I just wanted to point out that LAWL does have plans that cost less, and you do not have to eat the bars. I am on a food only plan because I have IBS. I signed up on a special under my mom, and I paid $200.00 to lose 80 lbs. I do not buy their products, but I do follow the plan to a T

I'd also like to attest to the success I have had with LAWL! I started the program January 18. Less than two months later, I am down just under 36 lbs! Granted, I have a LONG way to go, but I feel better about myself than I have in years. This plan is working for me! I am not doing the bars either, and have had great success so far!

Good luck with whatever plan you choose, but I will say that for me, having tried everything in the past, this plan is working. It fits easily into my busy lifestyle. I am learning new and healthier ways to eat. And my center is great.

For those who have had a bad experience, I'm very sorry. I hope you find success with another plan that works for your lifestyle.

Best of luck to all!

LAWL is a terrific program. Unfortunately, not all centers are as helpful and encouraging as some, but you will find that with anywhere. I have lost 26 pounds so far and it is easy! As with any weight loss plan, you are bound to give in to temptation now and then, but you go into the center, the counselor lifts you up and gets you back on track. They are there to be an inspiration and help to us. These boards are full of wonderful people who have become my friends. Read some of the threads...they are truly inspirational.

LAWL may not be right for some people, but if you are not willing to give yourself 100%, no plan will be right for you.

As for "pushy sales people"...you always have the option to say "No."

Hi everyone!

I'm tired of the bad rap LA seems to be getting. Some things work for some people, and don't for others. I was bored stiff and had little respect for anything about my WW experience-but it works for some people.

I joined LA in January, and am down almost 15 lbs. I'm sure if I quit/finished AND WENT BACK TO EATING THE WAY I USED TO I WOULD, OF COURSE, GAIN IT BACK..that is going to be true for any diet!! This trains you to an actual long-term healthy way of eating - it's not a crash-diet or quick fix.

Sure - some Centers may be more pushy than others - here in DFW the centers are very helpful. Sure - the program may be a little pricey - but most of us who are successful at any diet program are finally ready to make a financial, time, and accountability committment to permanentely losing the weight. If anything- I'm shopping smarter and spending less on impulse snacks and dinners/lunches out. Just know the right questions to ask - and remember - no one can really make you part with your money unless you let them.

Our LA Forum is a great source of interaction and inspiration.

Keep an open mind! Hugs and best of luck to everyone.

Ange

I'm not familiar with the program, but I had to comment on the 'it's cheaper than weight watchers'. Currently, it costs $20 to join weight watchers and that includes your first week. Assuming you don't miss any weeks, the grand total for the year is -- $630. Seems to me, this is actually cheaper...especially if you only use the program long enough to lose the weight and take what you've learned and maintain at home...

...am I thinking along the right track here?

Aren't "lifetime members" (those who have reached their goal weight) of WW also entitled to free meetings after they make goal?

Yes, it's free for maintenance. WW has a signup fee which averages $30 and includes the first week. Weekly fees average $12. You can pay in advance to save a little money, and can pay 16 weeks in advance. If you do that, you'll pay $502 per year, assuming it takes you that long to reach goal. Once you reach goal, you do not have to pay again as long as you stay at goal and keep going to the meetings. If you miss a meeting, you pay just $5 when you go back, then it's free again. The difference between WW and LAWL is that if you don't like WW, you can quit at any time and not be obligated any further. If you chose to prepay, you can get a refund for the unused period. Plus you'll never be asked to buy bars or diet products, and the menu is much more flexible.

We all know what it's like to go on a diet and find that it doesn't fit our lifestyle or personal tastes, so we move on to another diet until we find what works for us. LAWL members don't have that opportunity. If they sign up and find that they don't like it, it's tough. Stay or go, they pay for it anyway. Add in the cost of the bars and anything else they pressure most of their customers to buy, and you can easily spend several thousand dollars.

Yes, WW is DEFINITELY cheaper than LAWL. I'm glad that some were offered the cheaper plan and were told that the bars were not required. However, I was not told of the cheaper option and was told I did have to buy the bars or they could not guarantee me any weight loss. I bought them but then found out they were soy and my dr does not want me on soy due to a hormonal disorder. I took them a dr's note and everything and they still refused to refund me even one dime. The regional manager who would have had to approve the refund refused to ever call me.

Also, my mom who only had about 30 pounds to lose and signed up under me and did not purchase the bars still wound up paying $600.

LAWL may be a great plan for someone who can (and wants to) stay home and cook 3 meals per day but for those of us who work, we cant do that. They say you can have frozen dinners but you are only allowed certain ones of which I could only find like 3 on the list in all the grocery stores in my town. It's just not very realistic in this day and age.

