Georgia truck driver accelerates weight loss success

Metabolism is a fickle friend. When it's on your side, the joys of food seem endless. But while metabolism might have been your adolescent companion, it can decide to skip town once middle age hits.

Johnny Emmons knows the pain of losing a fast metabolism. The majority of his life, he could eat whatever he wanted without worrying about his weight. When Johnny reached his thirties, however, his metabolism slowed down. But his eating did not.

Working as a truck driver, Johnny found it difficult to fit healthy meals into his schedule, and easy to find fast food restaurants. After years of bad eating habits, Johnny's weight totaled 350 pounds.

And he suffered the effects. His blood pressure was high, and he could barely make it up the stairs without gasping for breath. Johnny also had constant pain in his feet and ankles.

He knew he needed to change his lifestyle. Johnny tried a number of fad diets and pills, but nothing reduced his weight. He even gained weight on one diet!

One day when his grandchild was visiting, Johnny couldn't keep up with the baby. That's when he decided once and for all to drop the pounds. He joined his local McDonough, Ga., L A Weight Loss center.

Johnny's personal weight loss counselors helped him find the perfect eating plan for his lifestyle. He adapted his food schedule to ensure he had well-balanced meals throughout his day.

He learned that eating healthy doesn't mean eating boring. Johnny added tasty fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and more water to his diet. He eliminated extra fats, such as fried and fast foods, high-calorie soda, and fatty condiments.

Thanks to Johnny's new eating plan and portion control, the pounds melted away. He's now 64 pounds lighter at 286! He's getting close to his goal weight of 240.

It's also easier for him to make smart food choices. Even when he's not eating perfectly, he's still aware of what he's consuming.

For Johnny, the best thing about being thinner is the ability to do much more. Everyday activities that used to be difficult, such as tying his shoes and walking up stairs, are now easy. He has energy to play with his grandchildren, bowl, and shoot pool.

Johnny might not have the metabolism of his youth anymore, but he sure has the L A Weight Loss knowledge to stay healthy and keep his weight down! Way to go, Johnny!

Here's Johnny at his heaviest, 350 pounds:



Here he is today, at 286 pounds. Getting close, Johnny! Keep it up!



FAST FACTS

Name: Johnny Emmons
Hometown: McDonough, Ga.
Age: 42
Height: 6'6"

Starting weight: 350 pounds
Goal weight: 240 pounds
Current weight: 286 pounds
Program start date: April 2007

Favorite food: Steak and donuts.

Biggest temptation: Fried food.

Biggest motivator: Seeing the pounds come off.

Biggest obstacle: Working around his hectic schedule.

Old eating philosophy: Eating everything that tasted good.

New eating philosophy: Eating healthy and light.

Best thing about losing weight: Knowing that he'll be around for his loved ones.

Best weight loss secret learned: You can eat without being hungry, and still lose weight!

Former swimmer waves good-bye to weighty worries

Sure, dropping excess pounds is weight off your body. But it's also weight off your mind. For Rodrigo Zavaleta of San Jose, Costa Rica, that freedom opened a new chapter in his life.

Rodrigo swam for Costa Rica's national team during his teenage years. Practicing twice a day burned a lot of calories and kept him in superb shape. But in his 20s, he stopped swimming, and his weight shot up.

He ate a lot of fast food and Chinese take-out. He rarely had home-cooked meals and avoided vegetables. And without any exercise to burn calories, Rodrigo ballooned to 200 pounds.

When his mother passed away six years ago, Rodrigo became depressed, and ate even more. Soon he weighed 297 pounds.

Breathing was difficult, especially at night. With all the excess weight on his chest, he couldn't lay down or get up easily, and always snored. He couldn't fit comfortably in his car, and his legs and knees constantly ached.

Rodrigo couldn't look in the mirror without feeling disgusted. He tried dieting, but couldn't stick to a plan because he had OCD. He became too anxious for the weight to come off, and when he didn't see immediate results, he quit.

Rodrigo nearly took the drastic step of having gastric bypass surgery. But then he heard about L A Weight Loss. He visited his local San Jose center, and was impressed by the friendliness and care the personal weight loss counselors showed him.

They told him how surgery wasn't necessary. Grateful that he found an easy alternative, Rodrigo signed up.

He worked one-on-one with the weight loss counselors to develop a healthy eating plan. Rodrigo cut out fast food, and learned how to make healthy, simple meals at home. For breakfast, he usually opted for two scrambled eggs with a slice of cheese, yogurt, and toast; while enjoying a sandwich, grilled chicken, or salad for lunch.

