I had a consultation earlier this week at my local LAWL. They were very nice, and my consultant never pressured me to buy supplements or the Lites. I am considering signing up because they have a special rate, regardless of how much weight I need to lose.
Anyway, the information on the internet is scary. There is so much negative out there that I am worried the good experience I had initially was just an act. (I do know several people who are losing/have lost weight, so I know it works!)
I have tried the sample Lites and have not been too impressed. They were very chewy and grainy tasting, so I'm not sure I want to invest in them. I am concerned that I have not been able to see a nutritional guide on them. Is there something I can buy at the grocery store with the same ingredients?
I am a mom of 3 little ones and weigh 250 lbs. I am ready to do this, but I want to make sure that LAWL is the right program for me.
I would appreciate any insight, and I look forward to posting with you all!
Dee... No one can make the decision but you, obviously, but you are right to give it some good hard thought..
LAWL is an expensive program, but no more so than something like Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig (less in fact)... It's a big investment, and one you have to stick to completely for it to work.
Many of us, myself included, have seen amazing results with the program. Some of us, like my wife, have struggled.. But the fact is that if you stick to it, you will lose weight and you will be living a healthier lifestyle.
And that's what it's really about... Instead of prepackaged foods or deprivation/starvation methods, this plan teaches you the right way to eat.. A way you can maintain long after you're off the diet.
You'll have to wrap your mind around the fact that you will in some ways, be eating more food than you do right now.. The difference is that it will be more of the stuff your body needs...
Remember also that it's a business and they WILL try to sell you the suppliments and the bars.. I found both very useful while I was on the plan, but don't let the muscle you into getting something you don't want or can't afford.
Good luck with your decision and please feel free to ask more questions if you need to!
You will find individuals on this thread that using lites, some that aren't (there are substitutes that you can buy) , some that go to a center and some that are doing the program on their own but everyone has seen some level of success from those just starting to others who have reached their goal weight.
I've been on the plan since February and have lost 61 lbs, 40 more to go to get to my initial goal. For me this plan works much better than others I've tried because it has forced me to make a change in my lifestyle. Other plans like WW never did that, heck you could eat your points for the day in birthday cake and probably still lose. LA forces you to think about what you are putting in your body.
As far as your experience at the center....our stories all vary. Good, not so good and down right bad. But again, the plan works!
Good luck with the healthier and happier you whether you choose to do that with LA or another way!
Katy, you are exactly right about WW. I have been doing it online, and once I realized that corn flakes, skim milk and a banana were the same points as two donuts, I knew it wasn't the plan for me.
I am excited but nervous. I hope I can make it through the take-off and first month.
That's the real test Dee... You have to get rid of all the crap food in your house.. If it's not there, you can't eat it... That makes the first few days easier to deal with.
Eventually, you'll get into the groove of avoiding all the bad stuff at the store and will feel really good about yourself as you approach the check-out with a cart full of fruits, veggies and lean proteins.. As a side effect, you'll also be VERY mindful (and a bit critical if you're not careful) of the people in front or behind you with carts full of cookies, chips, sodas and other bad stuff...
Just remember.... Especially during the initial phase of the program - If you cheat, you will fail... Your willpower needs to be strong. If you can make it that first month, you'll really start seeing some results.. At first it will be little things, like looser waistbands... Before long, people will start to notice a change in your face and complexion.. Then THAT's your motivation.. Positive feedback from the people around you does wonders...
Then, of course, if you become like me, you'll begin being hyper-critical of different food's salt content to the point where it will drive other people nuts.
I agree with everything said! Trust your instincts. If you clicked with the people at the centre, trust that feeling. I love the folks where I go, they are so supportive and are very interested in what I do and say...love that.
That being said, you have to take responsibility...they have given me info that was not correct. So make sure you know the program inside and out...and this site is awesome for information, support and guidance.
I love this program...I too, am a former WW person. Did it for many years, and I learned all the loopholes! .... But with this program, I am eating really well and healthy ... and I am not suffering at all!!
Eventually, you'll get into the groove of avoiding all the bad stuff at the store and will feel really good about yourself as you approach the check-out with a cart full of fruits, veggies and lean proteins.. As a side effect, you'll also be VERY mindful (and a bit critical if you're not careful) of the people in front or behind you with carts full of cookies, chips, sodas and other bad stuff...
I have to agree-one of the most motivating parts of the week for me is when I wheel up to the checkout and feel so proud of myself for making good choices. It just motivates me!
This really is a program where you can have (and should have) such a variety of food. The fun for me has been taking one of my old, fattening recipes and modifying it to be in line with LAWL. Even non-dieting friends and my DH can't tell the difference and love the food I make! This really is a lifestyle change.
Dee,
One of my biggest regrets is that I delayed a long time in joining the program because of the negatives that I had read on the internet and also seen on TV. I had tried just about every other program that I could find and I would lose a little and then stall and no one could get me past the stalls so I would get frustrated and go back to old habits. I was desperate and sick and tired of being obese. Anyway, I finally convinced myself that I might as well try LAWL and I am so glad I did. It is a very balanced program and I have learned to eat in a very healthy way and to lose a significant amount of weight. It is a life changing program. Good luck to you in whatever decision that you make.
week 39
LAWL franchise center
Plan 2 with lites
total lost 49 lbs.
