Sydney Bowen empties the nest and dumps the weight

For parents, when all the kids move out and the nest is empty, it can be difficult adjusting to the new household dynamic. But it's also an opportunity to try to new things. For Sydney Bowen, the empty nest was the push to take control of her obesity and get her life back on track.

Weight had been an issue for Sydney since childhood. Sydney remembers being left home alone after school and turning to food for comfort. Her parents both worked and her siblings had their own lives. To fill the time, Sydney snacked.

She started her first diet program at age 11, attending a weight loss center with her mom. As the youngest of five, she became her mother’s dieting sidekick.

Still, she couldn't help but indulge in Chinese, Mexican, and McDonalds. Never a big fan of sweets, Sydney enjoyed "real" food, in large quantities. She enjoyed eating out, and loved to fill her plate at barbecues. But food was only a temporary comfort. Sydney was miserable most of the time, toting around at 283 pounds.

Then Sydney got one of the worst scares of her life. She was diagnosed with borderline type-2 diabetes. But she was immune to insulin, and had to take pills to maintain her health and prevent full development of the condition.

With a family history of diabetes, Sydney feared she was headed down the same unhealthy path. She also had borderline high blood pressure, but refrained from medication. She needed to lose weight to get her health back on track.

Sydney's doctor prescribed her a diet pill. She lost 80 pounds on the medication, although eventually became immune to its effects and gained back the 80 pounds, plus some.

She felt miserable and couldn’t bear to feel that way, especially after all of her children moved out. She didn't want to be alone, unhealthy, and depressed.

She considered gastric bypass surgery, but realized it was too expensive. Then she saw L A Weight Loss member Sharla Pincock on the cover of People Magazine's Half Their Size issue, and on TV. Sharla's success inspired Sydney, and she decided to join L A Weight Loss.

She was matched up with a personal weight loss counselor, who taught her how to eat her favorite foods in the right portions. Sydney learned to not eat for pleasure, but eat to live. She cut out fast food, and instead filled up on healthy amounts of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole-grain carbs.

Today, Sydney is 125 pounds lighter. She weighs 158, just three pounds away from her goal weight of 155 pounds. Sydney no longer needs diabetes medication and has stopped taking diet pills. She vows never to take a diet pill again, and encourages others to do the same.

The reaction of family members and friends who haven’t seen her for a while is enough to keep her going on her path to success. She’s gotten to this place by mentally committing to losing weight.

She continues to eat healthy foods, including fruits, veggies, chicken, and fish. A new habit of Sydney’s is preparing her own food. She still eats out occasionally, but enjoys having control of what goes into her meals, and how much. Now, when she goes to a barbecue, she doesn’t feel the need to fill her plate. Sydney also enjoys L A Lites to curb her occasional sweet craving.

Pleasure in the little things is what Sydney loves most about her weight loss. She can play with her grandkids, shop anywhere, and fit comfortably into a waiting room chair. She even got a trampoline! Sydney jumps daily, a pastime that she had forgotten when her weight got in the way.

Most impressive is Sydney’s recent accomplishment of running in two 5K marathons. She is now training for the 1/2 marathon next year in Salt Lake City. For Sydney, training for these marathons is a hobby. Great choice of a hobby! Good for you, Sydney!

Here is Sydney at 283 pounds:



And here she is today, looking great at 158 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Sydney Bowen
Hometown: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Age: 43
Height: 5'5"

Starting weight: 283 pounds
Goal weight: 155 pounds
Current weight: 158 pounds
Program start date: Jan. 2, 2007

Favorite food: Cheesy Taco Salad in the L A Weight Loss cookbook.

Biggest temptation: Mexican food.

Biggest motivator: Being able to pick up her grandchildren.

Biggest obstacle: Falling into a plateau.

Old eating philosophy: Eating tacos, enchiladas, chips and salsa, McDonalds, and Chinese daily.

New eating philosophy: Cooking chicken, turkey, fish, broccoli, spinach, salad, and strawberries instead of going out.

Best thing about losing weight: Getting off of type-2 diabetes medicine and feeling healthy.

Best weight loss secret learned: It's all about your mindset.

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!

Camille and Brady Orchard grow thin together

Camille and Brady Orchard took two different paths to get there, but the Idaho Falls, Idaho, couple both wound up in the same unhealthy place -- obesity.

For Camille, weight problems began when she had the first of the couple's four children. She gained 60 pounds with their first child, and a little bit more with each one after that. Eventually, her weight ballooned to 203 pounds.

