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!

No family duty too great for Andrea Floyd

Caring for a family is a huge responsibility. But unlike most mothers, Andrea Floyd had double duty as she cared for two. Unfortunately, it left her with little time to watch her own health.

When Andrea was 16, her mother was placed in a wheelchair. Meanwhile, her father suffered from diabetes and her sister from mental disability. Andrea supported them. After she married, her entire family moved in with her so she could continue to help them.

Soon she had a family of her own to care for, too. Andrea juggled raising three children, caring for her husband, and supporting three ailing adults. With little personal time remaining, Andrea became a stress eater, and used her few free moments to grab fast food.

Her waistline grew. She usually dined on fried foods, and had a weakness for all things chocolate. Before she knew it, she weighed 207 pounds.

In 2005, Andrea was dealt even more devastating news when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. But Andrea kept her hopes and determination high, and continued to do her best to fulfill her familial obligations.

After undergoing surgery, she became cancer-free in October of that year. But Andrea still wasn't healthy. Her goal now was to lose weight.

In January 2006, Andrea joined her local Greenville, S.C., L A Weight Loss center. She was paired with a one-on-one counselor who helped her get her diet in check. Andrea cut down on red meat, and eliminated her fast food binges. She also cut down on sweet snacks.

She replaced these L A Weight Loss no-no's with fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and water. Andrea learned how to make smart snack choices with L A Weight Loss biscotti cookies, and starting bringing her Controltrim with her when traveling and eating out.

Andrea also added more physical activity to her daily routine. She started walking her dog every night, and took an extra stroll when the weather was warm.

She also did the little things, such as parking further away from stores, taking stairs instead of elevators, and squeezing walks into her lunch breaks for some afternoon energy.

It's paid off. After one year on the program, Andrea has lost 41 pounds. At 166 pounds, she's only 12 pounds away from her goal weight of 154.

Andrea is thrilled with her progress, and knows that she's done everything she can to ensure she'll be around for her family for a long time. She's so glad she took this extra step to getting healthy!

Her family is also very proud of her, and so are we! Congratulations, Andrea! You're an inspiration, and your family is blessed to have you!

Here's Andrea at 207 pounds:



And here she is today, looking fantastic (and a picture of health) at 166 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Andrea Floyd
Hometown: Greenville, S.C.
Age: 35
Height: 5' 6"

Starting weight: 207 pounds
Goal weight: 154 pounds
Current weight: 166 pounds
Program start date: January 2007

Favorite food: Snack cakes and chocolate.

Biggest temptation: Fried foods.

Biggest motivator: Feeling healthier and looking better.

Biggest obstacle: Resisting eating too many carbs.

Old eating philosophy: Binging on fast food combo meals.

New eating philosophy: Eating more fruits and vegetables.

Best thing about losing weight: Fitting into all of her clothes, and looking better in them.

Best weight loss secret learned: Drink plenty of water.

South Carolina woman plants seeds of health

Willie Cox was never much of a gardener. Throughout her life, she related more to couch potatoes than growing potatoes. But all that would change when she hit 233 pounds.

She spun the scales because of one thing. She enjoyed her dinners fried and her snacks sweet. As Willie aged, though, she worried that her weight would become a major health problem. She already had asthma, and needed knee-replacement surgery after an injury. The extra weight made recovery twice as difficult.

Willie also suffered from shortness of breath. She couldn't walk up stairs without gasping for air. Her mother and three sisters -- all of whom were overweight -- had diabetes, and Willie knew she was on the fast track to a similar fate.

Willie tried a number of diets, but couldn't kept the weight off. At 233 pounds, Willie decided to try L A Weight Loss. In January 2006, the 59-year-old joined the Greenville, S.C., center, where she was paired with a one-on-one weight loss counselor.

Her counselor taught her simple tips and tricks to give her diet a healthy makeover. She cut out her candy binges, and ate more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. Willie also began baking chicken instead of frying it. For a fat-reducing boost, she added L A Weight Loss's Controltrim to her baked goods, salad dressings, and sauces.

Adding the fresh fruits and vegetables was easy for Willie. As she lost weight, she gained energy to work in her garden, where she grew corn, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes. With all the good food coming in, it wasn't long before Willie's weight loss gained momentum.

