Mother of seven drops five dress sizes

I just got a copy of Quick and Simple’s February 6th issue, and was *thrilled* to see Lexine Saunders' story featured on page 6.

Be sure to pick up a copy of this great magazine, and read all about how Lexine dropped 54 pounds on the L A Weight Loss program. Here's my brief version of her story.

At 43 years old, Lexine main priority was taking care of her seven children. But putting herself last meant putting her health last, too.

When she hit 204 pounds, her husband said her weight was keeping her from the thing she loved most: fun activities and games with her kids.

That very day, Lexine drove herself to the L A Weight Loss center in Rexburg, Idaho, looking for help. It was there she learned how to kick her "bad" food habits (such as eating old leftovers, which don't have sufficient vitamins and nutrients).

Five months later, Lexine had lost 54 pounds, and was down five dress sizes! At a slimming 150 pounds and size 8, Lexine’s no longer missing out on her kids.

She’s now hiking, biking, and swimming with them! And last summer, she helped her husband and kids build a family cabin.

Here she is at 204 pounds:



And, here she is today at a beautiful 150 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Lexine Saunders
Hometown: Rexburg, Idaho
Age: 44
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 204 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 150 pounds

Program start date: March 1, 2005

Favorite L A Weight Loss recipe: Chicken casserole.

Biggest temptation: Carbs.

Biggest motivator: Her seven children.

Biggest obstacle: Learning to put herself first.

Old eating philosophy: Week-old leftovers and lots of carbs.

New eating philosophy: Homemade meals every day made with fresh veggies from her garden.

Best thing about losing weight: Having the energy to play with her kids.

Best weight loss secret learned: Gardening burns 350 calories an hour!

Carol Ann Parlato to Canada: Turn over a new leaf!

We distributed a press release today announcing the selection of Carol Ann Parlato as L A Weight Loss' Canadian spokesperson for the new Holiday Makeover Campaign.

A lot of work goes into the development of a press a release like this one. A big part is the interview with the key players. With the help of blogging, we can take the people from behind the scenes of a press release, and share the actual, unrehearsed interview that we used for our announcement today.

So as promised, we've turned our interview with Carol Ann into an unedited Podcast!

This is the complete interview that I conducted with my colleague Janelle. It has a lot more information than we could ever fit into a two-page news release. And once you hear her interview, I think you'll agree when I say that Carol Ann is *perfect* for the job of spokeswoman -- she's one peppy L A gal!



Before you listen to the interview, here's some background on Carol Ann. She went through a very tough divorce nine years ago. For a long time afterwards, she just stayed in her shell and ate lots of high-fat and high-calorie foods as a way to fill her emotional void.

As a representative for Lancome, Carol Ann coached and motivated other beauty consultants. But at the end of day, it was Carol Ann who needed a coach to help pull her out of her shell and stop her from binge eating.

Carol Ann became so disgusted with her appearance and unhappy with her life, she finally did something about it. She joined L A Weight Loss, and found the coaching she needed!

With the help of her counselors, Carol Ann lost 54 pounds in just five months, reaching her goal weight just before the start of 2006. Carol Ann celebrated the new year with a smokin' new body!

If you are with the media and would like to interview Carol Ann, drop me a line at Jackie@GregoryFCA.com, or call me at 610-642-8253, ext. 138.

If you're a visitor to the blog, post a comment if you would like to get in touch with Carol Ann, or share your thoughts and feelings about her story.

Here's a shot of Carol Ann before she started her diet, at 182 pounds:



Here she is today, looking smart at 128 pounds. Congrats, Carol Ann!



FAST FACTS

Name: Carol Ann Parlato
Hometown: Ottawa, Canada
Age: 53
Height: 5'4"

Starting weight: 182 pounds
Goal weight: 128 pounds
Current weight: 128 pounds
Program start date: August 2005

Biggest motivator: Each day discovering a little extra bounce in her step.

Biggest obstacle: Getting over the emotional void.

Old eating philosophy: Extra-large portions and extra snacking after supper.

New eating philosophy: Eating foods from each food group, and balancing proteins with carbs.

Best thing about of losing weight: Being able to inspire others to lose weight and find happiness.

Best weight loss secret learned: Be patient!

Meet our new Canadian spokesperson

Of the hundreds of L A Weight Loss clients I've talked to over the years, Carol Ann Parlato of Ottawa definitely ranks as one of the most enthusiastic and articulate. She could easily be captain of the L A Weight Loss pep squad!

That's probably why she was chosen as the spokesperson for our Holiday Makeover campaign, which is already in full swing. We're going to be issuing a press release about her in the next week or so, announcing her appointment as our Canadian spokesperson.

I'm also hoping to post a Podcast interview with her in a day or so. Watch this space to hear her inspiring story, which led L A Weight Loss to select her for their national TV ads.

Checkout her amazing before and after photos. Here she is at 182 pounds in October, 2004, wearing a size 16:



Here she is in July, down to 128 pounds and a size 6:



Way to go, Carol!!!