LA Weight Loss: Caught Out Again

Juice led to passing out twice!
Hello-I joined with a friend of mine. When they added up the total cost I about floored. But my friend didn't seem to have a problem with it so I agreed. However, I did not have that kind of money so they kindly hooked me up with care credit. They stated that you have to start the program drinking their juice for two days. During these two days you can eat all the protein and green vegatables as you like. Then the third day the juice is gone and you follow the regular diet plan. My friend specifically asked if there was any nutra sweet or other sweetners because I am allergic to them. They said positivitly no-there is no nutra sweet or other sweetners in it. So started the juice-drank if for two days and then on the third day I passed out while on a four wheeler. While out my hand slipped down onto the exhaust pipe and got third and second degree burns on my hand-which is still scarred today. Since we weren't sure that the juice had anything to do with it--two months later I decided to try the diet again. So started with the juice for two days again. Then on the third day-I passed out again but this time driving a car. I wrecked and was life lined to a trauma hospital two hours away. After that every test available was ran to see if there was any other possible cause for making pass out. All test came back fine. So now I want my money back from LA--is that possible? Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I would appreciate any help! Thanks Jill

I joined several weeks ago and had several concerns before my 3 day "change your mind" period was up. I talked through the pros and cons with my husband and sister and decided that the accountability was worth what I paid (less than Weight Watchers) for the same period of time. I didn't have to go to a big meeting at the specific time, I could weigh-in according to my schedule and had one-on-one accountability. I opted out of the supplements and Lites and fortunately my center is not pushy.

However, I bought their cookbook and several recipes call for their soup mix and count as other exchanges PLUS 1 LA Lite. When I ask how I could count it, they just say "well you can't use that recipe". This is the kind of answer that drives me crazy. Their LA Lites cannot be SO special that they are their own food group and there is just no other way to count it!

So, anyone know how to count the LA Lites as something other than LA Lites??

Jill, if there was NutraSweet in that juice SUE THEM

I have a response for Annie on another thread. The couselor who says if you are not losing weight it is becasue you are cheating. Well I am in week 19 and I have lost 10 pounds. I have cheated a few times but not excesivly (why would I spend this much and then cheat). The reason I have not lost weight is becasue I followed bad and conflicting advice. Around week 11 I was talking to one of the couselors who thought I might be eating too much protein. She suggested I cut out one of the lites. The assitant manager had a FIT! Gave me the whole speech about how they are specially formulated Blah, Blah, Blah. She even said that fact that my weight was staying the same meant my body was getting ready to lose! She then told me to quit eating so much cheese and eat more peanut butter and cottage cheese (both higher in fat and calories that fat free cheese) Then she tried to push the pilla. I am paying alot of money for her advice so I tried it. Two weeks later a smarter coulselor moved me to the Gold Plan and I started losing (it was the protein). Another smart couselor suggested I replce one of the bars with another lite. I quit the bars altogether and stared using the drinks (let calories, fat, sodium and carbs) I dropped four pounds like a bad habit. My point is that SOME of the couselors are wonderful, some are incompetant. The bars are not the "magic bullet" they are made out to be. I am finally losing but I have had to fight to get the guarantee I was promised (my weeks are almost up). Yes, it was my choice to use the bars, but I did it on the advice of the couselors, who I expected to know what is best. I also think the dietician is a joke. They have "discussed me" twice with her and both times she did not seem to look at anything more than what I had eaten the day before. My point is that everyone is different. Do not just assume that somebody is lieing. Those bars are loaded with sodium, fat and calories!!!! For some people they may acutually slow weight loss. I am going to see a REAL dietician Monday and discuss what needs to be done. I am dying to see what she says about the bars. I would also like to point out that while you mean well you are not a doctor, dietician, psychologist or personal
trainer-you are a sales person. There are things I like about the diet it teaches you how to eat and I love the cook book, I do not have a problem with the price (although if I had it to do over I would have skipped the lites) and paying up front has kept me invested. I have met some wonderful couselors who have really helped, others have not. Like any profession some people are competant and some are not. If you are truly good at your job you should be able to make this distiction. I truly think I will get the weight off, but when a friend asked if she should join I said no. To many of the couselors are more concernd about pushing product than figuring out what is going on.