Even more frustrating for Camille -- her entire family was thin. Camille had tried dieting in the past, even taking dangerous medications, but she never learned how to make a clean break from her unhealthy eating habits.

Brady gained weight consistently through college. When he graduated, he was up to 240 pounds. Brady's first job kept him in the office, stuck behind a computer for long hours. When he had time to eat, it was usually soda, candy, and other junk food.

Brady was heavy, but didn't know he had health problems until he was rejected for a blood drive. It turned out he was on the path to diabetes, and was forced to take a smorgasbord of prescription medications to control it.

The couple was spent. They couldn't stand being overweight any longer. They remembered something their friends had told them about: L A Weight Loss. They lost weight on the program, and were keeping it off.

So in February 2007, Camille and Brady went to their local Idaho Falls, Idaho, L A Weight Loss center and received one-on-one counseling to shed the pounds together. They learned about the healthy alternatives to their favorite foods, and how reducing portions sizes can reduce their clothes sizes, too.

Today, Brady and Camille have cut out the fast food, and grill or cook with the crock pot instead of frying. They're also drinking more water than ever before.

Brady's not a big vegetable guy, but he's working more greens into every portion. Breakfasts are filled with yogurt, pineapple, cottage cheese, and sometimes a protein bar for balance.

But Brady and Camille haven't changed just their diet. They're boosting their heart rates with consistent exercise. Camille is hitting the treadmill four to five days a week, and also works in crunches and bicep curls. Brady likes the bike better, and peddles 45 minutes, five days a week.

All the hard work is paying off for the Orchards. Brady's lost 81 pounds so far, and currently weighs 199 pounds. Camille has dropped 56, now weighing 147 pounds. Both have surpassed their goal weights. And while the couple's weight is steadily going down, their self confidence is soaring.

Camille says she's no longer embarrassed to play with her kids on the playground, or take them swimming. She loves buying new clothes to fit her new figure. Brady's off all of his medications and got a new job, which reduced his stress level quite a bit.

Best of all, the couple feels happier together now that they're 137 pounds lighter. The lessons they've learned with L A Weight Loss will stay with them forever, and the couple is setting a healthier example for their kids. Congrats, you two!

Here's Camille at 203 pounds:



And here she is today, at 147 pounds:



Here's Brady at his old 280 pounds:



And here he is is today at 199 pounds. Wow, looking great, guys!



FAST FACTS

Name: Camille Orchard
Hometown: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Age: 34
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 203 pounds
Goal weight: 148 pounds
Current weight: 147 pounds
Program start date: February 2007

Favorite food: Tilapia and Halibut.

Biggest temptation: Eating chocolate.

Biggest motivator: Weighing in three times a week, and getting support from her husband.

Biggest obstacle: Making time for exercise and the kids.

Old eating philosophy: Living to eat.

New eating philosophy: Eating to live.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling more confident and happy.

Best weight loss secret learned: Sugar-free Jell-o and two tablespoons of fat-free Cool Whip is a great, no-guilt snack.



Name: Brady Orchard
Hometown: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Age: 34
Height: 5'11"

Starting weight: 280 pounds
Goal weight: 210 pounds
Current weight: 199 pounds
Program start date: February 2007

Favorite food: Mexican food.

Biggest temptation: Chops and salt.

Biggest motivator: Getting healthier every week with Camille by his side.

Biggest obstacle: Having snacks around.

Old eating philosophy: Satisfying his appetite immediately.

New eating philosophy: Thinking before he eats.

Best thing about losing weight: Knowing that he's added years to his life.

Best weight loss secret learned: It's all about the right portion sizes.

From blog, to magazine cover, to TV, these ladies do it all

The new year is off to a great start for Courtney Dawson of Louisiana and Sharla Pincock of Idaho. After slimming down to half their size on the L A Weight Loss program, they caught the attention of People magazine's editors.

The women were selected among thousands of candidates across the country to be featured on the Jan. 14th cover of People's Half Their Size issue.

Courtney went from 334 pounds to 168 pounds. And Sharla dropped from 301 pounds to 150 pounds. Click here to check out their magazine cover debut. That's Sharla on the left, and Courtney on the right.

Also take a look at their profiles on People's Web site, where Courtney and Sharla share their incredible weight loss stories with America. Congratulations, ladies!

But the news didn't stop there. NBC's Today Show caught wind of their stories, and interviewed the women live this morning. What a whirlwind!