I've been reading this thread just out of curiosity. I do know someone who tried LAWL and their experience wasn't positive. I never tried it personally so I can't comment on that. I have tried Jenny Craig, which I didn't care for and also tried Weight Watchers, which I thought was good but I'm not good at keeping track of my food.

I know this may be going off track a little but I did want to share my experience. Anyway, I saw Mandi's response and I just wanted to comment that I think it is very difficult to lose weight if you eat out and depend on other sources for your food. It may also be why LAWL was limited on their frozen entree selections. When I lost my first 30 lbs, I didn't eat out at all. After the first 30, I ate out rarely. Often you are receiving more sugar, salt and fat than you need because that is what sells, in a restaurant or in the frozen section. As someone who works full time and cooks for someone else who works full time, we never eat out as a necessity but because we want to.

An investment in tupperware can help you with your weight loss goals because you have better control of your food. I tend to overcook my meals so that there are plenty of leftovers and then I dish out tomorrow's lunch when I serve dinner. It helps not only from the weight loss stance but also the saving money stance.

Anyway, some people can incorporate eating out very well into their diet plan, for me I prefer not to. I also don't like frozen entrees. When I was on Jenny Craig, I thought frozen entrees weren't bad but I didn't really enjoy the food. I do enjoy cooking 3-4 times a week though and making enough food that will last the week and free me up time to do whatever else I need to do.

No, as a former WW, I can tell you that you pay $9.50 per week as a lifetime member. The only way you get free is if you go in every week and remain within 2 pounds of your goal weight. AND if you miss a week or two, or three, you have to PAY regardless, i.e. you pay for what you missed. The only thing that is free is the ability to leave without sitting through a meeting.

That was the problem I found with WW. Once you become a life time member there's really no accountability. You pay your $9.50, weigh in and you're gone. I tried it three times in the last couple of years, and I didn't get any support. I stayed for meetings, but they were always too busy signing up new members to deal with someone who was lifetime and needed a little extra help.

And they ALSO sell foods a supplements. And not cheaply either.

Bottom line is, you go with what works for you. At this point in time, LAWL IS working for me. I'm down amost 25 pounds in 8 weeks. I don't find it restrictive, I'm not hungry all the time, I eat out when I need to/want to and I don't forsee any problems keeping it off. Do, I cook more? Sure, but is that a bad thing? I don't think so. And yes, I work full time and I have other outside interests in my life as well.

This entire plan is VERY similar to the Old WW, when I first joined...you keep track of Starchs, Fats, Dairy, Protien, Veggies and Fruit. I see no real difference between the two. When I first Joined LAWL I compaired it with the Old stuff I had gotten from WW back in the mid 80s. And it's pretty much the same.

OH, and I pay X amount of dollars per month, I didn't pay up front and I didn't buy the LA Bars. I'm straight food.

Just my 2 cents having been on both programs.

So-you can get in free after becoming a lifetime member though, as long as you maintain your weight loss and continue to weigh in?

Ive already expressed my buyer beware tail about LAWL, but I did want to mention that in our WW here in this area, once lifetime, always free unless you gain over your goal weight range, not the goal you choose for yourself, the weight range, which for me is 15lbs over my actual personal goal weight. You only have to check in once a month, or you can come to every meeting, no matter its all free, for as many years as you want. We had lots of lifetimers in our meetings, and I have lots of friends who are lifetimers. None of them ever paid unless they gained.

I agree though go with what works for you..........

Also forgot to mention Suzanne that often during the year, especially at 'peak times' (say after the holidays) WW has 'free registration' promotions which means you only pay the weekly membership fee.

I've been a WW member several times in my life (at least five times or more) and never had to pay a registration fee, because I joined during a promotional period or received a coupon in the mail for free registration.

Been awhile since I've been to WW, last time I was there they did sell food ("Personal Cuisine") kind of similar to Jenny Craig, but it was totally optional and there was no hard sell involved.

I've never done LAWL - they've just moved into our area actually (and BOY are they ever swamping the networks with their local television advertising) but I've read enough bad reports about them - like at this site for example - to be wary of them and warn people that I know to do their RESEARCH well before calling them for one of their "no obligation" hard sell 'consultations'.

I know there are people out there who believe they do better if they make some sort of big-money committment to losing weight - if you want to do that - a far better investment would be to join a gym and/or use a certified personal trainer rather than LAWL, in my opinion...

She was in high school and was looking fabulous. She still had a lot of weight to lose at that point, but she couldn't sustain the strictness of the plan over the long haul. She and her mother were also told that if they didn't buy the LA Lites her weight loss would not be guaranteed. Pretty sneaky of them, and maybe unethical too.