I would like to point out at my Center we do have a personal trainer, an ex nurse, and I have taken nutrition classes. I never claim to be a doctor or dietician, but I am not stupid. I have a college degree and so do some of the other girls that work at my la weight loss. I have two sisters that are RNs and they think highly of the program with or with out the lites. It is portion control and eating healthy. I never mislead my clients about my qualifications. People like coming to our center knowing that they always have someone to talk to. I don't give them advice about their life, I just listen, some people just need people to talk to.

Annie
Did somebody call you stupid? I missed that. Maybe your center operates different than mine. My point was that not all couselors are wonderful, some are incompetant. I also there are many things I like about the plan. What I do not like is the inconsitancy in the advice and the bad advice. As for misleading clients about qualifications I do feel like I was mislead in that area. The women who did my intake has lost 75 pounds on the program. I asked if all the couselors that completed the program. She said all were on the program. LIE some of the women had more weight to lose that I do, others have never had a weight problem. I had one counselor sit in on my sessions to "learn the program" the next week she was counseling me. That does not inspire confidence. The fact that this company has been successfully sued in two states proves there are some problems. My problem in not with the cost or the program. It is with the counseling-the fact that I got bad advice, I was blamed for my slow progress (by the couselors at my center and by you in your previous comment), yet when I finally got some good advice and took control of my own plan I started losing weight. Then they started trying to weasle their way out of giving me the "free weeks" my contract says I am entitled to if I do not lose weight fast enough. I am not stupid either, I joined this program becasue of the personalized counseling and the guarantee-I WILL GET MY GUARANTEE I used the lites, came in every week, follwed the advice (even when it was bad) and ate according to plan (more so than many people I know who are on the diet). If I had it to do over again I would join WW. All their couneslors are required to have made and maintained their goal weight. If you are as good as you say you are then your clients are very lucky. Just understand not all counselors are that competant.

I joined the program in 2002 and had some success. I joined for a years worth of visits. I had to move across country during that time and was told I should "suspend" my memebership by my counselor. When I moved, there was no LAWL center in my part of the country. Within a year, one arrived. I called the center and explained that I had previously paid for a number of weeks I did not receive and that I was informed to "suspend" my membership. The new center stated that would be fine if they could confirm with the old center that I had pre-paid. Of course they could not confirm, my old center said my file was not available and that I would have to pay again for the new weeks. I refused and have been upset ever since. I did have success on the program but have no trust in their organization.

i agree with the compentency of counselors because some are incompetent. but that is what happens in this world there are many incompetent people in other jobs as well. i am sorry that you had a bad experience but not all centers are like that. i wish you the best in your weight loss.

I was an LA Weight Loss client. I gave it 7 months and only lost 5lbs. My goal was 30. I kept getting the same advice from each counsellor. After spending $1500 on this program they wanted me to spend more on the power drink you have at the beginning 2 days of your program. I figured I've spent enough on this scam. They had a $50 reward if you brang in a new client that signed up with the program, I never received any of this. I just felt royally riped off by these people.

Sounds like you all should get together and find a lawyer that will represent you. I see a class action lawsuit. What LAWL is doing is WRONG!!!

Diane said:
I have many regrets in joining LAWL, first I spent about $900 at the beginning..had to buy their bars in bulk and of course if you buy several at one time you supposedly save more money...I still have bars that I paid for in advance and they are at the center, I bet they will NOT refund me my money for the ones I don't plan on using....WHAT A SCAM![...]

I am so glad I found this site. I have been on for almost 3 months, wanted to loose 35lbs after I had my baby (from 170-135)have lost 16 so far. I do not cheat, I watch everything that goes into my mouth. I go in 3 times a week like I was told. I do not use the bars or suppliments and I am on the maroon plan.

My frustration is that I hear something different from EVERY counselor.

Examples:
I love that you eat oatmeal every day, good fiber.
You shouldn't eat oatmeal every day....too heavy of a starch.