Stay tuned, as I'll be sharing Courtney and Sharla's experience with People and the Today Show. I can't wait to hear about their morning with Matt Lauer. ;)

Sharla Pincock loses the baby weight, five times over

Pregnancy comes with many challenges. But for Sharla Pincock, giving birth wasn’t the hard part. Losing the baby weight was.

As a stay-at-home mother of five, she suffered from post-partum depression, and turned to food for comfort. She didn’t have time to cook balanced meals, and filled up on quick fixes to satisfy her hunger.

High-calorie carbs such as bagels and breads were always in hand. By the beginning of 2006, Sharla tipped the scales at 301 pounds.

Her health wasn't the only thing compromised by her weight. Sharla didn’t have the energy to give her kids the time and attention they deserved. Instead of joining them on the playground, she sat on the bench and watched. And coaching her daughter's volleyball team was exhausting.

Sharla knew she had to lose weight and get her life back on track, or risk serious serious complications. She tried dropping the pounds by exercising on her treadmill at home and playing on a volleyball team once a week. But despite her best efforts, nothing seemed to work.

But then her friend, Cami, turned Sharla on to L A Weight Loss. Cami was on the program, and had dropped 80 pounds. Sharla’s mother was also on the L A Weight Loss plan, and had lost 40 pounds. Inspired by their success, Sharla decided to give the program a try.

In April, she joined the Rexburg, Idaho, center, and worked with her personal weight loss counselors to adjust her diet. She incorporated more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and proteins into her menu, and ate everything in moderation.

She also learned how to prepare healthy homemade meals and treats from her L A Lite cookbook. To round out her weight loss plan, Sharla exercised at home for 50 minutes three times a week on her stairstepper and treadmill.

Since joining L A Weight Loss, Sharla has lost 150 pounds -- half her size! She now runs 5K marathons with ease, plays volleyball with gusto, and has no problem keeping up with her children. Sharla even hiked 14 miles up Table Rock Mountain last summer.

One of Sharla's favorite parts about losing weight is shopping for her new size 6 figure. Plus, she lost all of her baby weight and then some! She's slimmer now than she was when she got married. In fact, Sharla looks so good now, people have thought her husband was cheating on her with a new woman! ;)

Here's Sharla at 301 pounds:



And here she is now, looking absolutely fantastic at 150 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Sharla Pincock
Hometown: Sugar City, Idaho
Age: 33
Height: 5'8"

Starting weight: 301 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 150 pounds
Program start date: April 2006

Favorite food: Steamed vegetables.

Biggest temptation: Brownie sundaes.

Biggest motivator: Keeping up with her five children.

Biggest obstacle: Staying positive.

Old eating philosophy: Munching on tons of carbs.

New eating philosophy: Eating more vegetables, proteins, and dairy.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling more confident, and having more energy than ever before.

Best weight loss secret learned: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Solid family ties help thin Idaho mom's waistline

Take a look at your family, and it can be easy to see why bad eating habits are hard to shake. If you're constantly surrounded by people who pile on the portions, it can be tough to limit your servings and control your weight.

That's why Sara O'Connor struggled with her weight her entire life. Her family ate huge portions with fatty meats and starches. Vegetables rarely made their way to the dinner table.

Sara's bad eating habits followed her into adulthood. She often snacked on candy, and didn't get balanced nutrition. Her two pregnancies pushed the scale higher, topping out at 318 pounds.

Sara suffered from back and knee pain, and knew it was a matter of time before more serious health issues sprung up.

Worse, she didn't have the energy or stamina to keep up with her two young children. Her weight also made her self-conscious. Sara was uncomfortable meeting new people. And the thought of squeezing into an airplane seat to visit her husband's family in Ireland was horrifying.

Then Sara's cousin came for a family visit. She had also been overweight her entire life, and recently shed over 100 pounds. Her secret: L A Weight Loss.

Sara was shocked by her cousin's transformation. Even more shocking was the fact that her cousin could eat normal foods like everyone else. Sara decided to take control of her weight too, and joined her local Pocatella, Idaho, L A Weight Loss center.

She worked diligently with her one-on-one counselors to change her bad eating habits. Sara substituted red and fatty meats for lean chicken, and added plenty of fruits and vegetables to her meals.

She also made little diet tweaks, such as switching from whole milk to skim milk, and cutting back on candy and ice cream consumption. Determined not to let her children grow up eating poorly, Sara incorporated the healthy changes into her family's diet too.