To further accelerate her weight loss, Willie walked regularly. As the pounds melted away, she increased her distance. Every mile made a difference.

After two years on the program, Willie has sailed past her weight loss goal of 170 pounds and now weighs 162 pounds, for a total weight loss of 71 pounds.

Losing weight has changed Willie's life. She feels younger than ever, and can carry her grandson without getting tired, something she couldn't do before.

Willie feels much better about herself. Her husband loves the progress she's made, and tells her every day she's beautiful. He also built a home gym in their backyard for Willie to maintain her weight loss.

Willie's dive into healthy living proves that eating healthy can be as easy as planting a seed and watching it grow. Way to go, Willie!

Here's Willie at 233 pounds in 2006:



And here she is today, 71 pounds lighter at 162 pounds. Smoking!



FAST FACTS

Name: Willie Cox
Hometown: Travelers Rest, S.C.
Age: 61
Height: 5'4"

Starting weight: 233 pounds
Goal weight: 170 pounds
Current weight: 162 pounds
Program start date: January 2006

Favorite food: Spinach.

Biggest temptation: Gummy Bears.

Biggest motivator: Receiving constant support from her personal counselor.

Biggest obstacle: Getting past plateaus.

Old eating philosophy: Eating fried foods and binging on sweet temptations.

New eating philosophy: Baking instead of frying, and eating plenty of vegetables.

Best thing about losing weight: Being able to carry her grandson.

Best weight loss secret learned: You can lose weight and maintain it if you stick with the program.

Favorite recipes, from Sharla Pincock's table to yours

Sharla Pincock has been one busy woman recently. It's only the second week in January, and she's already appeared on the cover of People magazine for slimming down to half her size, and shared her incredible weight loss journey with the Today Show.

Now Sharla's sharing one of her favorite Controltrim recipes with us: melt-in-your-mouth crab cakes served with tarter sauce. Enjoy!

Crab cakes

2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 Tbsp. minced celery
1 Tbsp. minced green pepper
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp. yellow or Dijon mustard
2 tsp. minced parsley
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Controltrim mayonnaise (see recipe below)
2 slices light bread, crumbled
1 lb. crab meat, picked over
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Nonfat cooking spray

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onion, celery, and green pepper; cook over medium heat until softened, approximately 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

In a bowl, combine the Old Bay seasoning, mustard, parsley, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and crumbled bread. Fold in the crab, being careful not to break up the large clumps. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Form the crab into cakes, 4 oz. each. Dredge the crab cakes in bread crumbs, and then refrigerate until chilled, approximately 1 hour.

Spray a large skillet with non-stick pan spray. Brown the crab cakes on both sides over medium heat. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and tarter sauce (see recipe below).

Servings: 4
Serving size: 1 cake
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes



Controltrim Mayonnaise

1 cup light mayonnaise
3/4 cup Controltrim paste
Salt to taste

Whisk together the mayonnaise and paste until completely blended. Season to taste with salt if desired. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

Servings: 19
Serving Size: 1 1/2 Tbsp.
Prep time: 5 minutes



Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup Controltrim mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. minced dill pickle
1 tsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar substitute

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, stirring well to blend. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

Servings: 5
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp.
Prep time: 5 minutes

My L A Weight Loss Diary turns 1!

We couldn't let November slip by without celebrating a special birthday -- ours! This month marks the one year anniversary for our blog.

That's right, it's been one year of chronicling the weight loss journeys of people across the U.S. and Canada. One year of sharing their struggles and successes. And one year of inspiring more people to lose weight and get healthy.

We've come a long way since Nov. 2006, when we profiled Jim Barker, our first success story. Since then, we've showcased 210 women and men who also achieved their healthy goals with L A Weight Loss.

Among them are our People Magazine stars, Janene Campbell and Mandy Muniz, who were featured in the publication's January "Half Their Size" issue. Janene went from 371 to 164 pounds, and Mandy from 293 to 126 pounds.

And who could forget our farmer from Wisconsin, Greg Thompson, who lost 235 pounds, the most of anyone featured on the blog! Thanks to his personal weight loss counselor and portion control education, he's well on his way to his 240-pound goal weight -- a far cry from his original 508.