I told them I can't eat 6-7 oz of meat at a serving, it's too much food for me:

Split it up and have some at breakfast (one egg) and then the other portion at lunch...etc.
Don't split your proteins...too hard to digest. AND don't mix your proteins at one meal example cottage cheese and a smaller turkey patty. Too hard to digest.

If you can't eat that much meat, eat more peanut butter.
Don't eat so much peanut butter...too much fat.

Don't eat so much beef and pork, only 3 times a week. (When I signed up it was you can eat anything on the plan.)

This is the best one that really put me over the edge: I had some minor surgery shortly after I joined. One gal told me not to take the suppliments until after I was done with the pain killer, just to be safe. (I appreciated that.) My recovery was over thanksgiving and another gal told me to "quit taking my painpills over the holiday and take my fat burners instead" Hello, I think my pain is a tad more important that those darn fat burners!!!

HAS ANYONE ELSE BEEN TOLD IT TAKES 3 DAYS TO DIGEST BEEF AND PORK?

I also think I am eating way too much protein. I have never ever eaten 7 oz of Turkey at one sitting. I made a turkey burger the other day and my husband started laughing because it was bigger than the hamburger he made for himself. I think the reason I have not lost a pound in 3 weeks is because of the large portions of protein.

My brother joined LA in another city and he gets totally different advise than I do.

Also, when I ask a question they don't know the answer to, they just skip over it and move on.

I have tried to talk to them about all this stuff but I get nowhere. I am just going to stick it out until I get to where I want to be and can get by hands on that book they use that tells what every food counts toward.

Frustrated.

Hi
I agree with the above opinions of Laura and Michelle. I have been onthis diet 4 weeks and not once have I been hungry or felt deprived for food. On other diets I did. I have lost 12 pounds so far and I attribute this to the protein bars number one as a nurse I know that protien burns slower than carbohydrates so your body doesn't feel hungry and number two this diet does not cut our any major food groups. Hec, I don't even consider it a diet but a lifestyle change. Yoiu people who did not lose weight must not have stuck with it which I totally understand eating is a learned behavior and some behaviors are bad. I am doing this for health reasons ans well as vanity. I don't want to be 60 lbs overweight. LAWL has given me hope and encouragement that things do not have to stay that way. THey told me the first day this is the last day you will be 195 lbs and she was right. Thankyou LAWL you are the greatest.
Carol
Avon, Indiana

OK, let me add something. I said I don't cheat....I am human. I don't eat cookies but well, for instance...Superbowl Sunday I at my 15 low fat scoops with avacado dip which can't even be logged! But I get it once a year on Superbowl Sunday. And I ate a bowl of homeade Ice Cream at Christmas (again, once a year stuff).

But everything you read tells you to loose weight you have to be hungry sometimes. I have so much food to eat, I eat when I am not hungry. Plus, I can't believe it will take the same amount of energy to run a 135lb body as it does to run a 170lb body.

I started on the Gold plan and then they switched me to the maroon plan when I told them I was not going to buy the bars. They just give you more food with the plan that doesn't involve their products.

I resent the comments that I have not stuck to the plan, I have.

I have one complaint about lawl. THEY ARE TO FAR AWAY TO GET TO JUST BY BUS FROM THE CITY. When I joined a few years back I had a good working car. Then it broke down and I guess I lost what money and time I had left in the program. When I called to see if they were moving closer. I found out they had moved 3 miles father away. Come on people, move to a mall or a city downtown area. Some where that I can get my MONEYS WORTH!!!

I'm tired of hearing everyone bag on LA Weight Loss. Nobody ties you down and takes your money. You have every opportunity to opt out of the program on your first visit. If its something you can't afford to do, don't do it!!! If you did it and it didn't work for you, don't complain about it, it won't work for everyone. The bars are good and something to look forward to. But you don't have to be on them. If you choose not to, then it will void their guarantee. So what, if your really serious and committed you dont need their stupid guarantee. Ive read on different sites that Jenny Craig costs $11-15 per day for the food that you HAVE to eat. That is on top of the $6 per week. If I wanted to go on Jenny Craig it would cost me 2 or 3 times more than LA. The counsellors at my center are all great (except one) and are very supportive. Ive lost 15.8 lbs in 5 week and feel better than I have in 10 years. Ive tried everything and nothing has ever worked for me like this. And I don't feel like im dieting or being punished. Its awesome. There's a lot of people who diet and fail, then they cry about it when it doesnt work. LA Weight Loss is a business, dieting is a business. Just like everything else in our world, people are going to try to make money. Suck it up and stop complaining!!!