Sara quickly began dropping the pounds. Her L A Weight Loss counselors kept her motivated when she was temped to cheat. And the L A Lite bars and supplements helped keep her on track by quashing her sweet cravings.

Now Sara weighs 185 pounds! That's 113 pounds down, making her only 20 pounds away from her goal weight of 165. Sara believes that losing weight has changed her life. She has a new sense of self-confidence, and doesn't shy from challenges.

Sara can now fit into cute, professional clothes, and she thinks her new look helped her get a better position in the president's office of a local university. But she's not stopping there. She's continuing to enhance her professional life by taking classes to get her master's degree.

Sara is happier in her family life, too. She has more energy to play with her children, and is glad to see her husband drop weight thanks to her healthy, new cooking style.

Best of all, Sara loves her new life, and is thankful for the motivation her cousin gave her to gain control of her weight. She has shown that while weight problems might be all in the family, so are weight solutions.

Way to go, Sara! Keep up the good work!

Here's Sara weighing in at 318 pounds:



And here she is today, at 185 pounds. Wow! Looking great, Sara! Congrats!



FAST FACTS

Name: Sara O'Connor
Hometown: Pocatello, Idaho
Age: 36
Height: 5'9"

Starting weight: 318 pounds
Goal weight: 165 pounds
Current weight: 185 pounds
Program start date: September 2005

Favorite food: Ice cream.

Biggest temptation: Ice cream and chocolate.

Biggest motivator: Wanting to be able to do more with her two boys.

Biggest obstacle: Trying to find time to exercise while having two kids and a job.

Old eating philosophy: Eating big portions.

New eating philosophy: Eating more fruits and vegetables.

Best thing about losing weight: Getting a better job, and being able to sport professional clothing.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat lots of vegetables to fill up.

Shannon Klaas shows it's possible to beat the stereotype

As if physical problems weren't enough, overweight people often battle stereotypes, too. Some common misconceptions: They're heavy because they're lazy, they eat too much fast food, or they don't understand nutrition.

Shannon Klaas had struggled with her weight since adolescence, and was all too familiar with the assumptions that came with it. Throughout her teens and 20s, she steadily packed on the pounds, and weighed 275 pounds by age 26.

For Shannon, the worst part about being overweight was how others treated her. She noticed people staring when she was out in public, and their gazes made her feel unhealthy. Shannon wasn't lazy, but she knew others believed she was judging by their reactions to her.

To make matters worse, Shannon's extra weight gave her joint pain which kept her from exercising. Then a back injury put her out of work, making her even more sedentary.

The breaking point came when Shannon traveled to Disney World in July 2005, and had to ask for a seat belt extension on the plane. Her shame only grew when she was too overweight to fit on many of the park's rides. Then and there, Shannon knew she needed to change her life.

She tried a number of diet programs, but Shannon never felt committed or accountable on any of them. Then, in April 2006, a friend gave Shannon an L A Lite bar to snack on. She liked it so much, she immediately went down to her local L A Weight Loss center in Twin Falls, Idaho, and signed up!

Shannon discovered that the L A Weight Loss plan was easy to follow. With the help of her personal counselor, she added lots of fruit, vegetables, and lean meats to her diet, and cut out fatty foods. Shannon also cooked yummy meals from her L A Weight Loss cookbook, and loved indulging in L A Lite bars and powdered smoothies.

Since starting her L A Weight Loss program, Shannon lost 108 pounds! Now Shannon loves her new-found energy. She is more active than ever before, and enjoys riding her bike, walking on the treadmill, and playing with her nieces.

Plus, Shannon's outlook on life is more positive, and her outgoing personality has changed the relationships with everyone around her. Shannon's weight loss even inspired her dad and her friends to start eating healthier and leading more active lives.

Best of all, Shannon knows she will never have to face those old overweight stereotypes from others again. And since Shannon has been hired as an L A Weight Loss counselor, she'll be changing lives every day, the same way she changed her own.

We're proud of you, Shannon!

Here's Shannon (and Mickey) at her heaviest:



And here she is now, looking unbelievable at 167 pounds!



FAST FACTS

Name: Shannon Klaas
Hometown: Jerome, Idaho
Age: 27
Height: 5'8"

Starting weight: 275 pounds
Goal weight: 145 pounds
Current weight: 167 pounds
Program start date: April 2006

Favorite food: Mexican.

Biggest temptation: Chocolate.

Biggest motivator: Being free of health problems.

Biggest obstacle: Hitting plateaus.

