Anne Brownfield takes weight loss to heart

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That's a motto Anne Brownfield was all too familiar with. And unfortunately, it related to her weight loss.

Ann struggled with weight for most of her life. She remembers her struggle beginning when she was seven years old. Anne had tried losing weight countless times, but nothing worked.

At 230 pounds, she struggled with acid reflux and heart burn. And walking anywhere was difficult. Plus, she was always uncomfortable. Anne was embarrassed in public, and couldn't fit into restaurant booths.

She knew that if she wanted to live longer, she needed to get healthy. With a long list of failed diets behind her, in October 2005, she turned to L A Weight Loss.

Anne joined her local Terre Haute, Ind. L A Weight Loss center, and was paired up with a one-on-one weight loss counselor. Anne liked that all of her meetings were private, and she didn't have to get up in front of a group to be weighed.

And thanks to her weight loss counselor, for the first time, she learned about what she should and should not be eating. Anne cut back on her fast food and boxed food meals, and started incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats into her diet.

It wasn't long before the weight started coming off. Since joining L A Weight Loss, Anne has dropped 90 pounds. At 140 pounds, she's only 10 pounds away from her weight loss goal.

And as her weight decreased, so did her medical problems. Anne's acid reflux and heartburn are completely gone. And she has no problem going for walks. Even better, Anne loves going shopping for new, smaller clothes.

Best of all, her self-esteem has greatly improved. Anne is happier and healthier than ever before. Way to go Anne!

Here's Anne at 230 pounds:



And here she is today at 140 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Anne Brownfield
Hometown: Terre Haute, Ind.
Age: 46
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 230 pounds
Goal weight: 130 pounds
Current weight: 140 pounds
Program start date: October 2005

Favorite food: Sweets.

Biggest temptation: Fast food.

Biggest motivator: Feeling better.

Biggest obstacle: Getting through the plateaus.

Old eating philosophy: Eating whatever was easiest.

New eating philosophy: Making sure she eats in the right portions.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling better physically and mentally.

Best weight loss secret learned: You don't need candy if you snack on L A Lite bars.

Wisconsin woman turns up the lights in Vegas

Think Vegas can't get any brighter? Then you weren't there when Connie Thone of Osh Kosh, Wis., was showing off her newfound energy, excitement, and zest for life under the brilliant lights.

But Connie's life wasn't always so dazzling. She started struggling with her weight as a child. Weight problems ran in her family, and she ate the wrong foods, never outgrowing her love for fast food or vending-machine snacks.

As she got older, Connie became an emotional eater when she was stressed, turning to ice cream and pizza. She also didn't like to cook, and usually grabbed whatever she could on the go.

Connie had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart burn, and was on two medications to treat the conditions. Worse, she had lymphodema in her leg, which prevented fluid from flowing correctly through her body, and caused her legs to swell.

She also had joint and lower back pain, especially when she walked. As a result, Connie was mostly sedentary. She was miserable with herself, and couldn't go on trips and do other things she wanted to do.

She tried two diets, losing about 80 pounds on each. But she couldn't maintain her weight loss, and gained it back. Then she gained more weight while going through a troublesome divorce, and soon spun the scales at 360 pounds.

Connie knew her health and life were in trouble. Her doctor strongly advised her to lose weight. Connie was determined to make a change for the better, so she joined her local L A Weight Loss center.

Working with the personal weight loss counselors, Connie learned how to cook simple, healthy meals, such as baked fish with lemon. When she ate out, she opted for salads, chicken, and other lean meats. She also ate more fruits and vegetables, and cut down her soda consumption.

The individual attention at L A Weight Loss made all the difference for Connie. The counselors were always there to help her if she hit a plateau, and helped get her back on the weight loss track. In fact, she became close friends with her weight loss counselor, Amber.

After two years on the L A Weight Loss plan, Connie lost 213 pounds, and is now a trim 147! All her medical conditions are improved, and she's no longer on medications. Her family and friends are thrilled with her success.

Plus, she recently visited two friends from college, one of which she hadn't seen in two years, and they were shocked to see the new Connie. They couldn't stop gushing about how great she looked!

But no one is happier than Connie. Now she can do things she always wanted to do. For starters, she took a vacation with her friends to Las Vegas in May. She had no problem fitting into her plane seat and walking around.

She also can shop at the mall without getting winded or feeling achy. Connie also got a bike this summer and rode 25 miles with a friend. She plans on taking a bike riding trip through the local trails soon.

Now, with renewed happiness, she shines just as brightly as the big city lights! Great job, Connie! You did it!


This is Connie at her heaviest, 360 pounds:



Here she is at 147 ...




FAST FACTS

Name: Connie Thone
Hometown: Osh Kosh, Wis.
Age: 44
Height: 5'0"

Starting weight: 360 pounds
Goal weight: 140 pounds
Current weight: 147 pounds
Program start date: April 11, 2005

Favorite food: Part skim ricotta cheese with unsweetened cocoa and two packets of sweetener.

Biggest temptation: Ice cream and pizza.

Biggest motivator: Getting healthy, and looking and feeling great.

Biggest obstacle: Learning to incorporate the right foods into her diet.

Old eating philosophy: Consuming whatever she wanted.

New eating philosophy: Paying attention to what she eats, and making healthy choices.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling much healthier, and knowing she has a longer lease on life, plus making great friends at L A Weight Loss along the way!

Best weight loss secret learned: Add variety to your diet.

