Georgia woman's life goes from pits to peaches

Everyone loves a Georgia peach, but you certainly don't want to be round like one! Yet that's how Pamela Leadbeater of Deluth, Ga., looked when her weight troubles reached the darkest pits.

It all started after having four kids, when Pamela had trouble keeping her weight down. She opted for fatty and fast foods when hunger struck, and didn't pay much attention to portion sizes. Menu choices included regular-fat dairy products and regular-sodium bacon.

Worse, Pamela's metabolism slowed as she got older, making it more difficult to keep the weight off and stay active. She soared to 262 pounds.

Pamela tried several fad diets and pills to drop the weight. One diet consisted only of cheese, meat, and pork. It worked initially, and she lost 54 pounds. But then Pamela gained it all back -- plus some! -- because the plan didn't teach her how to eat right, and she couldn't eat a variety of foods.

Meanwhile, her arthritis in her knees was worsening, making it painful to walk. She had difficulty breathing, and little energy. She couldn't even bend down to touch her toes.

Pamela was frustrated. She knew there was a thinner woman inside, she just had to find the way to reveal her.

She had heard about L A Weight Loss, and was almost too embarrassed to visit the center. But Pamela summoned her courage, and when she walked in, was pleasantly surprised. She quickly felt at ease, as a personal weight loss counselor sat down with her to discuss her weight troubles.

After the meeting, Pamela knew L A Weight Loss would provide the support and guidance she needed, and signed up. The counselors and nutrition experts taught her how to eat healthy, properly portioned foods. They also directed her to the L A Lite cookbook for simple meals she could easily prepare at home.

Yummy dishes included salads, chicken, turkey, low-fat yogurt and milk, and low-sodium bacon. That way she could still enjoy foods she loved, but in healthy ways. And once Pamela learned how tasty eating right could be, she stopped hitting the fast food drive-thru, too.

Today Pamela is 62 pounds lighter, weighing in at 200 pounds! She's well on her way to her goal weight of 160. Breathing comes easily for her now, and she has much more energy. Plus, she can reach her toes, and enjoys exercising and walking.

Better yet, Pamela no longer feels ashamed of her appearance. She loves feeling healthier, and is motivated to stay on the L A Weight Loss program because she's thrilled with the results.

In fact, Pamela believes L A Weight Loss is the best thing she's ever done for herself. She has a fresh outlook on life, and feels like a new, younger woman.

Way to go, Pamela! Keep us posted on your progress!

This is Pamela in the pits, at 262 pounds:



And here's the sweet Georgia peach now, at 200 pounds! Great job, Pamela!



FAST FACTS

Name: Pamela Leadbeater
Hometown: Deluth, Ga.
Age: 58
Height: 5'4"

Starting weight: 262 pounds
Goal weight: 160 pounds
Current weight: 200 pounds
Program start date: Sept. 13, 2006

Favorite food: Lasagna.

Biggest temptation: Sweets.

Biggest motivator: Being on a structured program.

Old eating philosophy: Indulging in fast food.

New eating philosophy: Making sure everything she eats is healthy.

Best thing about losing weight: Having a new lease on life.

Best weight loss secret learned: Listen to your counselors!

Two hearts beat as one

For Wendy and Mark Wagler, joining L A Weight Loss together was a no-brainer. They've always had a solid marriage, and both had the same health concern: They didn't want their weight to get in the way of living a long, happy life.

They were also concerned about the health problems that run in their families. Wendy's father was diabetic who passed away before turning 60, and her mother suffered a few strokes. Mark's father recently had his lower intestines removed.

Being overweight themselves, Wendy and Mark knew they were heading down the wrong road. Wendy and Mark walked into the Oshawa, Ontario, L A Weight Loss center together on Aug. 1, 2005.

Through it all, working together was key. After listening to their story, I don't think they would have been so successful had they done it alone. They leaned on each other a lot for support, and bought new bikes for each other as a reward for losing weight.

They even surpassed their goal weights together! Wendy went from 190 pounds to 129 pounds (six pounds below her goal), and Mark went from 230 pounds to 168 pounds (seven pounds below his goal).

Now Wendy and Mark are planning a vacation to show off their new bodies. They made the commitment to lose weight, and ended up becoming more committed to each other. Wendy and Mark tell me they are more in love than ever! Ah, amore!

Here's the couple before, Wendy at 190 pounds, and Mark at 230 pounds:



And here's Wendy today at 129 pounds:



Here's Mark today at 168:



FAST FACTS

Name: Wendy Wagler
Hometown: Oshawa, Ontario
Age: 43

Starting weight: 190 pounds
Goal weight: 135 pounds
Current weight: 129 pounds
Program start date: Aug. 1, 2005

Biggest temptation: Chocolate.

Biggest motivator: Her husband, Mark.

Biggest obstacle: Staying disciplined.

Old eating philosophy: Atkins diet, which made her gain weight once she started eating carbs again.

New eating philosophy: Salad everyday, with good portions of protein.

Best thing about losing weight: Having the confidence to go back to school to be a medical lab technicians, and looking forward to the future with her family.

Best weight loss secret learned: Erase all the memories of weight loss failure. Focus on what the L A Weight Loss counselors tell you, and you'll succeed.



Name: Mark Wagler
Hometown: Oshawa, Ontario
Age: 44

Starting weight: 230 pounds
Goal weight: 175 pounds
Current weight: 168 pounds
Program start date: Aug. 1, 2005

Biggest motivator: His wife, Wendy.

Biggest obstacle: Revamping his eating style.

Old eating philosophy: Weight Watchers and Atkins, which were "too difficult to stay on."

New eating philosophy: Plan meals the day before, and watch sodium consumption.

Best thing about losing weight: Having the energy to spend more time with the kids, and being more in love with Wendy.

Best weight loss secret learned: You don't have to go it alone. It's OK to lean on others to help you through this major life change.