Sharla Pincock loses the baby weight, five times over

Pregnancy comes with many challenges. But for Sharla Pincock, giving birth wasn’t the hard part. Losing the baby weight was.

As a stay-at-home mother of five, she suffered from post-partum depression, and turned to food for comfort. She didn’t have time to cook balanced meals, and filled up on quick fixes to satisfy her hunger.

High-calorie carbs such as bagels and breads were always in hand. By the beginning of 2006, Sharla tipped the scales at 301 pounds.

Her health wasn't the only thing compromised by her weight. Sharla didn’t have the energy to give her kids the time and attention they deserved. Instead of joining them on the playground, she sat on the bench and watched. And coaching her daughter's volleyball team was exhausting.

Sharla knew she had to lose weight and get her life back on track, or risk serious serious complications. She tried dropping the pounds by exercising on her treadmill at home and playing on a volleyball team once a week. But despite her best efforts, nothing seemed to work.

But then her friend, Cami, turned Sharla on to L A Weight Loss. Cami was on the program, and had dropped 80 pounds. Sharla’s mother was also on the L A Weight Loss plan, and had lost 40 pounds. Inspired by their success, Sharla decided to give the program a try.

In April, she joined the Rexburg, Idaho, center, and worked with her personal weight loss counselors to adjust her diet. She incorporated more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and proteins into her menu, and ate everything in moderation.

She also learned how to prepare healthy homemade meals and treats from her L A Lite cookbook. To round out her weight loss plan, Sharla exercised at home for 50 minutes three times a week on her stairstepper and treadmill.

Since joining L A Weight Loss, Sharla has lost 150 pounds -- half her size! She now runs 5K marathons with ease, plays volleyball with gusto, and has no problem keeping up with her children. Sharla even hiked 14 miles up Table Rock Mountain last summer.

One of Sharla's favorite parts about losing weight is shopping for her new size 6 figure. Plus, she lost all of her baby weight and then some! She's slimmer now than she was when she got married. In fact, Sharla looks so good now, people have thought her husband was cheating on her with a new woman! ;)

Here's Sharla at 301 pounds:



And here she is now, looking absolutely fantastic at 150 pounds:



FAST FACTS

Name: Sharla Pincock
Hometown: Sugar City, Idaho
Age: 33
Height: 5'8"

Starting weight: 301 pounds
Goal weight: 150 pounds
Current weight: 150 pounds
Program start date: April 2006

Favorite food: Steamed vegetables.

Biggest temptation: Brownie sundaes.

Biggest motivator: Keeping up with her five children.

Biggest obstacle: Staying positive.

Old eating philosophy: Munching on tons of carbs.

New eating philosophy: Eating more vegetables, proteins, and dairy.

Best thing about losing weight: Feeling more confident, and having more energy than ever before.

Best weight loss secret learned: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Tennessee grandmom smashes weight gain cycle

People often eat because they're unhappy -- and they're unhappy because they eat too much. That's exactly the vicious cycle Kathy Kegley found herself trapped in.

Kathy was overweight since childhood. A lifetime of bad eating habits, including consuming huge portions of unhealthy foods, left her struggling with her health and happiness. By the time she reached her 40s, Kathy tipped the scales at 279 pounds.

Her weight caused myriad health issues, and she was on medication for back and stomach pain, joint aches, nerve problems, and depression. Not to mention the fact that Kathy could barely get from the house to her car without losing her breath.

The worst part about being overweight was how others treated her. When out in public, people acted like she wasn't in the room. Kathy hated feeling lonely, and this only made her eat more.

She tried a number of diets throughout the years, but nothing worked for her. Kathy knew she needed to change her life. But when her insurance company denied her request for gastric bypass surgery, she was lost for a solution.

Then Kathy discovered L A Weight Loss in 2003. Feeling that it was her last chance to lose weight, Kathy joined her local Knoxville, Tenn., center, where she was paired up with one-on-one weight loss counselors.

Kathy worked closely with her counselors to stop her bad eating habits, and replace them with healthy alternatives. She cut down her consumption of red meat, macaroni and cheese, and fast food, while enjoying more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains.

