Lynne Stradley scores a new goal

It's difficult to accomplish anything without a goal. Losing weight is no exception. Setting goals is crucial to weight loss success.

Lynne Stradley found that out firsthand. It all started after college when she got married and started packing on pounds. She became comfortable, didn't exercise much, and enjoyed eating whatever she wanted.

Lynne consumed pasta, breads, steaks, and gravies in large portions. And after giving birth to her son in 1987, she gained more weight. The scale soon spun to 270 pounds.

Then catastrophe struck Lynne and her son in 2005. Her son was driving the car; Lynne was in the passenger seat. They were stopped at a red light when another car came barreling from behind and slammed into them at 55 mph.

Lynne and her son survived, but suffered severe injuries. Lynne had nerve damage in her back, neck, and shoulders, making it extremely painful to walk. She was forced to remain stationary during much of her recovery, and gained nearly 35 pounds.

Lynne's health was the worse it had ever been. She had hypertriglyceridemia, borderline high blood pressure, and severe knee pain. When she was able to move again, she tried every diet in the book, but they were too difficult for her to follow and manage on her own.

Now Lynne was up to 312 pounds. She felt fatigued and discouraged, and was uncomfortable in public.

Her husband was very concerned, and finally broached the subject with her. He said he loved Lynne, but she needed to do something about her weight or it would kill her. The next day, Lynne made an appointment at the L A Weight Loss center in Jacksonville, Fla.

She was looking for a weight loss plan she could easily manage and also fit her lifestyle. Cookie-cutter style plans weren't for her. She needed to find the right foods that were healthy and would fulfill her weight loss goals.

That's just what she found at L A Weight Loss. Lynne learned how to eat healthy foods in the proper portions without feeling deprived of her favorite goodies. Now she thinks before she eats, and doesn't cook with as much butter or fat anymore.

The real test came when she went on a cruise to Belize, Mexico, and Grand Cayman with her husband over Memorial Day weekend this year. She had a ball, but she watched her food choices, exercised, ... and lost two pounds!

Lynne is now down to 197 pounds. That's 115 pounds gone! All her medical problems are better, and she feels more energetic. She can also buy normal-sized clothes, which are cheaper than the expensive plus-size clothing she had to wear at her heaviest.

She also goes to the YMCA and works out with a personal trainer. Lynne says it's really increased her endurance and stamina, and she can easily run laps. Plus, she feels so much better about herself, especially when people at church compliment her on her new figure.

Lynne owes her success to setting a goal, and working steadily toward it, no matter what obstacles lie in between. She says when you're losing weight, you're in it for the long haul -- just like anything else worthwhile in life.

It was certainly worthwhile, Lynne! Way to go!

Here's an unhappy Lynne before, at 312 pounds:



And here's Lynne after, at a smiling 197 pounds! Great job, Lynne! Keep up the fantastic work!



FAST FACTS

Name: Lynne Stradley
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
Age: 52
Height: 5'8"

Starting weight: 312 pounds
Goal weight: 180 pounds
Current weight: 197 pounds
Program start date: Sept. 20, 2006

Favorite food: Spaghetti or a good steak.

Biggest temptation: Fresh bread right out of the oven.

Biggest motivator: Losing weight.

Biggest obstacle: Making sure she has the willpower to keep going, even if she has a setback.

Old eating philosophy: Consuming whatever she wanted without moderation, including a lot of carbs, heavy gravy, and rich marbled meats.

New eating philosophy: Having everything in moderation, and knowing herself and what she can and cannot eat.

Best thing about losing weight: Becoming the thin person that her mind says she is.

Best weight loss secret learned: If you're getting hungry, but it's not time to eat, drink a big glass of water.

Florida woman proves the power of positive thinking

Negative thinking begets negative thinking -- a common problem for overweight people. One look in the mirror, and they think, "I'm ugly, and that's just the way it is." So they continue to wallow in misery, and do nothing to help themselves.

Jennifer Winchester has been there. She struggled with her weight since she was 15 years old. When she got married, she moved from New Orleans to Panama City, Fla. Homesick and depressed, she turned to food for comfort.

