L A Weight Loss counselor practices what she preaches

Motherhood brings new additions to the life of every woman. For some women, this means the addition of pounds on the scale. Jessica Baker was no exception. After the births of her five children, she found herself weighing 198 pounds and feeling unhealthy.

Weight has always been an issue was Jessica. When she was a kid, she was self-conscious about wearing a bathing suit. And Jessica remembers always being aware of her body, even at age 11, when she went on the first of her many diets, alongside her mother.

Jessica didn’t like fruits. So fruits, veggies, and other sources of protein were hardly ever in her daily diet. Overeating wasn’t uncommon either. Sometimes, she ate so much she felt like she was going to burst. Soda was her drink of choice, and fast food was a daily occurrence.

Luckily, Jessica had no specific health problems, but she felt much older than a twenty-something. As a young mother, Jessica hardly had any energy to care for her children. She felt achy all the time, and suffered from asthma-like symptoms.

Her everyday tasks were difficult because of her weight. She had friends bring her kids to the pool because she didn’t have the energy or the drive to get in a bathing suit and swim.

Ironically, Jessica had been an L A Weight Loss counselor at her local Pocatello, Idaho, center since 2001. She was counseling other people losing weight, but didn't have the drive to do the same for herself.

One morning however, Jessica felt depressed. She decided once and for all that this was no way to live. She was going to take the advice that she’d been giving out for so long. She was going to lose weight.

With help from L A Weight Loss, Jessica has transformed her diet. She incorporates fruits into her meals, and she’s eating more protein and drinking less sugary soda. To help her out even more, she uses a child-sized dinner plate, so it seems like she’s eating more than she is.

Jessica also uses L A Weight Loss Controltrim and L A Lites to curb hunger when she needs a sweet snack.

Having lost 73 pounds, Jessica feels fabulous. She's finally feeling her age again! And at 26, she has plenty of years left to feel young. Jessica now uses her weight loss as a motivation tool for her clients. She shows them her before and after pictures, and they know that the program really works!

Not only has she motivated clients, but family and friends as well. Jessica’s mother joined and has already lost 80 pounds. Her family thinks that she looks great at 125 pounds, and knows that she feels even better. Her mother and husband have been a great motivation.

Best of all, Jessica's energy has skyrocketed, and so has her self-esteem. Now, she doesn't have any trouble breathing, and she knows she looks great. And that means more time for the family. Jessica takes her kids to the pool now, and isn't embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit.

After just seven months, Jessica went from not wearing bathing suits to liking the way she looks in one. Being part of an active family isn’t a hassle any longer. Jessica enjoys bike rides, swimming, water skiing, and tubing with her husband and kids.

Attitude is everything, and Jessica Baker proves it. She looks at her time on L A Weight Loss as a gift to herself. She’s seen her mood and energy improve drastically and now she can be the mother she wants to be, instead of the mother she has to be.


Here is Jessica before, at 198 pounds in 2007:



And here she is looking great at 125 pounds in 2008:



FAST FACTS:

Name: Jessica Baker
Hometown: Pocatello, Idaho
Age: 26
Height: 5’1"

Starting weight: 198 pounds
Goal weight: 120 pounds
Current weight: 125 pounds
Program start date: July 2007

Favorite food: Mexican food.
Biggest temptation: French fries.

Biggest motivator: Having energy for her kids.

Biggest obstacle: Giving up fast food and eating out.

Old eating philosophy: Eating whatever, whenever, however much she wanted.

New eating philosophy: Using food as energy and eating what makes you feel good, instead of eating what is convenient.

Best thing about losing weight: Being able to fit into cute clothes & the attention that goes along with that.

Best weight loss secret learned: It's important to control the size of your portions, but still remember that to lose weight you need to eat!

Tennessee softball mom hits weight loss home run

Who doesn't love to eat? Whether sitting around a large table at a family celebration, or enjoying a tasty treat all by yourself, eating can be incredibly enjoyable. A problem arises, though, when your love for eating compels you to eat anything, anytime, without thinking about the repercussions.

Take Stacy Peters. Stacy had struggled with her weight most of her life. Controlling what and when she ate had always been difficult. She simply loved to eat. And often, her will lost the battle to her stomach.

At 5'6", Stacy weighed 251 pounds. She suffered from high blood pressure and low energy. As a coach for her daughters' softball team, Stacy often struggled out on the field during practices. She napped often, and knew she wasn't healthy.

She tried a number of diets, but nothing taught her how to eat right, so Stacy never kept the weight off. Then her mother tried L A Weight Loss -- and it worked wonders! Inspired by her mom's success, Stacy went down to her local Crossville, Tenn., L A Weight Loss center in August 2006.

