I *just* joined this afternoon--feedback on my plan?
Hi all,
Okay, after thinking about it and being on the boards here for a week, I finally bit the bullet and went into LAWL and joined today.
First, they put me on the Red plan. Does anyone know approximately how many calories the Red plan is supposed to be per day?
I'm 303 lbs, but nobody asked me about my activity level at all. Also, it seems like I read someplace that the Red plan was what they used for people not using the Lites, and I am (well, Luna bars, anyway). Then, on another post, someone mentioned something about there being more than one version of the Red plan. I'm just wondering if it seems like the Red plan is good for me.
Also, I got the woman to agree to let me set a WL goal of just 50 lbs for now (said it was my docs idea) but still paid quite a bit because she said there was no way to join at all without paying up front for the whole year of maintenence. Is this true for everyone? Also, there was a fee for signing up (something like $80). Does everyone pay this? Maybe I don't want to know! LOL I don't want to find out I was taken for a ride.
At the end, she said we'd discuss bar buying options next time (yeah, right) but told me the best way to buy, of course, would be to get them all at once. She calculated what the price would be....[drum roll...]....$3,500!!! I tried so hard not to laugh b/c there's no way in **** I'm doing that, but didn't say anything yet. Next time should be fun.
The plans' "starting point" is how much weight you want to lose to get to your "ideal weight," then is adjusted based on activity level, decision to do the LA bars or not, if you work odd shifts or have health issues, etc. Red sounds like a good place to start, they will probably move you to Purple when you reach the mid-to-low 200s, I'd guess.
As for whether you got "taken for a ride," here's the deal. Some centers are corporately owned, and others are franchised. The franchises can pretty much make up whatever rules they want - what their base price per week will be, whether they charge an enrollment fee, whether they will be lenient with buying maintenance weeks, etc. If you did the best you could to get the best deal for you - getting them to agree to a "starter" amount of weeks to buy was a great move - don't sweat whether someone across the country got a better deal than you. Just be a smart consumer!
When it comes to buying bars...at MY center (keeping in mind what I said earlier about some centers making up their own rules) you can get a slight price break for buying as few as 10 boxes at a time, and then you get slightly larger discounts the more you buy in bulk. So when they whip out the little folder that has just three "discount" options on it, just keep saying "I can't afford that" until they break down and tell you their full discount structure!
Good luck and welcome!! Remember this program WORKS as long as YOU DO!!
Hi - just want to chime in here- Karen/Metalchick was put on the red plan because she wasn't doing the lites -- so she got more real food -- if she had been doing the lites, she would have started on purple.
I think they may have asked about my activity level - which wasn't much when I joined -- so that did not figure into my starting plan. (*still* not doing much activity!)
Even if you are doing the luna's did you tell them that would be doing lites - no matter how you purchase them? Fiona is right - they will often have special deals on the lites, and it's also true that the more you buy the better the deal is.
However- I also think it is true that you are only eligible for the rebate if you do the lites -- I'm not sure about this, since I am not the best about the other rule, which is going to WI 3x a week.
Good luck! The plan does work, and eventually, the sales tactics do stop. And some centers are not as "pushy" as others.
LynnRoo-they most likely put you on the red plan because of your starting weight. Someone who is 250 pounds at start will most likely start out on a plan with more food than someone who weighs 175 and only wants to lose 20 pounds. The more you weigh now, the more calories your body burns just to do basic functions such as breathing, walking, sleeping, and so forth.
This is why you often have to change plans (lower your calories) every few months as you lose weight. For example, someone starting out on red plan may find that after 5 months and a 25 pound loss, that it is now too many calories per day for them to continue to see progress.
Thanks for your insights. Fiona, yeah, I'm pretty much over what I spent to join. LOL I know some people drop, like $2,000 their first visit so at least I didn't do that!
Julie, yes, I am going to tell them I'm doing the Lites even though I'm substituting. I'm telling them a friend who finished the program gave me her extra and that I'm buying them on e-bay (which I do plan to do).