Jennifer regularly ate three servings at dinner, and drank a lot of soda. But fast food was her nemesis. She often hit the drive-thru, and then went home to have dinner. By the time she hit her early twenties, she topped out at 260 pounds.

When Jennifer took her six-year-old son Cedric to the park, she was exhausted after five minutes. Her body constantly ached, and she ended up sitting around the house all day.

Plus, she had a negative attitude about everything. She hated the way she looked, and thought that she would just be overweight for the rest of her life.

But the worse part for Jennifer was the effect her weight struggle had on her marriage. Her negativity drove the couple apart, and they didn't spend much time together.

Their conflict came to a head one day at the mall. The couple parked, but Jennifer didn't get out of the car. She couldn't bring herself to walk inside and be around thinner people.

That was Jennifer's defining moment. Two days later, she called the Panama City L A Weight Loss center.

She immediately started working with personal weight loss counselor Carrie Smidt to develop a healthy eating plan. Jennifer replaced the fast food binges with proper portions of chicken, turkey, and vegetables. She also started drinking more water.

Jennifer says L A Weight Loss's accountability really helped her. She visited the center three times a week, and walked out feeling focused and on track. Plus, the counselors' encouragement and guidance helped Jennifer feel more positive about herself.

The proof? Jennifer lost 113 pounds to reach a trim 147 pounds! Now going to the mall is an enjoyable pastime. She also exercises regularly, plays baseball on the weekends, and has plenty of energy to keep up with her son in the park.

The best part: Her husband loves the new Jennifer, and tells her every day how great she looks. The couple is closer than ever!

Just goes to show how much of a difference attitude can make. Way to go, Jennifer!

Here's the unhappy Jennifer at 260 pounds:



113 pounds later, Jennifer is all smiles! Great job, Jennifer!



FAST FACTS

Name: Jennifer Winchester
Hometown: Panama City, Fla.
Age: 24
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 260 pounds
Goal weight: 147 pounds
Current weight: 147 pounds
Program start date: September 2005

Favorite food: Chicken Parmesan and pasta.

Biggest temptation: Cookies and cake.

Biggest motivator: Her husband.

Biggest obstacle: Overcoming her negative attitude.

Old eating philosophy: Consuming everything and anything in sight.

New eating philosophy: Focusing her diet on the right portions of grilled chicken, salad, and vegetables.

Best thing about losing weight: Being able to go out in public and shop for her new smaller size.

Best weight loss secret learned: Make up your mind to lose weight, and you'll see the pounds melt away!

Self-described “couch potato” trades fast food for fast feet

Who hasn't flopped on the couch with the remote in one hand, and a pint of ice cream in the other? But what happens when that becomes the norm?

Jennifer Guyton of Cape Coral, Fla., would say that's the definition of a couch potato. She should know. After a lifetime of struggling with her weight, she rarely had the energy or motivation for activities. Instead, she'd hang around the house and eat junk food. She eventually tipped the scales at 230 pounds.

The worst part: This routine wasn't fair to her two children, ages 15 and 5, because she didn't want to leave the house. Her kids never went to the pool or park. She didn't even have the energy to play with them at home.

Jennifer knew she had to change, and set a healthy example for her children. She tried several diet programs, without much success. Undaunted, when she heard about L A Weight Loss, she signed up at her local Fort Myers center.

There Jennifer learned how to incorporate vegetables, fruits, and lean protein into her diet, while cutting back on junk food, breads, and pastas.

With help from her personal L A Weight Loss counselors, Jennifer stuck to this healthy regimen. The pounds started dropping, and before long, Jennifer hit her goal weight of 162 pounds!

Jennifer felt so good with her new physique, she took it on the road -- literally -- and started to run. Gradually, she worked up to running three miles ... then six ... then nine, three days a week. She combined that with a bike ride four days a week.

It gets better. Jennifer ran her first 15K in April. Final time: 1 hour, 44 minutes. Now she's preparing for her first half-marathon in January. Once that's behind her, Jennifer will tackle a triathlon!

Chasing the runner's high has put Jennifer in excellent shape, and given her a special gift: the energy and strength to play with her children. No more couch potatoes here! Great job, Jennifer.

Here's Jennifer at a spuddish 230 pounds:



And here she is at a zippy 162! You've reached the finish line, Jennifer! Congrats!