I don't have a problem with the money issue, yenemity. My problem, if you read my post is that I don't feel I am getting consistant advise and when I try to talk to them about it, they act like I didn't just speak. They change the subject and move on. I have been at the same weight for 3 weeks, working the plan and they keep telling me.....lets wait another couple days and see what happens.

I can do that without having to load my daughter up int the car in subzero temps 3 times a week! I am asking for HELP from these "experts" and they don't have anything to say.

I am sick of people saying that if you are not losing it must be your fault. I am finally losing after 19 weeks. I also heard it took 3 days to digest beef and pork, I was told I am eating too much cheese (I was told to eat peanut butter instead-double the fat and calories), I was told I was eating too much chicken (not enough fat) and too much beef (too much fat). I went to see a dietician through my HMO and showed her the program. She said the fact that they divide up what you eat is good and she liked the portions. She did not like the bars, the are loaded with fat and calories and she said unless they can provide clinical research that says they are "specially formulated" to aide in weight loss do not believe them (they were successfully sued in Washington for makeing false medical claims about their bars). I have asked for cliical research and I am still waiting. She also contridicted most of the advice I was given by the "counselors". Low fat cheese is fine, LEAN pork has less sodium than the weight loss bars, beef is fine (in small quaities). She offered clinical proof to back up what she was saying. I went to my meeting and showed the couselor and she was dumbfounded! That is my issue, not the cost, I knew the cost going in. I purchased the lites to get the guarnatee and I am know stuck with them (she suggested I would be better off scrapping the lites and eating more). Nobody strapped me down, but I was lead to believe I was paying for good advice. I have started educating myself and I am FINALLY losing weight. I keep going becasue the weekly weigh ins keep me accountable but I double check everything they say because I do not feel like their counselors know what they are doing.

anaymous5000, you said exactly what I am feeling. My beef (pardon the pun) is I get different advise each time I visit and haven't lost any weight. I once told them, "if I listened to what ALL of you tell me, I couldn't eat anything".

Question:
Why did the dietician tell you that you were eating too much Chicken (not enough fat). Do we need to eat so much fat in order to loose? I am sure I an eating too much chicken to because every time I eat beef I get "the look". Also, did you happen to ask the dietician about the 3 days to digest beef and pork? My brother who goes to LA in a different town asked his rep and she said that was BS but why should I believe her either.

Very discouraged right now.

I've been on the diet now 3 weeks and lost 4.8lbs. I'm thrilled with it. I did buy the Eating smart cookbook today and its got great ideas for dinners etc. The diet is seriously easy to follow you just have t be serious about it. I love the bars but lets be honest ...everyone that is complaining abut the bars... They are 300 calories of soy and whey with all kinds of sugars. They are basically your dessert if you think about it.

My friend switched to the plan with out the bars as she is allergic to everything in it which in some states is not a choice. But all they gave her was a bigger amount of protein to eat which they did tell her to break up if she needed. However I am on the gold plan and was told not to break up Proteins. Either way.. the diffeerence is no more then 300 calories. I persnally love the bars and I think they are awesome. Try microwaving the brownie bar for 15 secnds and mixing it with fat free cool whip. You just have to be motivated to do it and stay on it.

I was on Weight Watchers for 3 years and lost 30lbs but gained about about 1/2 of it when I got lazy. I "know" how to eat but the portion control is the what I get and the personal-- what i call babysitting to get weighed 3 xs a week. I need that motivation to go there and get weighed and it works. I can honestly say I only like 1 of the 3 ladies at the center but whatever. I like th get there and get weighed and that works for me.