You've gotten up close and personal to these and other men and women through podcast interviews. We've also shared recipes, cooking tips, and expert nutritional advice to help keep your plates low on fat and calories and high on nutrition and taste.

Speaking of which, we introduced Controltrim on the blog last month, the new L A Weight Loss product that helps you feel full and eat less.

And we launched the first-ever Atlanta Controltrim Weight Loss Challenge last week, where 10 Atlanta women are striving to meet their weight loss goals in six months, and take home the grand prize of $1,000 shopping spree and program reimbursement.

But this birthday wouldn't be complete without giving a big THANKS to you, our loyal readers! You cheer on these women and men, and keep them inspired and motivated to reach their weight loss goals. So please, keep it coming!

Plus, feel free to tell us your favorite story from the hundreds we've shared. What made you laugh? Cry? Or motivate you to start your own weight loss journey? And if you've already reached your goal weight, check in and let us know how you're doing! We love to hear from all our readers!

Media, you're welcome to join the conversation too! As always, if you're interested in interviewing anyone we've featured on the blog or learning more about L A Weight Loss, just contact Jackie Zima at Jackie@GregoryFCA.com, 610-642-8253, or 215-534-2973 (mobile).

In the meantime, we'll be busy talking to more people who've found success with L A Weight Loss. 'Til next time!

P.S. We'll be taking our holiday break the remainder of the week, and will return Monday the 26th. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

It's your turn to take the Controltrim Challenge

Journalists across the country recently received a surprise package filled with over a dozen brownies, hand-baked by a professional pastry chef. Half of the brownies were made with Controltrim, and half with a traditional recipe.

These journalists were put to the test to participate in our L A Weight Loss Controltrim Challenge, to see if they could tell which brownie contained Controltrim, which cuts fat and calories by 36 percent.

Now, the results are in! Of the 716 journalists joining the Controltrim Challenge, 55 percent guessed incorrectly. In fact, many admitted they couldn't tell the difference between the two.

That's because Controltrim is a fat replacement product developed by the U.S.D.A. It's made from 100 percent whole oat bran, a source of healthy beta-glucans. Controltrim doesn't affect taste or texture. Rather, it replaces up to 50 percent of fat in baked goods, sauces, dressings, desserts, snacks, and beverages when used in recipes.

Controltrim is available exclusively at L A Weight Loss, so if you're interested in trying it, ask your local center for more information about incorporating it into your plan. And don't forget to let us know what you think by commenting here!

A new way to have your cake and eat it too

When a chocolate chip cookie, devil's food cake, or hot apple pie is calling your name, it's difficult to say no.

But Andy and Sheri Collier and Vicky Covi aren't saying no anymore. They are using Controltrim, a new L A Weight Loss product that's used in conjunction with the program.

Controltrim is made of 100 percent oat bran, so it's all natural. And it was developed by the USDA, so it's safe to consume.

Controltrim comes in caplet and powder form. Users take the caplets before every meal. They make you feel full, and eat less, which makes portion control even easier!

Mixing the powder in salad dressings, puddings, and beverages makes you feel full. So you're satisfied without consuming too many calories.

You can also use the powder to replace fats and oils when you're baking and cooking. For example, substituting half of the butter in a cake recipe with Controltrim reduces the fat and calorie content. This makes the cake healthier and keeps your weight loss goals on track. It's also great for people watching their cholesterol and heart health.

You might wonder if the cake tastes differently though. Good news, it doesn't! Foods with Controltrim have the same taste, texture, and moisture as those without.

In fact, we tested it. We recently invited over 1,300 journalists across the country to taste a brownie made with Controltrim, and one made with cooking oil. We kept the brownies' identities secret, and challenged the journalists to pick out the Controltrim brownie.

The results are still coming in. As soon as we crunch the numbers, we'll share them here. We'll also be posting recipes that use Controltrim over the coming weeks, so you can cook with it at home. Check back here soon. In the meantime, ask your counselor how you can incorporate Controltrim into your L A Weight Loss plan!

Here are crab cakes made with Controltrim. Mmm!