FAST FACTS

Name: Jennifer Guyton
Hometown: Cape Coral, Fla.
Age: 34
Height: 5'5"

Starting weight: 230 pounds
Goal weight: 162 pounds
Current weight: 162 pounds
Program start date: February 2006

Favorite food: Sweets, though she rarely eats them now.

Biggest temptation: Junk food such as cake and donuts.

Biggest motivator: Getting encouragement from her kids.

Biggest obstacle: Finding time to exercise while working full time and caring for two children.

Old eating philosophy: Eating whatever she wanted, and buying whatever looked good at the grocery store.

New eating philosophy: Steering clear of chips, junk food, and greasy food, and enjoying vegetables instead.

Best thing about losing weight: Increasing her activity and energy levels, and playing with her kids.

Best weight loss secret learned: Don’t get frustrated. Slip-ups are not permanent!

Gym teacher gets schooled in weight loss

It's common for physically active people to think they can eat whatever they want. Yet many of them tire easily, and aren't as lively as they could -- or should -- be.

Melanie Edmonds found herself in this condition. She had been teaching physical education for 34 years, which required constant activity during class periods.

However, Melanie's energy was low, and she began to suffer from high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Still, she never thought it could have anything to do with her high-carb diet of pizza, sandwiches, and pasta.

It was only when Melanie returned from summer vacation one year that the lightbulb went off. Two teachers, who had been heavier than she was, came back to school looking thinner and healthier.

Their secret: eating the right combination of foods and the right portions on the L A Weight Loss plan.

Melanie never believed that diets would work for her, but seeing was believing. Inspired by her colleagues' results, she joined the Fort Myers, Fla., L A Weight Loss center in October 2005, weighing in at 157 pounds.

Working one-on-one with her L A Weight Loss counselor, Melanie soon replaced her high-carb diet with fish, vegetables, salads, and chicken. And for breakfast, she ate yogurt and fruit.

The hard work paid off. A year and a half later, Melanie surpassed her goal weight of 136 pounds!! She now weighs 133 pounds, and feels younger than her 59 years.

Plus, her blood pressure and her cholesterol are down. That means her health is back on the fast track, making her feel better than ever!

Terrific work, Melanie!

Here is Melanie before at a sluggish 157 pounds:



And here she is after, fighting trim at 133 pounds!



FAST FACTS

Name: Melanie Edmonds
Hometown: Fort Myers, Fla.
Age: 59
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 157 pounds
Goal weight: 136 pounds
Current weight: 133 pounds
Program start date: October 2005

Favorite food: Trout.

Biggest temptation: Donuts.

Biggest motivator: Wanting to look good in the shorts she wore every day.

Biggest obstacle: Believing that diets wouldn't work for her.

Old eating philosophy: Consuming a lot of pasta and other high-carb foods.

New eating philosophy: Making fish, vegetables, salads, and fruit a part of her meals.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling better about her health.

Best weight loss secret learned: It's important to drink water.

Shannon Gee slims down to run long

On Jan. 7, Shannon Gee, 35, ran the annual Disney Marathon in six hours. But nine months earlier, she was in no shape to tackle the 26.2-mile run -- or even a run around the block.

Shannon was shocked when the scale read 175 pounds during a physical last May. She decided to hit the gym four days a week, no matter what.

Soon after, she saw a flyer for a half marathon (that's 14 miles) benefiting the local leukemia and lymphoma society. She decided to work off enough weight to run that race.

Yet despite her gym routine and determination, Shannon couldn't shake off the pounds. Then a local deejay announced he lost 30 pounds on the L A Weight Loss program.

Shannon hit the L A Weight Loss Center in Fort Meyers, Fla., and met with Marlene, who would become her personal counselor. Marlene helped Shannon find the foods that would speed her weight loss in time to run the half marathon.

As the pounds came off, Shannon upped the ante, and decided to shoot for a full marathon. After dropping 30 pounds on the L A Weight Loss Program, Shannon ran the 26.2 mile Disney Marathon.

Now there's no stopping her. Now she plans on running the Gasparilla marathon in February, and a triathlon (1-mile swim, 25-mile bike ride, and 6-mile run) in September!