IF you can handle or "want" the handholding... realize that some of these women who work there consider this a job rather than a life (like weight watchers the leaders have lost all the weight before they can work for them).. go there and expect they arent doctors. Don't expect them to be "EXPERTS" if they were experts they would be dieticians and nutritionists who make alot more money. Keep that in perspective you can get alot from the diet.

Nancy,
the dietican did not tell me I was eating too much chicken, the counselor from L.A. Weightloss did. The dietician (and another counselor) said that was bull. She said weight loss is about burning more calories than you take in, so there is no such thing as not enough fat. The thing about 3 days to digest beef and pork is also bull. I told the dietician that one of the couselors from LA told me beef has to rot in your stomach before it can be diegested and she laughed. As for pork it is higher in sodium (although tenderloin has less sodium than the bars) so it may cause you to retain water. But that is temporary weight. She said keep you sodium to under 200mg per meal and you will be fine. She also told me about a website calorieking.com she suggested I use this to check the calories, fat, sodium etc in the foods I eat.

Suburban Princess
It is funny that you were told not to split proteins on the Gold plan, I am also on the Gold plan and I was told I should always split my proteins! That is my point. I know these people are not doctors or dieticians, but I was expecting a minimal level of competancy. I also thought they would be under the supervision of a qualified person. I was told the dietician is in another state. Since switching to the Gold plan and cutting out the bars the diet is working for me, I agree the accountablity is helpful. I was hoping that after I paid 2,000 for my programs and the Lites that would be it. I wanted counselors who would be committed to helping me lose weight, not salespeople who are constantly pushing new pills and shakes. I realize I can say no, but I do not feel I should be put in that position. I have paid ALOT of money and I want them to do their job!!! I have had counselors sit in on my sessions one week, to "learn" the program, and then counsel me the next. For what I am paying I think the couselors should get some real training. I was also told all the counselors are on the diet, not true!!!!! I am glad it is working for you, I felt the same way at week 3. If it ever stops working I hope you have better couselors than I have!!!!!

Suburban Princess,
One more thing. The lady who signed me up had lost all her weight, she is the only couselor I have met who has lost all the weight. The assistant manager has not. Several of the counselors at my center have never been on the diet. So that is NOT a requirment, at least not where I live.

Wow. it's interesting to see all the comments on here good AND bad. I just started yesterday, but before I even paid I was very clear about that fact that I have a gluten allergy, I can't take pills, and I can't STAND protein bars. You'll be hard pressed to find me eating any kind of processed food. Anyway, the only reason I'm posting is because I mean if you're on this site I'm sure LA Weight Loss is not the first program you've tried and if you weren't successful it won't be the last. There's a reason why there are so many different options and programs out there. We are not all made the same way. What works wonders for some doesn't work at all for others and vise versa. Just because this particular program didn't work doesn't mean it's a scam, it just means for whatever reasons, it didn't work for you... And if we were all totally honest with ourselves if we all knew how to eat well on our own and eat the appropriate proportions and got the excercise our bodies NEED we wouldn't need any help in the first place. The employess there have to get paid for those three sessions EVERY week that guide you through your program... You're paying for the support. Anyone could take the guide and do it on their own, but if you could you would go down to Barnes and Noble and buy a low carb, moderate fat diet book and lose weight all by yourself without the one on one support that this program is really paying for. Everything else is OPTIONAL. The key is just knowing what your OPTIONS are up front before you start this program or ANY program.

Hi everyone. I joined the program a year ago. I lost about 8 pounds in 2 and a half months. But I had to put my account on hold for a while because we were out of town and after a couple of months I was just not committed enough. I just got my act together and started up again about two weeks ago. I lost 4 lbs the first week and 2 lbs the second week. Now since my last weigh in I have gained 2 lbs. I'm on the gold plan, taking all the supplements and I prepaid for all of the bars. The counselors at my centre are great. They have never pushed any kind of product, the supplements I'm only taking them cuz they were free when I signed up. I asked one of the counselors that I won't be getting any more when they are finished, so will I still see the same results? She told me that I might not need them beause my metabolism will revved up by then. The manager also told me that if I follow the plan to the T I am guaranteed to lose 1.5 to 2 lbs a week, even withought the supplements. I have about a 5 week supply left. So now I'm wondering if they even work. I wish I had done more research before joining. Based on what I have learned from the net the last couple of days is you need to burn more calories than you are taking in. I have also heard that if you are always taking in the same amount of calories everyday you body adjusts itself to burn that many calories. So you should vary the number of calories you take in every few days. Like have one or two high days a week to shock your body.The main reason I joined was the one on one counseling. I've done weight watchers before but didn't like weighing in, in front of everyone, or the group setting. A personal trainer would have cost me just as much as LA or maybe even less. Anyone with any advise that could help me?
Counfused

