Checking in with our Controltrim Challenge contestants

It's been a month since our 10 Atlanta Controltrim Weight Loss Challenge contestants started whittling away the weight. How much have they lost? Who's leading the race? Let's find out!

After running the numbers, Susie Powell is ahead of the pack, with a nine-pound weight loss. Now at 215 pounds, she's looking forward to becoming a better role model for her daughter, and impressing her boyfriend with her new figure when he returns home from Iraq.

But Alora Gaddy is close behind, now eight pounds lighter at 180. She's already accustomed to her new eating plan, which includes healthy foods and portion control.

Also dropping eight pounds is Theresa Conklin, who was motivated to join the challenge after a discouraging shopping trip for her son's wedding. Now weighing 174, she's well on her way to looking fabulous for any special occasion!

And the total weight loss between all 10 women? Forty-five pounds! Congrats, ladies! Keep up the great work!

Remember to check back soon to see who our "biggest loser" is!

Here's a shot of Alora today, eight pounds lighter, now at 180 pounds:



And here's Theresa at 174, also minus eight pounds:

Follow 10 Atlanta women racing to lose!

Fried chicken, grits, and hush puppies are hallmarks of Southern cooking, but they aren't too kind to your figure.

And they certainly haven't been kind to these 10 Atlanta women: Alora Gaddy, Dawn Fleming, Kari Conkle, Susie Powell, Sharie Rhea, Matilda Tuma, Theresa Conklin, Tina Tucker, Thelia Stevens, and Pamela Kennard-Hil. That's why they weigh a cumulative 1,979 pounds.

Now they're determined to whittle away a total of 504 pounds for good -- but in an unusual fashion. They're participating in the first-ever Atlanta Controltrim Weight Loss Challenge, sponsored by L A Weight Loss.

Starting today, these women will be on the L A Weight Loss plan, and competing against each other -- and the calendar -- to achieve their weight loss goals in six months.

The reward? Women who meet their goal weight by May 16, 2008, will be reimbursed for the program fee, and one grand prize winner will win a $1,000 new wardrobe shopping spree. (Mama needs a new pair of shoes ... or 20!)

During the challenge, the women will meet with their personal L A Weight Loss counselor three times a week to learn healthy eating habits and stay on their weight loss track. They'll also weigh-in once a week at the center, write their meals down in their daily diary, and use Controltrim in their everyday cooking.

Want to meet the women? Click here to read their stories and see their photos before they transform their bodies!

We'll be following their journeys by posting monthly updates on their progress. So be sure to check back here or bookmark this link.

Media interested in interviewing these women or learning more about the Atlanta Weight Loss Challenge can contact Jackie Zima at Jackie@GregoryFCA.com, 610-642-8253 ext. 138, or 215-534-2973 (mobile).

Good luck to all our participants! See you at the starting line!

Tina Tucker out to improve life in a smaller size

A self-titled "carboholic," Tina Tucker fills up on white bread, cake, chocolate, and other sweets. Now weighing 224 pounds, Tina has low self-esteem. She feels her larger size diminishes her credibility in her job as a banker.

Her husband, Lynn, has asked her to lose weight for years. She's tried following popular diet programs and taking weight loss pills to drop the pounds, but nothing has worked.

Enough is enough. Tina wants to get healthy, and regain her confidence. And she wants Lynn to look at her the way he did when they married 15 years ago.

Tina is aiming to lose 54 pounds on the Atlanta Controltrim Weight Loss Challenge, and show herself and Lynn the beautiful woman inside! Once she's reached her goal, she hopes she can inspire other overweight people to shed the pounds, too.

Here's Tina at 224 pounds, before she undergoes her transformation:



FAST FACTS

Name: Tina Tucker
Hometown: Camp Creek, Ga.
Age: 35
Height: 5'4"

Starting weight: 224 pounds
Goal weight: 170 pounds

Favorite food: Carbs.

Biggest temptation: Sweets.

Biggest motivator: Wanting to regain her self-esteem.

Current eating philosophy: Loading up on white breads and sweets.

Biggest reason for participating in the challenge: To feel better about herself and strengthen her marriage.