Dinners consisted of salad and fruit. And L A Lite bars and fruit rounded out Rodrigo's snacks for the day. Through it all, he leaned on his wife and weight loss counselors for support and motivation.

The weight started to come off quickly. In fact, Rodrigo lost nine pounds the first week! He's kept up his L A Weight Loss regimen, and today weighs 215 pounds! That's 82 pounds gone!

Rodrigo no longer carries the guilt of being heavy. He enjoys walking outside for an hour daily, and plays soccer and basketball with his friends. He can fit into his car without a struggle, and better control his OCD and anxiety. And much to his wife's happiness, he doesn't snore anymore!

The best part about being thinner is feeling alive. Rodrigo enjoys life -- and he's about to enjoy it even more with a new baby on the way. His wife is 12 weeks pregnant!

L A Weight Loss worked for Rodrigo because he learned how to eat healthy. He trusted the L A Weight Loss counselors, and followed their guidance. He loves to talk about L A Weight Loss, and has motivated many friends and family to join the program, too.

Rodrigo looks forward to being a great dad, and continuing to lose weight to regain his swimmer physique.

Great job, Rodrigo! Keep up the fantastic work!

Here's Rodrigo before, feeling guilty at 297 pounds:



Here's Rodrigo today, happy and carefree at 215! Way to go, Rodrigo!



FAST FACTS

Name: Rodrigo Zavaleta
Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
Age: 35
Height: 5'8"

Starting weight: 297 pounds
Goal weight: 180 pounds
Current weight: 215 pounds
Program start date: March 21, 2006

Favorite food: Cereal.

Biggest temptation: French fries.

Biggest motivator: Getting support from his wife and L A Weight Loss counselors.

Biggest obstacle: Controlling his OCD.

Old eating philosophy: Indulging in junk food.

New eating philosophy: Eating the right foods for his body.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling happy.

Best weight loss secret learned: Eat more protein and cut down on carbs.

Three quarts of water a day makes the weight go away

Kristy Robb used food as therapy her whole life, indulging in cake, ice cream, and other sweets whenever she felt blue. Soon, however, her childhood chubbiness turned into adult obesity. She was always short of breath, and faced chronic pain.

On a trip to Yellowstone National Park, she could barely keep up on the 2-mile trail, slowing down the entire group. And at only age 44, she was tipping the scales at 309 lbs. Kristy knew she had to make a change, or face deadly consequences.

Kristy tried losing weight on her own, but ultimately joined L A Weight Loss for the extra help. Meeting with her counselor once a week, and writing in her food diary, kept her accountable for all her meal choices.

Plus, she loved how easy it was to prepare and eat normal foods, while still indulging her occasional sweet tooth. The amazing part is that Kristy hit her goal weight of 150 lbs. after only one year! Yellowstone, here she comes!

What a difference a year makes. Here she is in 2004 at 309 lbs.:



And in 2005, at a healthy 150 lbs.



YOWZA!

FAST FACTS

Name: Kristy Robb
Hometown: Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Age: 45

Starting weight: 309 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 142 pounds
Program start date: September 2004

Favorite foods: Chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream.

Biggest motivator: Fear of obesity’s health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and death.

Biggest obstacle: Emotional eating.

Old eating philosophy: Food was a comfort zone, which led to overeating and poor portion control.

New eating philosophy: Eat normal foods and the occasional treat at home. Get everything your body needs from the different food groups. And don't forget about portion control.

Best thing about losing weight: It changed the way she thinks and feels about food, and gave her a new life as a slender, healthy person.

Best weight loss secret learned: Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day (she drinks 3 quarts).

Tiring out a two-year-old is child’s play for Tanya Herranz

Tanya Herranz was 24 when her doctor told her she was at high risk for a heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.

She struggled with her weight for years, and was nearly incapacitated following a back injury. During this time, she gained even more weight since even walking was too painful. Tanya gave up hope of ever losing weight.

At the time of her doctor’s warning, Tanya weighed 355 pounds and was a size 28. She knew losing weight was the answer, and turned to a place that could support her with one-on-one counseling. She joined L A Weight Loss, and in the first two months, Tanya lost 25 pounds!

Tanya told me that, before losing 160 pounds, she would be out of breath just climbing a flight of stairs. Now she’s able to play with her 2-year-old for hours at their home in Deforest, Wis. The toddler has non-stop energy, and now, so does Tanya.

Here's Tanya at an agonizing 355 pounds:

Yep, this is really her now!! What a transformation, huh??