he wants, anytime he wants.

New eating philosophy: Having everything in moderation.

Best thing about losing weight: Loving how proud his wife and coworkers are of him.

Best weight loss secret learned: Everything in moderation!

From "ugly and fat" to "trim and beautiful"

We often feature people on this blog who've lost an extraordinary amount of weight. But that's just one side of the L A Weight Loss story.

There are also people who want to nip their weight in the bud before they reach obesity, which can be just as challanging as dropping hundreds of pounds.

Consider Janet Cole's story. She wrote to me in September. She was 180 pounds when she joined the L A Weight Loss program in March. She blamed a lifetime of emotional eating for her extra weight.

She wore a size 16, had a 41-inch waist, and was on two kinds of blood pressure medication. She had zero self-confidence and, in her own words, thought she was "ugly and fat."

Before she discovered L A Weight Loss, Janet had tried many other diets, to no avail. To further complicate matters, her doctor advised her against taking diet pills, because of her high blood pressure.

Then one day she saw a TV ad for L A Weight Loss, and decided to give it a try. But taking that first step was easier said than done. She cancelled several appointments due to nerves. Imagine that! Jittery nerves over joining a weight loss program!

When she finally went into the Sandy Springs, Ga., center, she never looked back. In eight months, Janet reached her goal weight of 145 pounds. Plus, thanks to her counselor Delores Young, she's no longer turning to food to cope with life's ups and downs.

Here's Janet at 180 pounds:



And here she is looking buff and beautiful at 145 pounds! What a difference 35 pounds makes!



FAST FACTS

Name: Janet Cole
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Age: 48

Starting weight: 180
Goal weight: 145
Current weight: 145
Program start date: March 2006

Biggest motivator: Getting her high blood pressure and high cholesterol under control.

Old eating philosophy: Emotional eating, no matter what food was in front of her.

New eating philosophy: Proteins, fruits, vegetables, and two starches every day. She eats a lot of wheat bread, ground turkey, chicken breasts, and fresh fish.

Best thing about losing weight: Having a waistline, and being able to wear clothes that show it off!

Best weight loss secret learned: Sometimes you have to think about yourself. If you want to be around to see your kids grow up, you have to put your health first.