Melinda Martin comes full circle by losing a full person

We talk to real women and men about their weight loss journeys every day. We recount their struggles and triumphs on this blog. But nobody can tell these stories better than the women and men themselves.

Case in point: Melinda Martin, of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. I was digging around in the L A Weight Loss archives last week, and came across her file. We profiled her last December, 23 months after she joined L A Weight Loss, and dropped from 337 to 164 pounds.

Reviewing her file, I found a fascinating document she sent me at the time: her weight loss story, in her own words. Melinda relates what it was like for her when her mother died, how she turned to food for solace, and her moment of revelation to lose weight and change her life.

She describes how she lost 173 pounds (that's a whole person!!!) -- and is smaller now than when she first met her husband.

If you +really+ want to know and feel what weight gain and loss feels like, or just need someone to relate to, please, read Melinda's story. I guarantee it will strike a chord.

Reading it, I noticed she was then four pounds away from her goal weight of 160 pounds. I wanted know how she's doing today, and if she reached her goal. So my colleague Janelle and I called and interviewed her on Friday, for a podcast.

I'm happy to report she lost those last four pounds, and is now in maintenance! She also revealed some great tips for sticking with a weight loss plan.

So read her unedited story, and then listen in on our personal conversation here.

It's stories like this that make me love my job!

Melinda Martin finally wins lifelong weight battle

Melinda struggled with her weight her whole life. But with her mother’s sudden death in 2003, Melinda got the wakeup call to stop wasting her life trapped in an unhealthy body.

She heard about L A Weight Loss through the local country radio station, and stopped in for a free consultation. Within one meeting, she was hooked. Melinda started her weight loss campaign in January ’05 at a scale-tipping 337 pounds, and lost HALF her size by the following year!

She celebrated by getting a beautiful new hairstyle (the first in years) that brought out her new svelte features. Her family was so proud of her accomplishment that they got a new family portrait right away. Say cheese, Melinda. Those flashbulbs will be popping for a long time to come!

Here's Melinda before:

And here she is now, with her new hairstyle to match her new figure:

FAST FACTS

Name: Melinda Martin
Hometown: Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
Age: 45

Starting weight: 337 pounds
Goal weight: 160 pounds
Current weight: 164 pounds
Program start date: January 2005

Favorite foods: Steak, shrimp, and chicken

Biggest temptation: Chocolate

Biggest motivator: Her husband and her family

Biggest obstacle: Overcoming the self-consciousness that comes with being overweight. Now she's no longer worried about what other people think.

Best thing about losing weight: Having more energy and a new look.

Best weight loss secret learned: The closer you get to your goal, the harder the weight loss can become.