Washington woman beats bad genetics

You've got your mother's eyes, your father's nose, and your grandmother's laugh. Thank genetics for it. Deborah Hopkins does. Except she's also thanking genetics for being overweight.

Weight problems run in her family, and affected her since puberty. Deborah struggled to overcome nature's will. Getting married and having five kids didn't help. But divorcing her husband sent her weight over the edge.

The 319-pound Deborah was taking one heartburn and two blood pressure medications. Her doctor told her she was on the verge of getting diabetes, and needed to lose weight immediately.

Deborah knew what her next action should be: Visit her local Salmon Creek, Wash., L A Weight Loss center.

After talking to the personal weight loss counselors and developing a new eating plan, Deborah felt reassured. She couldn't wait to get started on the path to her new life.

She began eating five smaller meals daily, and more fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Deborah also learned how to eat smart at restaurants. Plus, she nixed the fast and junk food, and it wasn't long before her cravings for these high-fat foods disappeared.

Deborah loved L A Weight Loss's one-on-one counseling. She looked forward to weighing in, and seeing her weight decrease. Her counselors always congratulated her on her progress, and encouraged her when she reached a plateau or gained a few pounds.

About 10 months later, Deborah's weight was down by 112 pounds!! Now at 207, she feels like a normal person. Deborah has so much energy that she joined her company's kickball team -- something she would never do at 319 pounds.

Deborah's also dating again, and enjoys spending time with her new beau on weekends. And the best part: She's no longer taking any of those medications!

For anyone else trying to lose weight, Deborah says you have to be ready in your heart and mind to drop the weight. Although your progress might be slow in the beginning, you can learn to live the rest of your life this healthier way, and achieve long-term weight loss success.

What great inspiration for everyone with weight problems or obesity in their family! Deborah is proof that you can overcome hereditary setbacks, and live a healthy, happy life!

Awesome job, Deborah!!!!!!!

This is Deborah before, at 319 pounds:



And here is the new Deborah at 207. Looking fabulous, Deborah. Way to go!!



FAST FACTS

Name: Deborah Hopkins
Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
Age: 42
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 319 pounds
Goal weight: 175 pounds
Current weight: 207 pounds
Program start date: March 2006

Favorite food: Chinese food.

Biggest temptation: Pizza.

Biggest motivator: Seeing her weight drop when she weighed in at the center.

Biggest obstacle: Getting rid of loose skin.

Old eating philosophy: Working long hours and late-night eating.

New eating philosophy: Consuming five smaller meals daily, and controlling her portions.

Best thing about losing weight: Being much happier and smiling more.

Best weight loss secret learned: It takes eating to lose weight.

Meaning of motherhood a weighty issue for Monica King

The most popular Mother's Day gifts last year were flowers, cards, and food, according to the National Retail Federation. But these tangible gifts can't really capture the true meaning of motherhood.

Instead, it takes something larger to really show what being a mom is all about. For Monica King of Copperas Cover, Texas, the meaning of motherhood reached 240 pounds.

Monica weighed 185 pounds when she got married in 2001. She half-heartedly followed fad diets, but her cravings for potato chips, pizza, and ice cream always won out.

Then Monica became pregnant with her baby girl Emily. That's when the pounds really added up, and she hit 240 pounds. After having Emily in 2003, Monica lost some baby weight, but reduced her size to only 192 pounds.

Because of the weight, Monica suffered severe sleep apnea and heartburn. Frustrated and fatigued, she wanted more than anything to go down the park slide, and swim with her daughter. But her weight held her back.

Monica's health took a turn for the worse when the excess weight caused a blood clot to form in the back of her left knee. She underwent vein-stripping surgery in early 2005 to relieve the clot.

When Monica came home, things weren't much better. That's when she decided the perfect way to get healthy and become a better mother would be to lose weight.

Monica put her plan into action with a trip to the Killeen, Texas, L A Weight Loss center. She immediately found the support and guidance she needed to get her eating habits on track. She could eat all her favorite foods -- including the pizza and ice cream -- just in moderation.

All along, Monica's biggest motivator was her mother. Monica told her what she should be eating, and cooked healthy meals with her. That helped Monica stick with the L A Weight Loss plan.

She reached her goal weight of 130 pounds on March 1, 2006, just five months after beginning her weight loss plan. That's 110 pounds gone from when she was at her heaviest!

And through it all, she had the one shining star that mattered to her most: her daughter Emily. Now four years old, Emily is full of life. Monica loves taking her to the park and going down the slide. They also rollerskate every Saturday afternoon, and bowl on Friday nights.

Monica always thinks positively, and knows she's a better mother now that her health is back on track. She couldn't have done it without her mother's support and her daughter's motivation. Sounds like this trio knows the true meaning of Mother's Day!

(Also, check out Monica's profile in this week's People Magazine!)

This is the 240-pound Monica before:



And here's Monica with a fabulous 130-pound figure and size 6 bikini to boot! Great job, Monica!



FAST FACTS

Name: Monica King
Hometown: Copperas Cover, Texas
Age: 26
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 240 pounds
Goal weight: 130 pounds
Current weight: 130 pounds
Program start date: Oct. 1, 2005

Biggest temptation: Ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Her daughter and mother.

Biggest obstacle: Getting over cravings for junk food.

Old eating philosophy: Indulging in pizza, rice, and other high-calorie foods.

New eating philosophy: Eating in moderation.

Best thing about losing weight: Being able to play with her daughter.

Best weight loss secret learned: Family support is the best way to stick with a weight loss plan.