Franchise owner's success inspires many

Courtney VanderPol's conflict with her weight started in high school. The problem grew worse when Courtney went away to college. During her first semester, she gained close to 30 pounds. The added weight caused Courtney to develop an eating disorder. Courtney would eat very little and exercise excessively, suffering from exercise bulimia.

Courtney soon was underweight, and was advised to seek counseling. She met with counselors and gained 40 pounds in six months. Something was missing from the counseling Courtney received though. She was eating and exercising regularly, but was still not cured of her weight battle.

Courtney tried other means of weight loss, but was unsuccessful. She was depriving herself. She would try diet pills, which would help her lose weight, but then she gained it right back. She was also a big snacker. She thought that since some snack foods would say "low fat" she could eat more than one serving in a sitting.

Portion control, not incorporating all the food groups, and lack of support and education were all contributing factors to her weight struggle.

The many attempts Courtney took to improve her body image was taking a toll on her mentally and physically. She was lacking calcium in her body from the eating disorder, which could result in bone loss. The diet pills were pulled from the market because they were not safe, and the unhappiness she felt looking in the mirror wore her out.

In February of 2002, still struggling with her weight, a friend suggested Courtney come in to LA Weight Loss to interview for a job in the Phoenix market. Courtney landed a job as a sales rep for LA Weight Loss, and decided to join the program. She bought all the products, and became a believer. Courtney wanted to learn how to lose weight and keep it off, adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Courtney met with the counselors, and learned how to balance and eat foods from each group. She started to lose weight, and felt comfortable putting on a bathing suit to enjoy the hot days Arizona offers by the pool.

Courtney became such a believer in the LA Weight Loss program that by November of 2002, Courtney and her husband moved to South Dakota and became LA Weight Loss franchise owners.

Her success and confidence in the program has influenced many of her family members and people in South Dakota to join the program. Courtney is a model to her family, teaching her children the right way to eat healthy and stay active.

Courtney says the worst part about being and feeling heavy was the time it took up in her life. She felt selfish, because she would put a lot of energy in what she was going to eat and how she felt, instead of spending it with her job and family. The LA Weight Loss program taught Courtney how to make eating healthy part of her lifestyle.

Courtney also had the privilege of starring in a LA Weight Loss commercial recently. The thought of wearing a bikini in the commercial challenged her, but she received great feedback from producers and LA Weight Loss. The commercial only showed others the confidence Courtney had in the program. She knew there was a reason why she was selected for the commercial: Her job is to inspire others.

Courtney at 162 pounds:



Courtney at 117 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Courtney VanderPol
Hometown: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Age: 34
Height: 5'7"

Starting weight: 162 lbs.
Goal weight: 133 lbs.
Current weight: 117 lbs.
Program start date: February 2002

Favorite food: Ice cream.

Biggest temptation: Cheez-Its.

Biggest motivator: Continuing to be a good role model.

Biggest obstacle: Stressing out.

Old eating philosophy: Thinking that the less she ate, the less she would weigh.

New eating philosophy: Eating more often while watching portions. Keeping her body fueled with fuel.

Best thing about losing weight: Having more time to focus on the quality things in life.

Best weight loss secret: It's important to incorporate the right amount of each food group.

Divorce starts a new chapter for eager dieter

We all know life has its highs and lows. One serious downer: going through a divorce. But people who view life with the glass half-full can see divorce as an opportunity for a fresh start.

For Beth Eager, her divorce was an eye-opening experience. She realized she was ending one chapter of her life, and beginning a new one.

But in February 2006, visiting the doctor in the midst of her divorce, this neo-natal nurse was surprised to learn she weighed 199 pounds. She was also diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and her blood pressure was borderline high.

Scared into action, Beth walked into the Sioux Falls, S.D., L A Weight Loss center, eager to get started. She'd been dieting on and off since she was 10, and had tried several options that just weren’t for her.

But L A Weight Loss’s one-on-one counseling was the missing touch -- she lost nine pounds in just the first week! Since then, Beth lost 44 pounds on her way to her goal weight of 132. She also stopped eating greasy fried foods, and her favorite: McDonald’s double cheeseburgers with fries.

She now dines on fish and lean meats, and snacks on fruits and vegetables. The best part: She feels great about herself, and looks smokin' on the back of her new boyfriend’s motorcycle!

Congratulations, Beth! You’ve had quite a ride!

Here’s Beth at 199 pounds:



And here she is in a stunning black ensemble at 155!



FAST FACTS

Name: Beth Eager
Hometown: Luverne, Minn.
Age: 50

Starting weight: 199 pounds
Goal weight: 132 pounds
Current weight: 155 pounds
Program start date: February 2006

Favorite food: Chicken.

Biggest temptation: Hamburgers.

Biggest motivator: Starting a new life after her divorce.

Biggest obstacle: Finding a diet program that worked for her.

Old eating philosophy: Binging on greasy foods.

New eating philosophy: Incorporating more fish and chicken into her diet.

Best thing about losing weight: Looking great on her boyfriend's motorcycle.

Best weight loss secret learned: Find a plan that works, and stick to it.

Nurse Carol Nygaard prescribes the '150-percent-better' cure

Devoting 12 hours every day to a neonatal intensive care unit leaves little time for yourself. Carol Nygaard knows this all too well. She's a registered nurse in Beresford, S.D. And after putting in intense half-day shifts, Carol didn't have much time to cook healthily or exercise -- and gained the weight to prove it.

She frequently became fatigued, and took naps in the afternoon. She also had trouble bending over and standing back up.

Her weight really became a problem when her husband told her she was snoring at night. She thought she was developing sleep apnea, and needed to see a doctor. But at 273 pounds, she didn't have to make an appointment to know what the doctor's remedy would be: Lose weight.

An ad for L A Weight Loss prompted Carol to call the Sioux Falls center. After losing a few pounds on the L A Weight Loss program, Carol noticed her sleep apnea was diminishing. After losing a bit more, her snoring and sleep apnea completely disappeared.

But that was just the beginning of a changed life for Carol. She lost 126 pounds, and is now down to 147 pounds! She can easily keep up with her two granddaughters, and likes to take them for rides in the wagon. Plus, she has no problem bending over to pick things up, and likes to walk on her treadmill three times a week, sometimes more.

The best thing about losing weight for Carol? It's been a year since she reached her goal weight, and she's still maintaining! She hasn't forgotten lessons learned from her L A Weight Loss counselor to eat healthily, and includes lots of vegetables, fruits, fish, and lean meats in her diet.

Her family is very happy for her, and she tells me she feels "150 percent better about herself." It shows, Carol! Way to go!

Here's Carol before, at 273 pounds:



And check out Carol now, at 147 pounds! Looking fabulous, Carol, keep up the great work!



FAST FACTS

Name: Carol Nygaard
Hometown: Beresford, S.D.
Age: 52

Starting weight: 273 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 147 pounds
Program start date: September 2004

Biggest temptation: Red meat.

Biggest motivator: Her grandchildren.

Biggest obstacle: Getting started on a weight loss plan.

Old eating philosophy: Ignoring fruits and vegetables, and eating a lot of red meat.

New eating philosophy: Making sure she gets all her fruits and vegetables every day, and eating more lean meats and fish.

Best thing about losing weight: Regaining energy and physical flexibility.

Best weight loss secret learned: If you're mentally there, it's much easier to start dropping the pounds.