Somebody told me (can't remember where I heard this?) that the bars slow your weight loss because they're so high in sugar/calories, which they want so you'll stay at the center longer and spend more money. Any thoughts on this?
Aphil, I see what you mean about the number of calories, etc. As lone as I lose on this I'm fine with it!
Somebody told me (can't remember where I heard this?) that the bars slow your weight loss because they're so high in sugar/calories, which they want so you'll stay at the center longer and spend more money. Any thoughts on this?
I do not believe that they slow your weight loss, because I have added up approximate calories for different LAWL plans including the nutritional info for the Lites. I do think that they are way overpriced, and that LAWL includes them in the plan to make more money-not by keeping you there longer, but because most members are eating 2 bars a day in their plan, and it is guaranteed income. If you are worried about the cost, use cheaper Luna bars as a replacement.
Thanks for the info. It makes me feel better hearing that, because (1) I'd hate to think any diet plan/center was sabotaging its clients, and (2) I like the idea of having bars (whether they be Lites, Luna, whatever) to help with my sweet tooth.
Do you happen to know the approximate daily calories of the Red Plus (or even the regular Red) plan?
Lynn - I'm usually just a lurker but I had to say that I felt like I wrote your posting. In fact I just kept reading and thinking "hey me too!"
I just join LAWL too last Thursday and am on the Red Plus plan. They told me that it was approximately 1200 calories. I weighed in at 304 almost exactly like you.....I also paid for the lower goal of a 50 lb goal w/stabilization & mtnc. That is the lowest they would go at my center. I also am using the same excuse as you about the bars (this is so deja vu ). I went in for my first real WI that I didn't have to schedule for and the girl was very skeptical and asked alot of questions about what center my friend went to and stuff like that. I'm hoping all the sales questions will end pretty soon.
I have to say it's nice to find someone one the same plan who started at the same time at the same weight.
I know it's only the 1st week for me but I haven't had the usual diet obsessions that I normally get and I don't find myself hungry at all. However, I have lost almost 8 lbs in 6 days, YIPPEE FOR ME!!! Also, The Red Plus plan has too much food for me. I guess when I get down to 295 I'll go down to the regular red plan.
I look forward to hearing lots of updates from you!!!
The red plus plan is the highest LAWL has, correct? Then it cannot be 1200 calories. That would be on the lower end of the plans. It is probably more likely around 1800-2100.
Just to give you an idea -- I used fitday for several days, and the self online diet board -- I'm on purple, and I was averaging between 1500-1700 cals a day --so there is no way that red is 1200 cals.
Why don't you try fitday if you're curious? It's free -- I think it even has luna bars in the list of stuff - otherwise, it's not hard to add a custom food.
Aphil-
I was thinking the same thing, that this plan HAS to be more than 1200 calories. I've been on various plans off and on over the years and the last one I was on was around 1400-1500, and the Red Plus has more food than that. I think your calculations are probably correct.
jorninsmama-
Hey, great to "meet" you! Yes, it sort of sounds like we're "diet twins." LOL Congrats on your 8lb. loss in 6 days. That's great! I'm guessing they skipped starting you off with the Take Off juice, just like me. (Good thing, too, because I didn't want to start with that.) Also, thanks for the warning about how the center folks are skeptical about getting the bars from a friend. Maybe I'll just stick to the e-Bay story. They may not like it, but can't prove I'm not doing it. Also, I don't really care about 'voiding' the refund thing at the end of the program, either, so that takes some of the pressure off about the bars.
Karen-
Hi. I'm guessing the Orange plan comes after the Red ones. Is that correct? And your 90lbs. lost is really motivating!
I *just* joined this afternoon--feedback on my plan?
I felt like I was reading about me.....
). I went in for my first real WI that I didn't have to schedule for and the girl was very skeptical and asked alot of questions about what center my friend went to and stuff like that. I'm hoping all the sales questions will end pretty soon.