There, the softball mom worked diligently with her one-on-one weight loss counselors to transform her diet. She reduced the amount of sweets and starches, and cut greasy and fried foods from her diet completely. Instead, she added fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats.

Stacy's counselors also taught her how to cook with ingredients such as olive oil, whole wheat flour, and sugar substitutes to cut additional fat out of her home cooked meals. In fact, Stacy's cooking was so much healthier, her husband lost 30 pounds just by eating with her!

Better yet, Stacy herself lost a total of 73 pounds!! Losing weight has truly changed her life. She feels healthier, no longer needs to nap, and has watched her blood pressure go down.

Stacy even has extra energy to practice sports with her girls in the yard. Coaching softball is easier and more fun. And Stacy and her daughters walk together every night.

Best of all, Stacy is much happier and more self-confident. She appreciates everything L A Weight Loss taught her, in addition to her loving and supportive family. Stacy truly feels she has the perfect life. Now that's what we call a home run! We're proud of you, Stacy!

Here's Stacy lugging some extra weight on the softball field:



And here she is 73 pounds later! All right, Stacy!



FAST FACTS

Name: Stacy Peters
Hometown: Pikeville, Tenn.
Age: 36
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 251 pounds
Goal weight: 170 pounds
Current weight: 178 pounds
Program start date: August 2006

Favorite food: Chicken.

Biggest temptation: Chips and other snacks.

Biggest motivator: Getting constant support from her husband.

Biggest obstacle: Passing up all the temptations around the holidays.

Old eating philosophy: Eating whatever she wanted, when she wanted.

New eating philosophy: Thinking about what she puts into her body.

Best thing about losing weight: Being happier.

Best weight loss secret learned: Drink plenty of water!

The Bosses give their extra weight the pink slip

Ask parents what they fear most about raising kids, and they are sure to say outliving them. Burying a child, no matter how old, is the most heart-wrenching experience anyone can go through.

Suzanne and King Boss of London, Ontario, can certainly relate to those feelings. Two years ago, the couple lost their 43-year-old son, Bill, in a tow truck accident -- and with it, their appetite for watching their health and weight.

Soon, Suzanne reached 206 pounds, and King reached 258 pounds. But it wasn’t until King suffered a heart attack during Christmas in 2005 that the couple decided to commit to losing weight. After all, they wanted to be there for their five other children and eight grandchildren.

The couple joined L A Weight Loss in March 2006, and completely turned their eating habits around. They went from heavy helpings of bacon and eggs for breakfast, and hamburgers and French fries for dinner, to cereal for breakfast, and chicken, fish, and salads for dinner.

The result: Suzanne dropped to 147 pounds, while King’s crowning achievement was dropping to 197 pounds -- all in just a year!

Even better, Suzanne reached her goal weight last September, right in time for their son’s wedding. She also went from size 16 to size 8, while King lost 8 inches off his waist, and now sports size L pants instead of XXLs.

The couple is ready to spend their retirement years swimming, taking long walks together, and enjoying their grandchildren. Congrats, Suzanne and King!

Here are the Bosses at the beginning of their weight loss journey. Suzanne is at 206 pounds, and King is at 258 pounds.



And here they are quite a few pounds lighter! Suzanne is at 147 pounds, and King is at 197 pounds. You look great!



FAST FACTS

Name: Suzanne Boss
Hometown: London, Ontario
Age: 64
Height: 5'3"

Starting weight: 206 pounds
Goal weight: 156 pounds
Current weight: 147 pounds
Program start date: March 1, 2006

Favorite food: Vegetables.

Biggest temptation: Hamburgers.

Biggest motivator: Attending their son's wedding in September 2006.

Biggest obstacle: Staying away from restaurants that were once old favorites.

Old eating philosophy: Eating any food in sight.

New eating philosophy: Reading every label carefully before buying it.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling better about herself and shopping for new clothes.

Best weight loss secret learned: A good way to sustain yourself until dinner is to have a bottled water and apple.



Name: King Boss
Hometown: London, Ontario
Age: 70
Height: 5'9"

Starting weight: 258 pounds
Goal weight: 185 pounds
Current weight: 197 pounds
Program start date: March 1, 2006

Favorite food: Chicken.

Biggest temptation: Chicken wings.

Biggest motivator: Attending their son's wedding in September of 2006.

Biggest obstacle: Avoiding eating out.

Old eating philosophy: Eating large portions.

New eating philosophy: Asking what is in food he orders at restaurants.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling and looking better.

Best weight loss secret learned: Small healthy snacks throughout the day stave off hunger.