When Kathy hit a plateau, her counselors were right there to help her through it. Their constant encouragement kept Kathy focused and motivated. And whenever she needed a sweet treat, Kathy rewarded herself with an L A Lite bar.

Soon the pounds started to melting away. Kathy has dropped 121 pounds, and is just five pounds away from her goal weight of 153 pounds!

At her new size 8, Kathy can do she things she never dreamed of doing when she was overweight. She exercises five times a week, and still has energy to run around and play with her four grandchildren.

Kathy's health problems have become a thing of the past. She is off all of the medication she needed due to her extra weight, and all of her aches and pains are gone. Best of all, her relationships with the people she loves most are stronger. Her grandkids can wrap their arms around her for the first time!

People are in disbelief when they see pictures of Kathy before she joined L A Weight Loss. This is the smallest she has been since she was 12 years old. Kathy often has to look in the mirror to remind herself that she's no longer the 279-pound woman she used to be.

Most important, Kathy's learned that she no longer needs the comfort of food to make her happy. She can do that all by herself. Way to go, Kathy!

Here's Kathy at her heaviest, 279 pounds:



And here she is today looking fantastic at 158 pounds! Congrats, Kathy!



FAST FACTS

Name: Kathy Kegley
Hometown: Lenorr City, Tenn.
Age: 48
Height: 5'6"

Starting weight: 279 pounds
Goal weight: 153 pounds
Current weight: 158 pounds
Program start date: December 2003

Favorite food: Grilled chicken.

Biggest temptation: Eating out.

Biggest motivator: Receiving constant support from her counselors.

Biggest obstacle: Getting over her self-doubt.

Old eating philosophy: Eating huge portions.

New eating philosophy: Letting her mind control her meals, not her eyes.

Best thing about losing weight: Changing your diet changes your life.

Weight loss more than cosmetic change for Cherie Anderson

Idaho mom Cherie Anderson was thrilled when the stork brought her a beautiful baby girl. She wasn't so thrilled with the post-partum depression -- or the extra 45 pounds she gained.

Cherie had struggled with weight since junior high school. She tried all kinds of diets, from herbal remedies to formal programs. But no matter how hard she tried to eat right and exercise, nothing worked.

The situation only got worse after her pregnancy, when Cherie hit 230 pounds. She was so self-conscious about her weight that she had trouble being intimate with her husband –- a definite strain on their marriage. And her self-esteem, confidence, and energy plummeted.

Then hope came at the cosmetics counter at the mall where Cherie worked. One of her favorite clients told her about L A Weight Loss, and the success she'd had on the program. This recommendation stuck with Cherie, especially when she passed the L A Weight Loss center on her corner, and decided to pull in for a consultation.

Once she joined, she was hooked. Cherie started to lose weight right away -- eight pounds in her first week! And weighing in three times a week motivated her to keep on losing.

Twenty-eight weeks and 75 pounds later, Cherie is a bonafide success at 155-pounds goal weight!! Her energy is through the roof when she goes to the sand dunes with her husband and daughter. And who wouldn't get a kick out of buying smaller shirts at the mall?

Best of all, Cherie feels much more confident about her style, her appearance, and her body -- a terrific reflection of how great she feels on the inside!

Here's Cherie at 230 pounds:



And here she is, beautiful inside and out, at 155 pounds!



FAST FACTS

Name: Cherie Anderson
Hometown: Salt Lake City
Age: 30
Height: 5’5

Starting weight: 230 pounds
Goal weight: 155 pounds
Current weight: 155 pounds

Favorite food: Popcorn.

Biggest temptation: Chocolate.

Biggest motivator: Weighing in three times a week, and seeing her weight go down week by week.

Biggest obstacle: Staying intimate with her husband while she was overweight.

Old eating philosophy: Snacking on pancakes and frozen peas.

New eating philosophy: Enjoying vegetables, fruit, and turkey burgers.

Best thing about losing weight: Fitting into a size 10!

Best weight loss secret learned: You have to dedicate yourself 100 percent. Just put your whole mind and body into it. Get to the point where you get your life back, and enjoy it!