KellyKat I'm also taking the supplements on a "I feel like basis". I was taking them 2xs a day but then I was getting headaches and it interferred with my tennis game. She told me its up to me to take them or not. I'm going to go with out them as well and see. I'm losing weight at the right pace and I slowed down on them. Good luck.

hi guys, i am a former la weight loss regional manager. I quit the company bc i felt so bad at always having to pressure ppl into buying thousands of dollars of bars that have no nutrtional value. the plan w-out the bars works JUST AS FINE if not better!! if u are going to join la, dont let them pressure u into the supps and bars. YOU DO NOT NEED them!!

REFUNDS are not just available in washington, if u get pushy w them and keep calling customer service, u will get refunded on your bars and program. its in the contract but ppl just dont read it.

lawl does not have certified nutrtionists working for them, they are regular sales ppl who get trained for 1 week by an area supervisor who is also not certified in nutrition. and the "counselors" are paid by commission. thats why they are sooooooooooooo pushy and if a sales person doesnt sell a certain amount of la lites and supps, they get written up.

Lee,
Thank you for being honest with us. Makes me at least feel better. Really upsets me about the nutritionists, I don't know what to think now. I went in yesterday with a "you are going to answer my questions" attitude and the gal was going to "call the dietician and ask". sigh.

I really pushed on the bars and their value. I do not take them, but my question was:

I am eating the same amount of protein as someone who is on the lites but I just eat the protein in actual food, why do they get to eat something with all that sugar and I can't have anything sweet?

I could not get an answer, just the talk around. I finally gave up. She actually gave me grief about my fruit choices saying I picked the fruit with the most sugar!

I THOUGHT THAT WAS CRAP ABOUT THE BAGGY SKIN TOO, AND I DO THINK IT IS TOTALLY EXPENSIVE. IT HAS HOWEVER WORKED OUT IN MY FAVOR AS I CONTINUE TO LOSE WEIGHT. THE WHOLE REASON I JOINED WAS NOT TO BE SKINNY, I JUST WANTED TO LOSE 30 LBS. MY REASON WAS TO EAT HEALTHIER BECAUSE I HAVE NO DISCIPLINE WITH FOOD, SO A PROGRAM WOULD WORK TO MY ADVANTAGE. I HAVE TRIED WEIGHT WATCHERS AND IT IS TO COMPLICATED FOR ME. THE TAKE OFF JUICE, EVERYTIME I DRINK IT I LOSE AN AVG OF 3 1/2 LBS. SO I LOVE THE PROGRAM, BUT IT IS EXPENSIVE.

But what is the Take Off Juice. Do you loose the weight because you don't eat much of anything else. My bottle did not have the ingredients on it, I wonder if it is just concentrated juice.

I currently work @ LAWL and have seen several people there get high cholesterol I believe from the bars. I did research on the ingriedient, partially hydrogented palm kernal oil and that is just as bad as transfat. Side effects include high cholesterol, strokes and heart attacks with long term use. I have worked in the company for a couple years as have other people I know. Our old area supervisor is now on cholesterol pills. ;-( YIKES!!

Frazzled,
What is in the take off?

