In light of all of the contraversy over LAWL today, I thought maybe it would be fun for us to tell a little bit why we signed up in the first place. That way if we have people coming over to check us out, they can see what we are all doing here!

I signed up because i was tired of trying diets and quitting them. An old co-worker mentioned she did well on LAWL and when I saw the commercial I went in for a consult. I was shocked to see the price of the plan, but I am one of thsoe people who will quit a diet program and i have tried them all. So i signed up and went for it, and truth be told, i would have quit long ago if i had not spent the money I had on it. Although now I am doing it because I realize that it works (but of course at first you start to think, I can do this myself)

Do I think I could have done the plan myself at the beginning....absoultely not. I just do not have the will power and I did not know how to eat.

Can i continue to do it now...maybe, bu ti don't have to worry about that because I have paid for it

Do I think I will gain back the weight...not at all, because the plan teaches you how to eat. you find new ways of cooking and you learn new ways of eating. Yes I do think a week here and there i will gain a few pounds, but overall i know how to get back on track now.

Could i have done it without this group....I don't know if i could have, but it would defintly have been harder

I joined LAWL because I was tired of being overweight. I wanted to get my old body back, and had been unsuccessful at doing so on my own. I was sick of feeling like crap all the time. I had gotten way too used to putting all of my family's needs before my own, and let myself go downhill a lot. Since I have joined I have lost about half of the weight, and gained a TON of self esteem. LAWL has made take a good look at the bigger picture, like emotional eating and exercise. I know I have a long way yet to go, but so far, I have really enjoyed the ride. Thanks, everyone, for helping so much along the way!

Excellent idea, as always my friend

I joined LAWL cos I had tried EVERYTHING...the 3 day diets, the slim fasts, the calorie counting, the exercising, Atkins, low fat, high protein...and lastly Weight Watchers. I lost a good deal of my baby weight with WW but found it just plain stopped working for me despite all my efforts.

I plateaued with 30 pounds to go on WW for almost a year till I was SICK OF IT and heard a LAWL commercial on TV. I signed right up. I felt my counselor cared about me and believe she really does. I love the contact with the office and found the plan easy to follow and adapt to. The money wasnt an obstacle because my well being comes first. Its turned out to be VERY EXPENSIVE ALRIGHT...ALL THESE SMALLER CLOTHES cost a lot of money, LOL!!!!!

I joined because I was sick of being unhappy with how I looked and felt. My whole life I was always in good shape and within the past couple of years I had let myself go. I hated looking in the mirror. I kept seeing the commercials for LAWL so I decided it couldnt hurt to go in and hear what they had to say. I loved the idea of having to face up to the scale and go WI 3 times a week. I knew I would be doing this by myself and so the one on one support was wonderful and I knew it was just what I need. The weight loss has been slow but at least I am losing. I know I wouldnt have made it this far without the help and support of this forum or the help from the counselors.

Great post!

I have NEVER been happy with my weight (I now weigh less than I did in high school). After having 3 kids in 4 1/2 years, I felt like a BLOB. I also felt so unhealthy and I had 3 little ones to be a good role model.

I spent about a year after my 3rd child just hating myself. I didn't know what to do - I kept seeing the commercials and called one morning, they got me in that day (of course). And then I put $400 on my credit card that day - something I would NEVER do. So I had to prove it to my husband that it was money well spent (he's always been very supportive).

After 6 mos I had lost 40 lbs. I am thrilled with my results, although I agree that having to buy an entire wardrobe over the past year has been quite expensive!

I will gladly spend the money for smaller clothes--in fact, I can't wait!!

I joined because I was sick of who I had become. I was so unhappy and angry with myself that I was taking it out on those I love (DH and girls). Teaching high school didn't help so I even started hating the skinny girls--not fair to them. My in-laws joined in August and by Christmas they were different people. Then I was kicking myself for not starting when they did--my MIL showed me the whole program--I guess I just wasn't ready. By Christmas I was at my all-time ,non-pregnant, high of 188 and I was physically, mentally, and emotionally wrecked. Fortunately my DH wanted to do it with me (yes, twice the cost--still worth it) so together we have lost a combined 45#'s since 12-30-05 and are still plugging away.

Great idea Katie--I needed to see this again--will print all these and post in my bathroom for when I get discouraged. Thanks to everyone for the support.