Old eating philosophy: Piling her plate with food, and eating more, even if when she wasn't hungry.

New eating philosophy: Knowing that she doesn't have to finish her plate, and saving what she doesn't eat.

Best thing about losing weight: Gaining back the self-confidence that she lost, being healthy and active, and spending more time with family and friends.

Best weight loss secret learned: Learn how to eat and be active.

Weight loss more than cosmetic change for Cherie Anderson

Idaho mom Cherie Anderson was thrilled when the stork brought her a beautiful baby girl. She wasn't so thrilled with the post-partum depression -- or the extra 45 pounds she gained.

Cherie had struggled with weight since junior high school. She tried all kinds of diets, from herbal remedies to formal programs. But no matter how hard she tried to eat right and exercise, nothing worked.

The situation only got worse after her pregnancy, when Cherie hit 230 pounds. She was so self-conscious about her weight that she had trouble being intimate with her husband –- a definite strain on their marriage. And her self-esteem, confidence, and energy plummeted.

Then hope came at the cosmetics counter at the mall where Cherie worked. One of her favorite clients told her about L A Weight Loss, and the success she'd had on the program. This recommendation stuck with Cherie, especially when she passed the L A Weight Loss center on her corner, and decided to pull in for a consultation.

Once she joined, she was hooked. Cherie started to lose weight right away -- eight pounds in her first week! And weighing in three times a week motivated her to keep on losing.

Twenty-eight weeks and 75 pounds later, Cherie is a bonafide success at 155-pounds goal weight!! Her energy is through the roof when she goes to the sand dunes with her husband and daughter. And who wouldn't get a kick out of buying smaller shirts at the mall?

Best of all, Cherie feels much more confident about her style, her appearance, and her body -- a terrific reflection of how great she feels on the inside!

Here's Cherie at 230 pounds:



And here she is, beautiful inside and out, at 155 pounds!



FAST FACTS

Name: Cherie Anderson
Hometown: Salt Lake City
Age: 30
Height: 5’5

Starting weight: 230 pounds
Goal weight: 155 pounds
Current weight: 155 pounds

Favorite food: Popcorn.

Biggest temptation: Chocolate.

Biggest motivator: Weighing in three times a week, and seeing her weight go down week by week.

Biggest obstacle: Staying intimate with her husband while she was overweight.

Old eating philosophy: Snacking on pancakes and frozen peas.

New eating philosophy: Enjoying vegetables, fruit, and turkey burgers.

Best thing about losing weight: Fitting into a size 10!

Best weight loss secret learned: You have to dedicate yourself 100 percent. Just put your whole mind and body into it. Get to the point where you get your life back, and enjoy it!

Valentine's Day story: Rediscovering love after loss

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's the story of Steve and Lori Conger, who've been married for 25 years, and are raising seven children.

The Congers planned and saved for a once-in-a-lifetime Hawaiian vacation to mark their silver anniversary. But they spent most of the time crying in their hotel room, because their weight got in the way of their fun.

Steve, at 285 pounds, was mortified when he was charged for two seats on a helicopter ride. Lori, at 178 pounds, was depressed after struggling to fit into a sundress she wanted to buy.

Things got worse back home when they started flipping through their vacation photos. As Lori puts it in a letter she sent me, when she saw how heavy they were, she decided it was time for a change.

Lori heard about L A Weight Loss through a friend. Determined to get their bodies and their lives back, Lori and Steve went to the Nampa L A Weight Loss Center in Homedale, Idaho, last January.

There they found what Lori calls their "support team" of L A Weight Loss employees: Diane Maggard, Terry Harvey, and Irene Bassler. And with their help, the Congers saw immediate results.

In the first two days, Steve lost 7 pounds, and Lori lost close to 4! Over time, the Congers recouped the energy and fun they had as thinner newlyweds. On weekends, they now jet-ski, sail, and take their kids to water parks -- without running out of breath.

Today the happy couple are more in love than ever with each other, and their new bodies. Together they've lost 130 pounds: Steve 92, and Lori 38!!

Here's Lori at 178 pounds, and Steve at 285 pounds:



And here they are one year later, Lori at 140 pounds, Steve at 193 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Lori Conger
Hometown: Homedale, Idaho
Age: 42
Height: 5’7"

Starting weight: 178 pounds
Goal weight: 140 pounds
Current weight: 140 pounds

Program start date: Jan. 16, 2006

Biggest motivator: Losing weight for her daughter’s wedding on Oct. 16, 2006.