Nancy, I do not know what is in the take off, but I was told you can substitute 1/8 canaloupe for the juice. That should tell you there is nothing majic about the Take Off juice, it is just juice. I asked my dietician about the Take Off and she said that unless they could provide clinical evidence that it works do not do it. She has never heard of metobolic shock being effective for anything more that temporary loss. I have lost when I have done it, but my weight loss the following week is less so it averages out. I also feel like crap when I do the Take Off and have trouble thinking clearly enought to function. Like all their products the Take Off is not FDA approved and when I have asked for the research, proving it is effective, I have gotten some real fuzzy answers. On the upside since switching to the Gold Plan and not eating the bars I am finally losing weight, without the supplements. The diet does work just stay away from their products, and double check everything they tell you!!!!

anaymous,

I was on the gold plan and then I told them I was not going to eat their stuff and they switched me to the purple plan. I wonder why you are on the gold plan and not eating the bars?

Purple plan has larger portions of the proteins (and I eat 2 proteins a day) and 4 servings of vegies, everything else is the same.

I agree the diet does work but really all the diet is when you don't eat their stuff is watching what you eat. Do you agree?

Nancy,
I am still on the Gold Plan becasue I am still eating the lites, just not the bars. They have some disgusting juice that tastes like jello and some hot chocolate that ROCKS! They have about 40 calories (vs. 160 in the bars) and less fat, sugar etc. Truthfully I would prefer to switch to the purple plan, but I already paid for them and I need them to get my guarantee. I am in week 20 and I lost nothing my first 10 weeks (before switching plans and cutting out the bars), so I am going to take adavatange of the guarantee and keep going until I lose all my weight. I had to fight for that, but they finally said they would give me the free weeks.

I agree the diet is nothing but watching what you eat. On the up side this diet did force me to change my eating habits and really pay attendtion to portions. My issue with the diet is the high pressure sales and the fact that I have recieved conflicting and down right BAD advice from the counselors, then I was blamed for not losing weight when the last several weeks (when I have lost weight) has proven I was eating too much-that is why I it took me so long to lose.

different people, different bodies, therefore different kinds of reactions. LAWL is something that truly works!...of course it won't work if you don't follow what they tell you to do and worse, doing your own modifications on it. No, I don't work for LAWL and I am definitely one of those people who paid big bucks..but you know what...i committed myself to it, promised myself that i will stay on this no matter what..that payment was no joke for me because i am not rich...so I have to see to it that my money won't go to waste....they won't force you to get their bars and their supplements(as far as my center is concern...just a pc of advice if you happen to talk to somebody there and is forcing you to buy, simple, call their managers or area managers and tell them what is going on)...me, from being 168.2 lbs down to 119 in 8 months without those bars and supplements..the point that I am trying to cross here is....whoever joined the LAWL program and was not successful on it, don't put all the blame to LAWL alone... something was done wrong by that person, unintentionally maybe, we don't know. I only have three magical words for people who were unsuccessful....MODERATION, WATER and DISCIPLINE!!!....god bless

I worked for LA for over 5 years, and worked my way up to what I will refer to as a HIGHER MANAGEMENT position.

I have to say that I am saddened for the people posting here. The money is part of commiting, but you are better off paying the same amount to a registered dietician whom you can meet with on a one on one basis.

You are ALL right. Some people do very well at LA, some don't. It is expensive and often times, the counselors are pushy.

The counselors, for the most part, have good intentions, however the way that the company is set up is not condusive to hiring people that are excellent and that stay. Once in a while they do, but usually they get sick of it and leave. Here is why the company doesn't work:

1. Trainees are supposed to be hired based on their qualifications, not to fill a hole in a center that needs a "warm body" (sadly, this is a term used quite often by management). Unfortunately, regional and area managers often times do exactly that, hiring people who have no real interest in the position or the people they will be dealing with.

2. the BASIC training, based on how much a particular counselor or manager is getting and what form of development the latest training is in, runs from 5 to seven days of intensive classroom training. Alot of info is shoved into this time frame. medical terminology, various ways the program works, selling techniques and general counselling. First of all, this is a FLOOD of often entirely new info. The class size alone can turn this into a nightmare for the trainees. Classes that have four new hires as opposed to classes of 15 or 20 are going to get more time and attention devoted to them.

3. Trainees are evaluated on their behaviour in class, but first and foremost, their staying with the company through training is dependent ENTIRELY on their ability to MEMORIZE A PHONE SCRIPT.