I think that the main reason I joined LAWL was because I want to do something for myself, like all of you, I was tired of trying to lose weight on my own,tired of waking up every morning and said to myself I gotta lose weight, tired of looking at my old pictures and wonder if I ever wuold be able to go back to be the way I was before I have my second baby. I wanted to feel good about myself but, what I was doing to lose weight? Nothing. That's why I joined LAWL.
This program has help a lot of people and combined with the motivation, the support and the experiences that we all share in this board I can tell you that for me is like the best weight loss experience that I ever have!!

Wonderful idea Katie...

I was on LAWL a few years ago, then had my DD. I used my pregnancy as a license to eat whatever I wanted because I figured I would worry about losing the weight later...all 50 pounds of it! After Emmy was born, I continued to eat and eat and eat. I think that part of my problem was some postpartum depression. I tried to start exercising again and eat right, but I just didn't have the motivation.
So one day, I was sitting in my office after eating snacks and soda all day, and thought "What the heck am I doing?". I have a one year old at home, a wonderful husband, a great life! But I'll never enjoy it in this condition. My knees hurt, I would get out of breath going up the stairs, I hated the way I looked and felt. LAWL was the only thing that ever worked for me in the past. Without even thinking twice about it, I picked up the phone and asked if I could stop in to sign up...no consultation, just sign me up! Of course, they were more than happy to follow through with my request. I got home, called my husband, who was still at work, and said I'm doing this...I don't know what else to do...I couldn't picture myself being here when Emmy started Kindergarten and that scared me to death! Maybe things weren't quite that bad, but my body and mind felt differently.
26 pounds later, I feel like my old self. Sure, I have had setbacks and I have 30 more pounds to go, but I will get there. And being able to run around the house with my now 2 year old on my shoulders or play airplane or kick a ball and run around the yard without getting out of breath or most importantly having her see mommy exercise and eat right and say "Baby do too?" is more than reason enough to keep this up.

Thank you for reminding me of why I started this journey and thank you all for being here!

Okay...I think I'm going to cry now...but a happy cry!

What a good thread!

I am a BIG LA fan...so here goes:

I have yo-yoed by about 30-40 lbs. over the last 10 years. At 37, I had tried almost every diet - WW, South Beach, Atkins, exercising alot, etc etc. Things would work for a while, but then I'd fall off track- lose some weight and reward myself with food, have a family emergency or work stress, or simply get complacent - probably everyone here knows THAT particular drill...

I would see the commercials and wonder what LA was - but a few small things happened that finally sent me running...I recently got married, and a girlfriend (very tiny girlfriend-100 lbs or so-lol) - bought me an XL sized nightie!!! She did it purely innocently - I guess to her I just looked like an XL...at 175 lbs - I was in a 12-14...I didn't feel like I looked THAT bad!!!!! Then my brother made a comment describing a "chunky" girl, and I said "you mean, chunky like me??" and he said...Oh No! Not as big as you! Again - a slip of the toungue, but the truth was out! Coming to realize people (not just myself) considered me overweight... These things, although little, really hurt. So while I tried to laugh these things off, I knew it was time to change. I was tired of feeling like the biggest (and sometimes actually being the biggest) girl in the room, at family get-togethers or with friends.

You hear so much about so many Americans being overweight. I don't want to be that statistic anymore.

I thought I was a professional dieter who knew everything there was about nutrition - just didn't have the WILLPOWER! Boy, was I wrong! Portion control, sodium and potassium intake, limiting numbers of servings, appreciating your fats, dairy, and starches - not just scarfing food down while standing up in the kitchen...being accountable to yourself, your Center, and your DIARY---what a difference those things make!

Also- if I want those fries, or wine or beer, or pizza - there is a way to work it in! In healthy quantities.

My Center is great - friendly and not pushy with products. But I (after much skepticism) - discovered after the first week how much I really like the products!!! The Lites are great - I feel like I'm cheating every time I eat one.

This program works. Hands down. Sure, it's a little pricey - but I'm not spending money eating out or on snacks...if anything - I'm shopping smarter and wasting less.

If you have tried everything else - LA might work for you!!


Hugs and good luck to all!

PF

Great idea, Katie!

Here's my scoop ... most of my life I have been a little bit chunky. I have yo-yo dieted a lot ... done everything from Richard Simmons (ALL of his programs), 6 week body makeover, WW, etc. I have done the diet and exercise route MANY times. And I have been successful in losing the weight many times. But keeping it off was something different.

