Herbert Lang tips the scales in a favorable direction

For people who struggle with their weight, it sometimes only takes a single event to knock them off the see-saw into the major weight gain ground. For Herbert Lang, it was a single sentence.

Herbert struggled with his weight for all of his adult life. His retirement from the army however, finally tipped the scale to the side of major weight gain. After being told he was too big to be a good army instructor, he lost all motivation to stay in shape.

Herbert suffered from asthma and plantar fasciitis. He stopped exercising and his diet took a turn for the worse. Herbert's days were bookmarked by fast food meals, beginning with a drive-thru breakfast, and ending with a fast food dinner. For lunch, he would usually have a frozen meal. Before long, Herbert was tipping the scales at 322 pounds.

As a registered nurse, his desire to lose weight was no secret. He had tried a number of diets, but nothing worked. One day, Herbet's boss suggested he give L A Weight Loss a try. He looked into the program, and decided that the one-on-one meetings and personal accountability could be the motivation he needed to actually lose the weight.

Herbert joined his local Live Oak, Texas, L A Weight Loss center in April 2007. He was paired up with a personal weight loss counselor whom he met with several times a week. Herbert's counselor taught him the importance of a proper diet eaten in the right proportions.

For sweet treats and snacks, Herbert would munch on L A Lite bars. And when baking, he would mix Controltrim into his foods for an extra metabolism boost.

And it worked! Herbert shed the extra pounds. As his weight went down, his energy went up. Exercising became a possibility, and Herbert started hitting the gym again. He now goes to the gym three to four times a week, and meets with a personal trainer during two of those visits. Herbert also does little things every day to stay active, such as walking his dogs.

Since joining L A Weight Loss, Herbert has dropped 123 pounds. At 199 pounds, he's well on his way to his weight loss goal of 165 pounds. Herbert says he enjoys life more than he has in years.

Congratulations, Herbert! We're proud of you! Keep up the good work!

Here's Herbert pushing the scales at 322 pounds:



And here he is today, a much happier and healthier 199 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Herbert Lang
Hometown: Windcrest, Texas
Age: 49
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 322 pounds
Goal weight: 165 pounds
Current weight: 199 pounds
Program start date: April 2007

Favorite food: Cannolis.

Biggest temptation: Ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Watching the weight come off.

Biggest obstacle: Planning meals while on the road.

Old eating philosophy: Eating everything he saw.

New eating philosophy: Knowing when enough is enough.

Best thing about losing weight: Having more energy and appreciating life.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat the right proportions.

Richard Dunn puts the brakes on lifelong weight battle

School kids find it easy to harass overweight classmates. But when you’re the heavy one, taking the teasing is much harder.

That’s what Richard Dunn faced as a child when his weight struggles began. He tried to shrug off the name-calling and humiliation, but it often made him sad.

Fast-forward 20 years. Richard was 30 years old, and a truck inspector for a trucking company in Strafford, Mo. But he'd never had anyone put the brakes on his eating.

A self-described carb addict, Richard ate a lot of pasta, potato chips, and bread. He also packed away spuds and steaks by the pound -- a true meat-and-potatoes man. And he'd wash it all down with a 2-liter bottle of soda and a half gallon of whole milk every day.

It was a heart attack waiting to happen -- and it nearly did. Richard began complaining about a sore foot and back pain, and visited his doctor. The diagnosis: plantar fasciitis, a bad back, and borderline high blood pressure.

At the time, Richard weighed a whopping 328 pounds. His doctor urged him to lose weight before it was too late.

Richard researched several weight loss plans, and ultimately joined L A Weight Loss at the Springfield, Mo., center because their portion-control philosophy made sense to him.

He worked closely with his personal counselor Amy and center manager Kendra to develop a healthy, balanced meal plan. Soon he was eating well-rounded meals with plenty of fruit, vegetables, and lean protein.

The changes made the difference: Richard surpassed his goal weight of 197, and has dropped to a slim 194 pounds!!

Now Richard's no longer the couch potato he was two years ago. He has lots of energy to clean and work around the house. And the best part: wowing his old classmates at his next high school reunion!!

Awesome job, Richard!

Here is Richard at 328 pounds:



And here he is at a fantastic 197 pounds! Keep on truckin’, Richard!



FAST FACTS

Name: Richard Dunn
Hometown: Strafford, Mo.
Age: 30
Height: 6'1"

Starting weight: 328 pounds
Goal weight: 197 pounds
Current weight: 194 pounds
Program start date: Sept. 20, 2005

Favorite food: Pasta and potato chips.

Biggest temptation: Carbs.

Biggest motivator: Getting support from his fiancee Lorie.

Biggest obstacle: Being offered food from other people.

Old eating philosophy: Consuming high-calorie foods and drinking a 2-liter bottle of soda every day.

New eating philosophy: Incorporating vegetables, lean chicken, and fruits.

Best thing about losing weight: Being more active, and feeling he’ll live much longer.

Best weight loss secret learned: It takes time to lose weight, but once it's gone, you can keep it off.