4. New employees are given (or should be if the training is proper) strict instruction on NEVER moving peoples plans without the guidance of a manager; NEVER to guess at answers to questions, but to get help or another opinion if need be; NEVER to sell something FOR THE SAKE of selling something; NEVER to disregard a client's feelings; NEVER to give opinions on what clients should do involving anything outside of the plan (for example, exercise or nutrition related that they learn in a nutrition class outside of the company). These things are taught in order to ensure a uniformity to what clients are told, and the level of service that they receive. Unfortunately, once new employees get out into their center, they are told different things by center, area and regional managers.

5. Evaluations on staff are done intermitently if AT ALL, and any that I ever saw were based only on SALES NUMBERS.

6. Every morning, area managers and above pull up their "numbers" so that they can see the number of calls taken, consultations sold, LA lites sold, amount of money brought in, etc... If a counselor does a consultation on and doesn't sell it, you can bet they will be questioned at length and told that no excuses are tolerated. When I left, if a given center employee didn't sell an average of $35 per client over the course of the week in regular visits, they could be terminated after repeating this behaviour 3 times.

7. Staff, especially managers and above, are run ragged, and then made to run some more. In a given week, including travel, a slow week was often 70-80 hours of work. Most of the employees are women, but god forbid your kid gets sick and you have to stay home-- management will be at work discussing the fact that you are not a team player, and that they will have to watch you.

IN GENERAL: the original premise of the company and the plan is good-- even great. but money gets in the way too often of helping the clients, beginning with what should be the company's most valued resource: its employees.

I cared very much for alot of the people I worked for, but often had no repsect for the way that they handled their business, or that we would be promoted (myself included several times) based on practically beating money out of clients and counselors. The clients that I dealt with were wonderful people just looking for help.

If you have had a good experience, whether as a client or employee, then I am truly very happy for you.

Lee, thanks for your honesty about the bars. Any other info that will help, I've already paid for all of the La lites.

anaymous5000, I'm going in today and I think I am going to try getting some of the drinks instead of the bars, and try those for a while. I'm also on the gold plan. I guess I'll see what happens.

I don't know if this is a coincidence, but for 2 days in a row last week I had ground chicken(extra lean) as 1 of my proteins. My weight went up. Then on Friday I didn't, Saturday my weight was down. Saturday I had some again and Sunday my weight was up again.

I also remember that before I bought the Lites, I asked the counselor "What if I don't buy the Lites?". She told me then they would increase my protein to 3 servings.

Tennesse
Just so you know I did not start losing weight UNITIL I stopped listening to their advice and modified the diet! I was given BAD advice, I know just how bad becasue I double checked it with a REAL nurticianist. I am not rich either that is why it pissed me off that I paid that much for advice that did not work. Believe me I will lose the weight and I will get the weeks that I have coming for FREE, that is why I bought the bars. This diet can work but do not stand there and act like all the couselors know what they are doing, because they don't. They are salespeople.

Hi, guys its me again. I just got back from a weigh in. First of all I didnt lose any weight since Wednesday, I was sick and my counselor told me that when you are sick your metabolism goes down. Is this true, I don't know?
Second I asked her how many calories is the gold plan based on. She told me 1500 to 2000. Well I weigh 188lbs, in order for me to maintain my weight I need to take in about 1950 calories. So if I want to lose weight I need to take in obviously less. She told me the plan was not based on calories but on portion control and making the right choices. So if one makes the right choices the plan will work. Also if you are eating a lot of processed foods the will slow your weight loss. Better to eat whole foods.
Third, I asked her what if there was a day when I am out and don't have my LA Lites with me, what should I replace them with. Well she told me there is really no other food equivalant to them so you can't really sub another food for them. She said just don't starve yourself and make the best choice from what is available. And try and have your la lite when you get home. So I asked well what if it is 10 or 11 o'clock at night? She then said well then you should just skip it.
Next she asked me if I wanted any more bars and I told her I wanted to try some of the drinks and then she said she was actually going suggest that I try the drinks instead because they a lower in calories.
So, hmmmmm, lets see what happens