Rhonda Allen finds alternative to gastric bypass surgery

Gastric bypass surgery is an increasingly popular method for managing obesity, especially when diet and exercise aren't working. But the costs are well out of reach for many candidates, such as Rhonda Allen of Mesa, Ariz.

Rhonda comes from a family that likes to eat. All of her seven siblings have weight issues, as they gravitated toward high-fat and high-calorie foods throughout their lives.

Chips, soda, ice cream, and Mexican and Chinese food filled Rhonda's plates. She also ate big portions, and indulged even more when she was stressed out. Before long, she topped out at 332 pounds.

Rhonda was hypothyroid, too, and had sleep apnea, heart arrhythmia, and knee problems. She also had a family history of heart problems, and feared she'd pass away and lose her family. Plus, she was embarrassed to be seen in public, and didn't want her kids to be teased because of their obese mother.

Then she saw a photo of herself around Easter 2004, and knew she had a problem. Rhonda thought she looked awful. She researched gastric bypass surgery, but it was too expensive for her, and her insurance company wouldn't cover the costs.

Rhonda didn't know what else to do, until her husband encouraged her to try L A Weight Loss. So one day after dropping her kids off at school, she drove to her local L A Weight Loss center. She decided to join with her sister, who was also overweight.

Working with the L A Weight Loss counselors and nutrition experts, Rhonda cut out junk food and soda. Instead, she ate three healthy meals a day with small snacks in between. The weight loss counselors also taught her how to suppress her cravings for unhealthy foods, so she was no longer tempted by fast food.

Rhonda is now down to 250 pounds, and well on her way to her goal of 160! She can walk and breathe easily, and her medical conditions have improved. She now wears more flattering clothes, and has energy to exercise.

She also created a scrapbook of photos from when she was at her heaviest, and photos of herself now. She says her clothes are very different, and she feels motivated to keep going.

In fact, Rhonda's success inspired several other people to join L A Weight Loss, including her three sisters, three sister-in-laws, four friends, and brother-in-law! Now that's an L A Weight Loss family!

Feeling better about herself has made a huge difference in Rhonda's life -- and she got there without gastric bypass surgery. Way to go, Rhonda! Keep up the great work! We'll check in on Rhonda's progress soon ...

Here's Rhonda before, ballooning at 332 pounds:



And here she is now, dropping the pounds at 250. Great job, Rhonda!



FAST FACTS

Name: Rhonda Allen
Hometown: Mesa, Ariz.
Age: 40
Height: 5'2"

Starting weight: 332 pounds
Goal weight: 160 pounds
Current weight: 250 pounds
Program start date: February 2005

Favorite food: Mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Biggest temptation: Chocolate ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Feeling better about herself as she lost the weight, and having her sister join L A Weight Loss with her.

Biggest obstacle: Being stressed from taking care of her kids, and putting them before herself.

Old eating philosophy: Grabbing whatever was quick and easy.

New eating philosophy: Having more vegetables, and making healthy choices.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling happier, having higher self-confidence, and being able to have a baby.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat smaller portion sizes!

Dedicated mom finds the prescription to health and happiness

Pregnancy means eating for two, right? Wrong. Thinking you can eat whatever you want is a common misconception for many mothers-to-be.

Zoorina Davis found that out the hard way. She never struggled with weight until her first pregnancy, when she packed on 60 pounds and reached an all-time high of 246 pounds. Then, Zoorina became so absorbed with taking care of her baby that she didn't take care of herself.

When she was pregnant a second time, Zoorina put on weight again. She would regularly dine on fatty foods, using her pregnancy as an excuse for eating poorly.

To make matters worse, her husband traveled often for his job. This prompted Zoorina to turn to food for comfort when she was lonely or overwhelmed with caring for her children.

Then came the last straw. In 2003, Zoorina underwent surgery to remove her failing gall bladder, which was also causing kidney problems, as a result of her weight.

After surgery, Zoorina gained another 20 pounds. She was depressed and concerned about her health. Her physician filled out a prescription: "Go to weight loss center."

Zoorina had tried dieting before, but without success. So when she joined L A Weight Loss, she was afraid she wouldn't meet her goals -- again.

But this time, one-on-one support from her personal L A Weight Loss counselors made the difference. They transformed her diet by teaching her to eat five to six small meals a day.

Zoorina also learned that whipping up a healthy meal with chicken or fish was easier than she thought. And whenever she needed something sweet, she indulged in an L A Lite bar.

Her counselors also helped Zoorina get on a regimented exercise program, where she worked out five times a week.

Thanks to these lifestyle changes, Zoorina now weighs 156 pounds, and is well on her way to her goal weight of 136 pounds!

Better yet, Zoorina's healthy example has inspired her entire family to adopt her eating and exercise habits. Her most important lesson for her kids: If Mom can overcome a huge challenge, then they can too.

Losing weight has definitely changed Zoorina's life. She's more active with her husband and children, and enjoys her newfound self-confidence. Way to go, Zoorina -- you look fantastic!

Here's Zoorina at 246 pounds with two of her biggest weight-loss supporters:



And here she is 90 pounds lighter in her first little red dress! Talk about a 'Lady in Red!' Hot stuff!



FAST FACTS

Name: Zoorina Davis
Hometown: Higley, Ariz.
Age: 31
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 236 pounds
Goal weight: 136 pounds
Current weight: 156 pounds
Program start date: July 4, 2006

Favorite food: Pizza, salad, and chicken.

Biggest temptation: Chowing down on chocolate bars.

Biggest motivator: Her children and husband.

Biggest obstacle: Overcoming her own discouraging fears of "I'm not losing enough" or "I'm not losing it quickly enough."

Old eating philosophy: Eating for comfort.

New eating philosophy: Eating to refuel her body, so she has more energy for more activities.

Best thing about losing weight: Seeing her husband's face -- especially when she dresses up!

Best weight loss secret learned: Use plateau breakers to keep losing the pounds. For example, for two days just eat fish, greens, and honeydew melon to break the plateau. It works!