Biggest obstacle: Watching her diet while vacationing.

Old eating philosophy: Super-sized sandwiches, hot cakes, brownies, and Coke.

New eating philosophy: A healthier combination of fish, grilled chicken, veggies, and fruits.

Best thing about losing weight: All of the compliments she received at her daughter’s wedding.

Best weight loss secret learned: It is possible to incorporate your favorite foods into your diet and still lose weight.

Name: Steve Conger
Hometown: Homedale, Idaho
Age: 44
Height: 6’0"

Starting weight: 285 pounds
Goal weight: 190 pounds
Current weight: 193 pounds

Program start date: Jan. 16, 2006

Biggest motivator: Getting back the self-esteem and self-confidence he had before he gained weight.

Biggest obstacle: Regaining his zeal for life.

Old eating philosophy: Chocolate milk, burgers, tacos, and mashed potatoes.

New eating philosophy: A balanced diet of proteins, carbs, and vitamin-rich foods (although he does treat himself to a burger every now and then).

Best thing about losing weight: His energy level is through the roof.

Best weight loss secret learned: You don't have to sacrifice office lunches during the week. Just make smarter choices.

Mother of seven drops five dress sizes

I just got a copy of Quick and Simple’s February 6th issue, and was *thrilled* to see Lexine Saunders' story featured on page 6.

Be sure to pick up a copy of this great magazine, and read all about how Lexine dropped 54 pounds on the L A Weight Loss program. Here's my brief version of her story.

At 43 years old, Lexine main priority was taking care of her seven children. But putting herself last meant putting her health last, too.

When she hit 204 pounds, her husband said her weight was keeping her from the thing she loved most: fun activities and games with her kids.

That very day, Lexine drove herself to the L A Weight Loss center in Rexburg, Idaho, looking for help. It was there she learned how to kick her "bad" food habits (such as eating old leftovers, which don't have sufficient vitamins and nutrients).

Five months later, Lexine had lost 54 pounds, and was down five dress sizes! At a slimming 150 pounds and size 8, Lexine’s no longer missing out on her kids.

She’s now hiking, biking, and swimming with them! And last summer, she helped her husband and kids build a family cabin.

Here she is at 204 pounds:



And, here she is today at a beautiful 150 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Lexine Saunders
Hometown: Rexburg, Idaho
Age: 44
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 204 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 150 pounds

Program start date: March 1, 2005

Favorite L A Weight Loss recipe: Chicken casserole.

Biggest temptation: Carbs.

Biggest motivator: Her seven children.

Biggest obstacle: Learning to put herself first.

Old eating philosophy: Week-old leftovers and lots of carbs.

New eating philosophy: Homemade meals every day made with fresh veggies from her garden.

Best thing about losing weight: Having the energy to play with her kids.

Best weight loss secret learned: Gardening burns 350 calories an hour!

Three quarts of water a day makes the weight go away

Kristy Robb used food as therapy her whole life, indulging in cake, ice cream, and other sweets whenever she felt blue. Soon, however, her childhood chubbiness turned into adult obesity. She was always short of breath, and faced chronic pain.

On a trip to Yellowstone National Park, she could barely keep up on the 2-mile trail, slowing down the entire group. And at only age 44, she was tipping the scales at 309 lbs. Kristy knew she had to make a change, or face deadly consequences.

Kristy tried losing weight on her own, but ultimately joined L A Weight Loss for the extra help. Meeting with her counselor once a week, and writing in her food diary, kept her accountable for all her meal choices.

Plus, she loved how easy it was to prepare and eat normal foods, while still indulging her occasional sweet tooth. The amazing part is that Kristy hit her goal weight of 150 lbs. after only one year! Yellowstone, here she comes!

What a difference a year makes. Here she is in 2004 at 309 lbs.:



And in 2005, at a healthy 150 lbs.



YOWZA!

FAST FACTS

Name: Kristy Robb
Hometown: Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Age: 45

Starting weight: 309 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 142 pounds
Program start date: September 2004

Favorite foods: Chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Fear of obesity’s health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and death.

Biggest obstacle: Emotional eating.

Old eating philosophy: Food was a comfort zone, which led to overeating and poor portion control.

New eating philosophy: Eat normal foods and the occasional treat at home. Get everything your body needs from the different food groups. And don't forget about portion control.

Best thing about losing weight: It changed the way she thinks and feels about food, and gave her a new life as a slender, healthy person.

Best weight loss secret learned: Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day (she drinks 3 quarts).