I have an additional challenge -- I'm a Type I Diabetic since I was 13 (when I weighed 128 lbs at 5'8"). I am on an insulin pump, which means I have to be really careful about what and how much I restrict my diet. This also added to my weight gain.

Over the course of the past 7 years, and two kids, I have gained over 150 lbs. TWO of me!

I had toyed with the idea of joining a program, and having tried a bunch of others, I went in for the LAWL consult. The Director was great! She outlined my plan, and while she did "sell" me, she didn't "SELL" me. She talked to me about the program, and showed me some literature on LAWL and Diabetes.

I shelled out ... gulp ... $898 to lose 162 lbs in 81 weeks (cost including stablization and 1 year of maintenance).

Sinice I have joined LAWL, on January 18 of this year, I have lost almost 36 lbs! I LOVE this program. I love it because I get the one-on-one counseling and advice I need. I WI 3 times a week because it helps keep me accountable. I journal all of my intake for the same reason. I stick to the plan because so far, it's been really easy! I know it won't always be this easy, and I'll face lots of temptations, but this is working for me! And I know that, when the time comes that I WANT to quit, and my center will be calling me and asking me why I'm not coming in. They will give me the extra kick in the butt that I will need to get back in the horse. And I know I can do this because this is for me and my family.

The best part of all of this, is that I have learned more about nutrition in the past 7 weeks than I ever did in all of my diabetes education training, and all of my life. I really feel as though I can live this way forever -- because I have learned the causes for my weight gain, and am learning how to combat those causes.

(((group Hug)))))

To:
Katie,Deets,Tina,Mary,Shennie,Erin,Angelica,Carmen ,pinkflamingo,pseudomargot,Gammababa,stiesta,Boo's mom, Connor'smom,Megan,rebecca, Leah AU mom,slimmerkim,Debbie,dawn78,gymgurl, Heather(purplepirate), sznn, Heather (Candleprincess),ladyizzy, stargazer,Corinna,Juliemarie and all the girls on the LAWL board that everyday share their experiences, feelings, challenges, the happiness when we lose only 1or 2 ounces, and the sadness when we gain one. Thank You for all the support!

RIGHT BACK AT YOU!

I initially joined LAWL for the accountability aspect of it. I lost 90 lbs. on low carb about 6 years ago. I got where I felt comfortable and slowly went back to my old way of eating. Before I knew it, I had packed 60 lbs. back on.
I have tried countless times to get back on the low carb wagon as well as counting calories and even seriously looked into gastric bypass. In my case, it was an easy fix that I was looking for. I would do good on a plan for about a week, then I would cave and just say screw it.

I am normally a shy person, but being overweight multiplied that times 10. I would have been happy being homebound and not having to go anywhere. I actually hated myself. I hated the person that I saw in the mirror. I would think that people around me were judging me or whispering behind my back and there probably were some that did. My DH always calls me his sexy beautiful woman and I can tell by the look in his eyes that that is really how he sees me. I want to see myself the way that he sees me. He loves me no matter what and I want to love myself no matter what.

I had told my DMIL at Christmas that I just couldn't make myself pay for something that I could do myself. Boy was I wrong!!!

Do I think that LAWL is expensive? Yea, I did. I didn't sign up the day I originally went in. I had to think about it and talk to DH about it. He just said,"If you are going to spend that kind of money, I just ask that you stick with it. I haven't said this to you, but I am worried about your health with your weight." That sealed the deal. I did make the decision to go with the lites, but was never pushed into them.

Do I think the expense is worth it? You betcha I do!! I am learning to eat in a way that I can eat for the rest of my life and really stick to. Some say that they are strict on their portions and what you can have. Obviously, in most cases, if you are overweight, then you are in need of a strict eating regimen. Eating what I want, when I want and how much I want is obviously what got me in this situation in the first place.

The ladies at the center I go to have all been on or are on the LAWL plan, so they all know what I am going through and are very excited when I am losing and supportive and helpful when I am stalling. I have been doing LAWL for 2 months now. My mentality now is when I am stalling, instead of saying screw it, I go into the center or get on this forum for the support I need to get through this and stick with it so that I can start losing again. I have never had the snacks or vitamins pushed on me. They haven't even mentioned the vitamins to me except for when they are the special at the time.

It works for me and you know what - I AM WORTH IT!!!