I, like you, took a long time in making my decision to join LAWL. I had been seeing a nutritionist, but not for weight loss. I felt good about my decision to join based really on two things. First of all, the new program is completley based on the food pyramid and they dont low carb or anything like that (i hated that on WW bananas and bread were looked down upon). Second, I really liked meeting with a counsler 1 on 1, and thier ability to change the program to fit my individual needs. Like if you arent losing, they will figure out why, because everyone is different!!! WW doesnt do that for you. Also i forgot to mention, another thing i love love love, is that anytime i have a question about food, i can call my center and get and answer, its so helpful.
I have been on the program now 4 weeks, and I did use the lites, but have now switched to luna bars because of price.
I understand the posts on the web sites. They make you pay all up front. It seems rather like extortion, but then again... If I hadn't had to cough up enough money so it hurt, then I might have just said heck... don't feel like doing it this week. So sure you might have moments of regret after joining, and a lot of counselors are wonderful, some aren't. You might get some of both. I still recommend the program, even if I understand how some people are upset by the up front paying thing.
I really think it is a great program for long term, the rest of your life weight loss. If you are looking to lose 15 pounds before you high school reunion, go buy nutrisystems or something like that for a month. This is a program for people just ready and willing and dedicated to changing their life. It is not a miracle. You COULD make all the changes yourself. The thing with me is that I knew what to do, but had a hard time making myself do it. Paying the money made me stick with the program long enough to get to my goal. I'm so happy I did, it was the best money I ever spent. I'm so much healthier and happier for having done it. But the thing is, are you ready to really go for it. You have to want it bad, as there are going to be times when it is not easy to stick with it. Times when your weight goes up for a week and it feels like it is not working. Times when you just want a cookie.
LAWL does make an effort to fit weight loss into your life and teach you better habits. Instead of being something strange that you do for awhile where you can't go out to eat and you can't have a drink... well how long can you totally avoid things like that... You just have to plan. I joined when I knew someone who had lost a significant amount of weight and KEPT IT OFF. That is the biggest deal ever. The people who go all the way on LAWL and go through the maintenance program not only lose it, but they tend to keep most if not all of it off. I hadn't seen any other program where there were people who had such long term success. I've known a lot of people have success on weight watchers, but I also know a lot of people who join for a few weeks and then stop going. There is not the financial you already paid incentive to keep you going. Also when I started, I was weighing in 3 times per week for awhile.. There is just never any time to cheat and then "make it up" if you are doing that. I know a lot of the newer plans are a lot cheaper and you only go in once a week, but that 3 times a week deal. Well I just had to be 100% good when I was doing that.
So I do recommend doing it. I love my lites, I've been eating them every day for 13 months now... They helped me a great deal, but plenty of people have done well without them. They are expensive and there are alternatives out there. Some counselors are very mercenary, and really they are making their livings off from selling you stuff (I think the mercenary ones love me because I buy all sorts of stuff from them, but you know anything to make it easier for me to lose and maintain)
So anyway, if you are ready to do it, and are doing it for your health and to improve your life, then join LAWL. If you know you are someone who is not quite ready to make a huge commitment right now. Well that's OK, as you have to be ready to do it and don't spend the money if you are not ready to make the change. I didn't say you aren't ready to see the weight go down, we all want that, but there is just that point in time when you are ready to pay the price that the weight loss will take, and that means giving up your junk food and your bad habits. I still kind of miss some of that food, but not enough to go back to being so overweight.
I really agree with BarbaraB on the commitment required for LAWL. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to plan and not get caught in a situation where you can't make a good (or at least fairly decent) decision about your food. I committed to not cheating and then realized that I didn't have to! If I am dying for pizza, every now and then I grab a Lean Cuisine pizza. If I want steak and fries, plan to have a smaller portion of steak and make oven fries. It is still satisfying, on plan, and I don't have to waddle away from the dinner table and fall into a food coma because now I've learned portion control. It's actually been a relief for me.
Be sure to keep posting.. The support of the ladies (and other occassional guys) here has been instrumental to the success my wife and I are having with the program.
I joined LAWL four weeks ago and have dropped 8#. That said, I feel that I know more about nutrition than my counselors, they do try to push the bars and drinks, but if you resist you can do the diet with out them. The counselors at my LAWL are very young and talk too fast, but they do care. I like having to weigh in three times weekly, that keeps me on track but WW does a better job of teaching you how to eat and make choices. This diet does not let me choose to eat one high value food while forgoing other foods later in the day. Plus, I have not figured out how to factor in foods that are prepared with more than a couple ingredients. Their web site sucks! It just tries to get you to join.
I joined this site to get some insight from other members.
Tues
My counselor is on the program and has lost 70 pounds with a few more to go. She is great so far. But, honestly, I'm having trouble with the TakeOFF juice. I'm holding my nose while drinking it, and it's still yuck. I know I can eat oranges, but I am really trying to do everything right!!
Should I Join?
I know I can eat oranges, but I am really trying to do everything right!!
