Tragedy inspires Judi Matts to drop half her size

Judi Matts didn’t wake up one morning and decide to lose weight. A series of events played out in her life which sparked her desire to get healthy.

As a child, Judi was overweight. She is one of five girls, and among them, three have been obese their whole lives. Two are “model skinny,” as Judi likes to put it.

When she reached 322 pounds, Judi felt all she could do was eat food and go to the movies. She wasn’t social at all. She was afraid that if she tried to do fun things, she would fail and be embarrassed. One her worst fears was sitting in a seat that was too small for her.

The side effects of Judi's obesity were largely fatigue and knee pain. Her sister, however, wasn't doing well. At age 46, Judi’s sister came down with pneumonia, bringing with it a host of negative side effects.

Then tragedy struck. She was discovered in a coma one day in her home, and passed away shortly thereafter in the hospital.

The sudden death of her sister in 2001 was an eye-opener for Judi. It made her wonder how much she might be cutting her life short by being overweight.

But she didn't take action to correct the situation until a year later. That's when she was in a life-threatening car accident. She survived, but it was by a mere chance. That made Judi finally realize how precious her life is, and important it is to be healthy and safe.

Around that time, a friend told her about the success she was having with L A Weight Loss. She was feeling great after losing 85 pounds, and Judi wanted to feel that way, too.

She joined L A Weight Loss in 2003, and hasn’t looked back. Judi remembers inspirational words from her L A Weight Loss counselor on her first day with the program: "You have done the hardest thing by walking through those doors," said her counselor. "We are here to help you with the rest. You can do it."

It was just what she needed to hear. From that point, adjusting her eating plan was easy. Judi used L A Lite bars to curb her sweet cravings. She also prepared food in advance so that it would fit her regimen. For Judi, it was all about conscious eating and making good choices. Drinking plenty of water was a staple, too.

A great source of motivation for Judi was pampering herself along the journey. With every milestone she treated herself with a facial, pedicure, spa visit, or shopping spree. And the result? She lost 172 pounds!

Today, at 150 pounds, Judi has maintained her weight loss for three years. She can walk and breathe freely. She can also shop stress-free, because she can fit into fashionable clothes.

Instead of living to eat, Judi now eats to live. She participates in life instead of watching it pass by. With her sister and friend as motivation, Judi was able to kick her bad habits and become healthy.

In fact, she recently went shopping with one of her “model thin” sisters and they had a great time. Family and friends have been great motivation for Judi.

Judi knows that if she goes back to how she ate before she will look that way, too. Her habits now are a way of life. Having maintained her weight loss for three years, this way of life is clearly working. What an inspiration Judi is for those at the start of their journey! Congrats, Judi!

Here she is at 322 pounds:



And here she is today, at 150 pounds, three years after reaching her goal. Wow, you still got it, Judi!



FAST FACTS

Name: Judi Matts
Hometown: Orem, Utah
Age: 52
Height: 5'3"

Starting weight: 322 pounds
Goal weight: 180 pounds
Current weight: 150 pounds
Program start date: 2003

Favorite food: Chocolate.

Biggest temptation: Sweets.

Biggest motivator: Recognizing the need to live life to the fullest.

Biggest obstacle: Thinking that food was in control.

Old eating philosophy: Eating as a way to experience emotions.

New eating philosophy: Thinking, "eat to live, not live to eat."

Best thing about losing weight: Getting to shop comfortably!

Best weight loss secret learned: Never forget this: If you weigh 300 pounds, it is because you eat that way. Eat the foods that support your lifestyle and your weight will reflect that.

Utah mom lets blocks fall to happier, healthier life

Life is like dominoes. One block falls and hits another, which hits another, which hits another. Pretty soon a whole line of blocks is falling one after another, creating an exciting, sometimes beautiful piece of moving art. Cause and effect. Just like life.

When Kandi Manzanares's dominoes fell, the result was a much smaller, much happier woman. Kandi was overweight most of her adult life. When she married her husband at age 18, the stress of a new life in a new home resulted in a lot of comfort eating.

She gradually gained weight throughout the years. Each of Kandi's three pregnancies left her significantly larger than before, too. In fact, she gained weight so quickly with each baby, it worried her doctors. By the time she had her third baby, Kandi was tipping the scales at 223 pounds.

Her diet was anything but healthy. Fast food was a staple. Fruits and vegetables were never included, and she rarely cooked dinner for the family. And Kandi often overloaded on breads and sweets.

Her body felt the effects of carrying around too much weight. She was on medication for high blood pressure, and she suffered from constant back pain. Besides her physical problems, Kandi was depressed. She hated meeting new people and going to new places. She simply didn't want to be seen.

But Kandi wasn't the only person affected by her bad eating habits. When her family doctor diagnosed high cholesterol in her 11-year-old daughter, Kandi's first domino fell. She knew she needed to get everyone healthy.

Kandi tried a number of diets, but nothing worked. She needed a program that would teach her about nutrition, and give her valuable lessons to take away -- not pre-packaged foods and embarrassing group meetings.

Then, in February 2006, Kandi discovered L A Weight Loss. She joined her local Draper, Utah, L A Weight Loss center, determined to lose weight and get healthy. There, Kandi was paired up with a personal weight loss counselor who helped her every step of the way.

Her counselor taught her how to re-vamp her diet. And as Kandi's diet improved, so did her family's. Soon the dominoes were falling. Kandi eliminated most of her family's fast food binges, and added fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and water. Her whole family loved their new, healthier meals.

Since joining L A Weight Loss, Kandi has lost 71 pounds! Weighing in at 152 pounds, she's only 2 pounds away from her goal. Losing weight has changed Kandi's life. She's off all her medications, and no longer has health problems.

Plus, Kandi's husband liked their new eating habits so much, he decided to join L A Weight Loss, too! The couple have now grown even closer thanks to their shared weight loss journey. They spend much more time together cooking healthy meals and going on walks.

Best of all: Kandi is much happier, and has energy to do much more. She volunteers at her children's school, plays with her kids in the yard, and still has energy to work out every day.

Now you see how one doctor's appointment led to the chain of events that made Kandi's entire family healthier, happier, and more active. Now that's a beautiful thing. Way to go, Kandi!

Here's Kandi at 223 pounds:



And here she is today looking fit and fabulous at 152 pounds!




FAST FACTS

Name: Kandi Manzanares
Hometown: West Jordan, Utah
Age: 36
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 223 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 152 pounds
Program start date: February 2006

Favorite food: Homemade pizza with vegetables.

Biggest temptation: Bread and pastries.

Biggest motivator: Getting healthy for her children.

Biggest obstacle: Visiting family and being around food.

Old eating philosophy: Eating whatever was easiest.

New eating philosophy: Choosing what she eats carefully.

Best thing about losing weight: Receiving constant support from her counselors, and feeling better the smaller she became.

Best weight loss secret learned: Monitor portion size.