Here's Shannon before, at 175 pounds:



And here she is hanging out with Minnie and Mickey, after completing the Disney Marathon in her new 145-pound bod:



FAST FACTS

Name: Shannon Gee

Hometown: Fort Myers, Fla.
Age: 35
Height: 5’10"

Starting weight: 175 pounds
Goal weight: 145 pounds
Current weight: 145 pounds
Program start date: May 2006

Favorite food: Fiber One cereal.

Biggest temptation: Restaurant bread baskets.

Biggest motivator: Training for Disney Marathon.

Biggest obstacle: Maintaining her weight during the holidays.

Old eating philosophy: Carbs, ice cream, and cookies.

New eating philosophy: Less processed food and more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Best thing about losing weight: Being comfortable in her own skin.

Best weight loss secret learned: You have nothing to lose other than the weight. Stick with the program. It works!

Not one, but TWO hurricanes bring winds of change to Patti Och

It was a one-two punch that changed Patti Och's life. On Aug. 24, 2004, Hurricane Frances swept through her Florida hometown. Fortunately, she and her husband were able to stay in their home as they cleaned up the damage.

But their luck ran out three weeks later on Sept. 13th, when the wind and rain of Hurricane Jeanne caused their roof to cave in. Their possessions lost, Patti and her husband moved into an RV in their front yard.

This 'temporary shelter' became their home for a year. And the longer they lived there, the harder it became for Patti to cook proper meals on the RV's tiny stove. Pair that with the stress of losing and rebuilding her home, and Patti herself leaning on junk food (such as donuts) to get her through the days.

By the time she was finally able to move out of the RV and back into her house, she had put on 37 pounds. This was hard for Patti to handle, having always been a slender, active person. She just couldn't get used to being overweight, and the change taxed her physically and emotionally.

Then one morning she caught a newspaper ad for L A Weight Loss. That triggered a memory about a woman from her church who told her she lost weight on the program. Patti decided to give it a try.

She was quickly sold on the idea of learning how to eat the regular foods she loved, instead of swearing them off entirely. That was over a year ago. Today, Patti is still at her goal weight of 114 pounds -- the same weight she was in high school!

And now that her life -- and home!-- is back on track, Patti can focus on taking care of herself so she doesn't gain back the weight she worked to lose. She focuses on eating healthy foods, and incorporates some exercise into her life.

She walks on the treadmill, swims, gardens, and takes walks and hikes with her husband. Quite a journey!

Here's Patti before, at 151 pounds:



And after, at a more comfortable 114 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Patti Och
Hometown: Florida
Age: 64

Starting weight: 151 pounds
Goal weight: 114 pounds
Current weight: 114 pounds
Program start date: September 2005

Biggest motivator: Feeling better about herself. Gaining the extra weight took an emotional toll on Patti.

Old eating philosophy: Whatever was easiest to prepare in her tiny RV kitchen.

New eating philosophy: Makes conscious choices about what goes into her body. She eats lots of fruits and vegetables, avoids the junk food aisles at the supermarket, and strives to eat from the five basic food groups every day. She also learned how to make simple substitutions, like using whole wheat flour instead of white, and soy milk instead of regular.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling free to tackle whatever challenges lie ahead.

Best weight loss secret learned: If you focus on eating foods that are good for you, it will become a natural part of your lifestyle.

John Spino: The man with the famous pants

John Spino, 61, of Leesburg, Fla., once weighed 310 pounds. Today he weighs in at 182 pounds. John, whose health issues include diabetes, is proud of himself. He got involved in L A Weight Loss to save his life, but the social benefits helped keep him motivated.

John is physically active, and isn’t laying around anymore. He says everyone compliments him on “the new John” -- and no one can believe it’s the same guy they knew a few years ago. Even his doctor said, “Whatever you are doing, John, keep doing it! I wish more of my patients would!”

John told me he is done with junk food, and that his sugar cravings are gone. Now he can go into a regular store and buy regular clothes. John says they are a lot cheaper, so he was able to get rid of his old clothes -- even the huge pair of pants he wore before he joined L A Weight Loss.

Here's John at 310 pounds:

And now, with those famous pants: