LA Weight Loss: Caught Out Again

Mary,
The bars only cost 1.99 a bar if you buy in bulk and I don't have a problem buying the bars, it' that they say you "MUST" consume 2 bars a day. Can you not consume 1 bar a day and incorporate what ever would equal 1 bar extra into your diet. I love the program and I feel great! I just don't think I need 2 LA bars a day and I feel like this is just a sales issue.

This goes to I just joined. If you only want to consume one bar only eat one but write in your diary that you are eating two. In the long run it will benefit you beacuse eating two bars is about 340 calories and you will be cutting your calories by only eating one benefiting your weight loss. Good Luck.

Thanks Barb I hope your weight loss goes well. anti-depressants most employees who work there for a while know that they make it harder to lose weight because they slow down your metabolisim. They just want you to spend that money. Surburban Princess I agree that all programs try to sell you something no matter where you go. My point is that La Weight Loss is unethical in the way they do their business. They are not upfront about how much the program really costs or how much the la lites cost that you have to do. If I didnt work there and went in to join at the different centers in Michigan I would not due to I know how the people in Michigan are trained. They are trained to lie and prey on you to get you locked in. Like I stated before the program helped me lose 80lbs and I believe it does work if YOU work it. If your not ready to lose weight for YOU you will not succeed. La Weight Loss needs to start being honest about their business practices period. If they were so honest they would not of been on 20/20,two lawsuits from New York and Washington attorney general,the ONLY weight loss company on badbusinessbureau!

Just saw the LAWL ad on TV. It states $7/week, plus start up cost and LA Lites. So the "upfront" and honest debate has been answered, they are no longer masking that they are required for the program. Nicole and Anna I apologize for any offense you may have taken to my last posting. I TOO have a Masters, in Business, not nursing, I had no intentions of "belittleing" anyone. Just pointing out the obvious basics of any weight loss organization, no profit, no company. Nicole, I believe that you have had a very unique experience. I was never "trained" in sales. My entire training focus was nutrition. It maybe possible the company has changed its training focus within the last year. I trained in May of 2006 and recently left the company due to the completion of my education. Never was I told "they cry they buy" nor taught how to push product. Only educated on the ingredients of the supplements, their purpose, and indepth information on nurtrition. I was supervised by 5 registered dietians and never allowed to change a clients plan without direct contact from one of them. Hopefully this information helps.

Megan what state were you working in? It does state plus the cost of set up fees and la lites now due to their lawsuits they had to. I know that here in Michigan the only people that do the traing classes are the trainer(not a dietician),an area manager or the regional manager. No dieticians are involved what so ever. As far as changing plans anyone could do it in Michigan and didnt have to ask or contact anyone.

Megan
I do not want to start and argument but I think you are the one who has had a unique experience. I started reading these blogs to see if my situation was unique and I found out very quickly that it was not, the postings are mainly negative. The 20/20 piece clenched it for me. The diet can work, it is working for me. But it took a long time and a LOT of work on my part, because the couselors did not know what they were doing! I am glad they are finally being honest and upfront, too bad it took 2 lawsuits and humiliation on national television to get them there. I agree it is a buisness, they have the right to make a profit. I do not think anybody disputes that. But, it is pretty clear that in the past their buisness practices have been shady. I am glad you got good training. At my center the couselors are trained as they go. I have had trainees sit in on my sessions to "learn the program" and cousel me the next week. I asked to see the dietician when I hit 11 weeks with no weight loss and was told she was in another state and I was not allowed to talk to her. For what I paid I think I deserve better. My luck chaged when a knew couselor came along who told me to stop eating the bars becasue the are full of fat, calories and sodium (although she told me not to tell anyone) and switched me to the GOLD plan. THe assistant manager had a FIT but since I am finally losing the weight she has stayed quiet. My point is that he evience overwhelmingly suggests that this company has some serious problems, that will only be resolved legal action to pressure from their clients.

Personally, I think that LA Weightloss is just like any other business. They are there to make a profit. The reason they are successful is because they hold their clients accountable. They only succeed if their clients succeed in losing weight. Period. If a person had to pay any center the cost of a "degreed" professional to hold their hand during counseling sessions, the fees would be cost prohibitive.
They are trying to help people learn how to eat healthy and make decisions about what they put in their bodies. No rocket science there. The bars help make this program successful. Instead of loading up on a piece of candy - been there, done that - you have a bar and it should help stave off the craving. I have never joined but I know people who have and the results are rather astounding. Good luck

Nicole
How long ago did your center close and when you started working for them did they make you sign a contact to stay within your ideal weight range??? The center I worked for is a franchise. They also were in quite a panic right before New Years over the 20/20 report. I only found out because I recieved a fax from our "corp" office about how to handle upset clients and questions about the report. ( they knew about this weeks ago) With in minutes our manager was told to get rid of the fax and not to allow us to know or question any information on the report.

Well i watched the 20/20 and i can tell you girls it is all true... i worked there and i was told if she cries she buys.... telling woman that they are fat and ungly and encouraging them to lie to their husband..using rent, groceries money behing his back..
what a bunch of bull...they are a pack of rats...
these women have no morals or ethics... it is all about making the money.. no mater what... after all they need it to buy the great fake boobs they all have.
The counselors??? forget it.. they are unhetical low moral woman... they don't know the first thing about nutrition...they are NOT professionals even if they wear lab coats..
what a bunch of bs..
i was so ashamed that i could not sleep in the night..
finally quit... but not before i was intimidated and reminded of the confidentially and non disclosure agreements that make you sign.
Please those bars have so much sugar as much as 20 grams... 2 per day??? hummmm you make the math....
hey and when yo hit plateou...they will ask you to have just one bar and GUESS WHAT???? you will start lossing weight again..
Do yourselves a favor and skip the LA weight loss scam
and remember the moto "if she cries..she buys"

By the way girls, are you aware tha LA WEIGHTS LOSS has hire marketing companies to add possitive comments to these blogs??? yes people most of the cheery comments on these and other blogs are paid by la weight loss.
when will they stop????

I have to tell you that I joined LAWL and am really happy! Do they push the bars? Yes. After I told her I did not want to purchase the bars she was clearly disappointed but I told her that I cannot afford them. I love the program and have lost weight. I wish there was a web site for all the happy client who could swap receipts or just chat to keep you motivated.

Anna the center closed in September of 06 and then I was transfered to another center in Michigan. we were never sent anything about the 20/20 report but when they were getting sued in washington we were sent a fax about it and how there was no wrong doing they just thought it was in their best intrest to settle out of court and from that day forward la lites were mandatory and the rebate was no longer due to the lawsuits. It was after that happened that they got these celebs to do commericials like whoppi. Tell me when was the last time you seen whoopi?

i saw the spot on 20/20 last week and immediately felt nauseous. i have had great success with the program, but am now recognizing some of the tactics in the hidden-camera observations. i haven't been back in to the center since last week b/c i feel like i can't even look some of the women in the eye! i feel terrible despite the fact that the program has really worked well for me. i hate this feeling in the pit of my stomach. i almost feel violated. i am going to continue the program - i have a lot invested ($ and time). the first counselor with whom i met definitely fit into the bad category, but there were some employees i really respect and trust. suggestions?

Reading this makes me glad I didn't bother trying this stuff out.

-J. Kaiser

Hi... I went to my local L.A WeightLoss Center today. I really liked the service there and even had a chance to try the Coconut flavored bar. I was not ready to sign up, so I scheduled to come back in on Wednesday after I've had some time to think about it considering it was a lot of money to start. The program seems like it will work, but I'm not happy about spending so much money upfront and on supplements. I was told that the LA Lites are not optional as they are built right into the program. Is that true? I've read that people by their LA Lites on ebay instead.

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

Comment from a Registered Dietitian with nothing to sell.....................

Kudos to "Ashamed"'s post regarding the comment about spending the money for a session with a Registered Dietitian.

Registered Dietitians are registered with the American Dietetic Association and are truly THE nutrition experts/specialists. (Look for an R.D. following someone's last name, as you would M.D. for a physician). Unfortunately, ANYONE can call themselves a "nutritionist", as evidenced by numerous posts of sales people, etc. with allegedly conflicting nutrition "counseling", advice and information, and allegedly passing themselves off as giving out sound nutrition advice. As a joke, people have had their cats and dogs "certified" as nutritionists, as evidence that the label of nutritionist is unregulated, and, even though I love animals, I doubt anyone would go to a cat or dog for sound nutrition advice.

People also have taken to calling themselves "dietitians", which is also a meaningless term as is "certified nutritionist",
these people are not "Registered Dietitians" with the American Dietetic Association. For additional information go to www.eatright.org.

You put your physical health in someone who is not an M.D. because they called themselves a "certified doctor" or "medical personnel" or allow them to operate on you without thoroughly checking their credentials....nor would you go to someone who wasn't an R.D. for reliable nutrition advice and counseling. Weight loss has potential risks and there are many existing health conditions to consider. Supplements aren't always healthy and supplements are often unregulated with side effects, some are quite dangerous. Please seek the advice of an R.D. who is properly and thoroughly trained in nutrition.

One-on-one sessions with a Registered Dietitian will give you the support, counseling, and ACCURATE information and it is is definitely money well spent -- in many cases much less than the prices people have mentioned in their posts.

One reliable barometer for a weight loss regimen's credibility is whether or not they are promoting a product such as a book, bar, drink, and if you can eat real food and not live on eating pre-packaged foods for the majority of your intake as some programs insist on which is temporary and doesn't promote permanent behavior change or ultimately long-term weight loss and maintenance. Registered Dietitians are committed to long-term success and eating strategies that result in permanent weight loss.

I cannot comment on the non-registered "dietitians" (unregulated) mentioned by others in their posts, or anyone working for the program as I don't know them or their individual credentials. I am speaking generally here.

Health plans are offering Registered Dietitian nutrition counseling as a benefit, so be sure and check with your individual medical insurance plan for details.

I wish you all the best of luck and success with your weight loss efforts!
~ A Registered Dietitian

I am a former employee of LA Weight Loss hired as a weight loss counselor. Everything that the dissatisfied clients have written here is accurate. We are not taught anything about nutrition. We are taught how to sell, sell, sell. If you watched 20/20 last Friday evening,Feb. 16, 2007 then you saw the expose on LA. Again, it is all true. Joining LA will only cost you $$$. It is not likely that you will lose that much weight. Unless you have a very large amount of weight to lose, the calorie count and the products do not promote weight loss. I was so unsatisfied with the program, and felt like I was not helping people, that I just had to leave. I couldn't work in a place with such a lack of integriy. I hope you all find a program you can follow and lose with.

I researched the " soy " thing and according to Dr. Blaylock, Soy has very negative side effects. He recommends the book " THE WHOLE SOY STORY" by Kaayla Daniel . You can also email him at askblaylock@newsmax.com. He listed some of the negative side effects, one of them being breast cancer, the rest being really horrible. I think the funniest part of this whole thing is that a LA weight loss counselor is the one who told me how bad soy is for you...

20/20 did an undercover report on LA Weight Loss. Learn about it here:

http://franchisepick.com/abcs-2020-runs-free-la-weight-loss-franchise-infomercial/

I didn't purchase the LA Lites Bars because the soy in them can exacerbate my thyroid disease. My weight loss was slower, 22lbs in 4 months, but I kept it off. You should view all sales piches with healthy skepticism. Some of the counselors were very concerned and helpful but others bordered on bitchy and condescending. It's like any other plan--take from it what you need and ignore the hype. The supplement ingredients are available much cheaper at your local drugstore. Overall, LAWL offers sound nutritional plans---reduce your sugar, carbs, increase water and veggies. But people, $1500.00?? I could never have afforded that--thank goodness it didn't cost that much in NC.

I went to LA Weight Loss back in 2002. I lost 46 pounds. I was really pressured to buy the bars and I didn't ever agree to doing it. I didn't buy the bars but the personnel kept telling me that they couldn't guarantee the weight loss without me using the bars.

I did gain the weight back, after I decided to quit going 6 months later. I want to go back, but I dont' want to be pressured into using the bars. I can't afford them.

The reason these programs aren't pay as you go is because you are going to hit a plateau and once you do you are going to want to quit. Since you are financially invested you are less likely to drop out. I haven't seen any mention of the fact that if you hit your goal weight and keep it off for a year you get 1/2 of your program fees back! I paid $416 to take off 60 lbs and so far I've lost 40. Yes the program works but you have to do the work. You can't cheat and expect to loose. I did not take any of the supplements or bars during the first 20 lbs. You also have to remember that you are learning to eat properly. Most of us have grown up in a Fast Food diet and never learned proper nutrition...I feel LAWL teaches you that. BTW, it took Kristy Alley a year and a half to lose 75 lbs!!! I've been on the plan for a short 6 months and am 2/3 of the way to my goal. Do what works for you but be smart about how you do it. Getting fat wasn't cheap either! :)

Ijust joined two days ago already I lost 3 popunds fromt he water. It's great. so far so good, I wasnt told the buying the bars in bulk are mandatory. I dont mind buying them weekly though.. The people i met thus far at the center are awesome, so hopefully I'll do okay.. Sorry to those whom it didnt work out for.

Erin said:
i saw the spot on 20/20 last week and immediately felt nauseous. i have had great success with the program, but am now recognizing some of the tactics in the hidden-camera observations. i haven't been back in to the center since last week b/c i feel like i can't even look some of the women in the eye! i feel terrible despite the fact that the progr[...]

Erin~
I totally agree with you here. I have lost about 75lbs in a little over a year. However I have been up and down for about 3 months now, about a 15 +/- stretch. Everytime I go to the center, they tell me to stay with the blue plan, etc. I saw 20/20 and was outraged. I went to the center the other day to yell at the manager, but since she was gone, I totally snatched my chart out of one of the UNEDUCATED girls' hands and found I have been on the same plan for 8 months and have not lost a significant amount since then. I think they are trying to keep me on this plan so I don't hit my 120lbs lost and just keep buying bars. I want to sue or do something!!!!!!! I can't believe "if she cries, she buys...."

I love the LA Weight loss program I have read a lot of negative comments but I can only say great things. I joined 2 and half weeks ago and have already lost 12lbs. The councellors are great they explained all costs up front which was $730 for 2 years (1 year weight loss and 1 year maintance) and explained the LA lites bars pricing, I chose to buy mine every 5 weeks. The bars are super yummy and take away my craving for sweets my favorite is Lemon. The center in Daly City CA is the best I go in 3 times a week get weighed in, they take my blood pressure and chat with me one on one for 20 - 30 mins I could not do this without them. I have another 90lbs to lose and I will do it with them look out for my update. It is expensive but so is gastric bypass surgery, so I think it is a great deal..

I joined for a year and I gained weight/I took prune juice for one week and loss five pounds. they tell you nothing but lies. you can not eat anything if you want to loose weight with them. they do not even care once you join. I threw $1000 away. when I went to get lippo I am now the size I want to be for $5000. LA can kiss my but.Do not waste your money.

If anyone out there has a thyroid condition, check with your endocrinologist before buying the bars. The soy can be a problem although the LA girls will try to tell you they only have a "little" bit of soy in them. A white lab coat does not a doctor make. Having said that, the plans without the overpriced supplements and the bars are a safe way to lose weight. I had my MD review my plan and my OB-GYN MD's wife did LAWL. Because everyone is different, you really should check with your MD before signing up. I hit some rough patches in the beginning due to the lack of sugar--I never knew I was so addicted. So if you just joined and you feel angry, it may not be the 20/20 show, it may be sugar withdrawal. Hang in there!

other diet plans are just expensive. i love the one on one attention and support. the diet does work if you follow it correctly.i am very happy with my results. you cant put a price on that.i have never felt pressured, no means no, i think many people are negative because they spent the money and did not committe to the plan, its not a miracle you have to actually work at it.

and keira that is what is wrong with america everyone wants to sue, what are you gonna sue for? pain and suffering? you lost 75 pounds you should be happy with that weighloss. you really shouldnt quit the program, i wouldnt want you to gain the weight back and loose all the effort you put into it. youve already paid for the program, youve lost weight, so it must work.

This program does work that is not the question. If the bars help you great but know this when you get withing 10 even 20 pounds to your goal they will hold you back due to their calories and carbs. That is why your counselor will suggest a powder instead of a bar because it is 1/3 of the calories and hardly any carbs. Yes you do have to commit to lose the weight there is no question about that because if you dont you will fail. EVERY center in EVERY state is different in their selling practices. To the people who were not pressured that is great but reality is there is alot of La centers where that is all they do because it makes their paychecks and that is all they care about thats why they have had so much bad press about their unethical business practices. Their business practices are not uniform throught the entire company that is the problem.

Jennifer, I must tell you, you make so much sense.I am happy with the program and this is the first program that I have followed! I don't know if I am so motivated because I have put $700.00 into the program but this is the most motivated I have been. When I started they gave me so much free product, food scale, a receipe book. I did buy a bulk of bars but that is it! When I am out if I choose not to purchase the bars then I will tell them not to bother me about it! I will tell them I purchased them on e-bay to keep their mouths shut. I must say I love the chocolate biscottis. If anybody is on the program and feel the need for chocolaate, this will satisfy your craving.

I WAS A LA WEIGHT LOSS CLIENT FOR TWO YEARS. I HAD NO BAD EXPERIENCES WITH ANY OF THE EMPLOYEES OR PRODUCTS.
I HAVE LOST OVER 60LBS AND HAVE KEPT IT OFF THE HEALTHY WAY. SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THE PEOPLE HAVE NO BACKBONE & CAN'T SAY NO! TO THE PRESSURE OF SALES PEOPLE. TAKE IT HOWEVER YOU WANT IT. MOST WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS ARE IN IT TO MAKE MONEY, DON'T FOOL YOURSELF!

Hi Ananymous! Thanks for the added knowledge you've been providing! I joined a week ago and have had a great experience at my center so far. The dietician recommended the bars and have showed me the three package deals but I had told her that I could not afford them at this time. So I was transferred from the gold to the purple program. I know the difference is eating more oz. of protein and food? I haven't read the pamphlet given to me, but do you have any other advices with the switch besides the ones I've read about working out the same or more calorie I take in? Thanks much! :D

P.S
I unfortunately didin't read EVERYTHING on the "rebate" contract and I was wondering if you HAVE to buy the LA Bars to GET the rebate?

Concerned

anaymous5000 said:
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 [...]

About incorporating other foods in your program when you said "It will help you choose low calorie foods to fit into your plan. If you take control of your program you will lose weight." What type of foods can they be and would this be in place of the lean cuisine and such?

anonymous5000 said:
Kelly Kat
I cannot believe they said the GOLD plan was based on 1500-2000 calories (wait this is LAWL yes I can). I was also told this diet is not about counting calories but eating the right types of foods-eating enough protein etc. I was told that I would be eating MORE calories on this diet and still lose weight. I spoke to the dietician (thr[...]

It seems we need to place blame for our personal failures. There is one way to succeed at weight loss and that is to follow the program whatever program you choose. Most of us enroll but lose interest in the long term committment. We would rather blame a progam than our unwillingness to persist. My experience with LA Weight Loss has been inconsistent counseling. High pressure does not work for most of us. Early on, I made it clear that I would not be pressured and would walk away if the tone did not mellow. LA Lites and frequent check-ins have been my salvation from flab. I pay less for LA Lites than the many fatty lunches I consumed eating out regularly. There is no free lunch. My loss is not fast. I am on my sixth month and have lost 40 pounds. This is the greatest success I have had in the last 40 years of battling wieght and have tried almost every conceivable program. In the end, it is all up to how you handle yourself. When you write the check, do it knowing that you will be doing 99% of the work. Have you lost 40 pounds lately? We are all different and the excess baggage we carry is not simply in the form of extra pounds. Do what feels right for you but don't discourage others from looking into a program that has delivered success to many "losers".

kaydee said:
I think LA weight loss is a big scam. You lose all that weight really fast and apt to put it back on plus. To lose weight you should lose between 1 & 2 lbs a week. Also watching what you eat and exercise 30 minutes a day. I joined Curves 1 month ago I lost 10 lbs. I am happy I am losing it slow because I am doing it healthier. I paid $313 for a[...]

kaydee said:
I think LA weight loss is a big scam. You lose all that weight really fast and apt to put it back on plus. To lose weight you should lose between 1 & 2 lbs a week. Also watching what you eat and exercise 30 minutes a day. I joined Curves 1 month ago I lost 10 lbs. I am happy I am losing it slow because I am doing it healthier. I paid $313 for a[...]

I DONT WHERE YOU WENT BUT EVERY CENTER I HAVE VISITED ONLY GOES BY 1-2 LBS A WEEK, YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR FACTS

I enrolled in the program right before Christmas and what a big mistake that was. I was so incredibly hungry for the first 2 weeks that I was so weak I couldn't get out of bed. When I called them to see if I could add more food to my diet they told me to add half a startch, which is 1 piece of bread. This obviuosly didn't make a difference. I tried to call again but nobody would return my calls. I went to my doctor and he gave me a docotors note telling me that I could not do the program because it was unhealthy for me. When i took the doctors note to the program they told me that I shouldn't drop out of the program because I will gain alot of weight. They excepted the note but they had me calling all over to get a refund. It took me 2 weeks to get anybody to call us back and then when someone did call me back they said that I had to talk to someone else. I spent about 4 weeks on the phone trying to find out what was going on and where my money was. They got annoyed with my calls and had my number blocked so I could not call anymore. I finally got my cheque but not with out a big headache and alot of stress. Needless to say that I am doing fine without the program and I am still losing weight.

SweetPea
At my center you do need to buy the Lites to get the rebate and the guarantee (free weeks if you do not lose all the weight in the alloted time). I am not sure where you pulled that quote about adding other foods. It may have been a website the dietician (from my insurance company) told me about calorieking.com I have found that to be useful in selecting what foods to include and what not to include. The bars work for some people. I was on the purple plan and eating 2 bars a day for 11 weeks and I lost nothing. I switched to the gold plan and started to lose. After talking to the dietician I decided to stop eating the bars and eat other lites (to preserve my guarantee, I would prefer to eat other foods) and I have been losing ever since. As for Lean Cuisine, I think the pamphlet covers that. I have been trying really hard to stay away from frozen and processed food and I feel fantastic.

The point I have been making in all my blogs has been that the "couselors" do not always know what they are talking about. I am still angry that I was left on a plan for 11 weeks, with no results and I had to go to an outside source to figure out what would work for me. I paid over $1,500 dollars for this program, I never expected all the employees to be registered dieticians, but I did expect them to have some training, give consistent advice, and be under the supervision of a registered dietician who lives in the same state. That has not been the case! Frankly some of the advice I have been given would be hilarious if I had paid for stand up comedy instead of weight loss advice. That is not to say that all the couselors are bad. I have one that I adore, she is the one who first suggested I stop eating the bars, the assistant manager had a FIT when she heard that. She is the expection the majority of them (and I see alot of them because there is a high turnover) just spout the company line "eat the bars, take the pills, eat less pork". Lots of sales and very little GOOD-PRACTICAL advice.

Kay, maybe you have the money to "walk away if the tone did not mellow" not all of use have that luxery. We live in a "buyer beware culture". Web sites like this and programs like 20/20 give people a chance to review and consider a variety of opinions and make more informed decisions. L.A. Weighloss can work, it has worked for me (after I sought out independent advice). Aside from a brief stint with Weight Watchers (3 months 5 years ago) I have never been on another plan. I joined at the advice of a friend. I wish I had read some of the blogs before I joined. It may or may not have prevented me from joining, but it would have made me a more informed consumer! I think I would have saved myself a lot of aggrivation!

Bottom line is this program can work. If you are joining for the accountablity, both from the frequent weigh ins and the up from payment (this is what keeps me coming back-I have invested too much to walk away). This program is for you. If you are joining because you want practical weight loss advice from people who care more about your success than their commision you will be disapointed. I agree this program can work if you work it. I also believe this company is corrupt and it is my right to share my opinion with others-take it or leave it!!!! That does not mean I am looking to blame my failure on others, especially since I am not failing!

I have been reading this blog since I joined LAWL 6 weeks ago. Clearly there have been a lot of bad experiences, some good, some great. I just wanted to share my experience.

I went into LA only needing to lose 15 pounds, but I really lacked the motivation needed to take it off (leftover baby weight from my 2 1/2 year old). I had 2 friends that lost 100 pounds and 50 pounds on LA, so I thought I would give it a shot. I called, and received some pressure to come in that day. I DID go, and filled out the info. Fortunately for me, it was friends and family referral week so I was able to get my weeks for $3/week since I listed my friends on my paperwork. I did feel like that instead of receiving info, I was signing up - being pushed along, if you will. I was told about the LA Lites, but they were glossed over a bit, and I had to initial on my contract that I understood that they were mandatory on the program. In LA's defense, I did not ask questions - but honestly I felt that I was receiving a lot of info at once. I DID sign the contract, and felt pressure to buy supplements. When I tried to decline, the manager reminded me that I was saving over $200 due to the $3/week deal (my total plan - weight loss, stabilization, and maintenance was only $297). I succumbed to the pressure and purchased a 1 month supply of Eliminator at $19.99, but vowed to myself not to get anything else.

Next visit they pull out the ABC LA Lite purchase chart. Holy crap - $$$. I told them that I would need to talk to my husband before choosing a plan. At first she tried to sell me, then saw how serious I was. Though I was not allowed to take the plan with me, I made her write down the prices and quantities.

Next visit I informed them that I would purchase bars for weight loss and stabilization, but that was it for now. ($300). They accepted that no questions asked.

As of yesterday, I have been on the program for 6 weeks. I have lost 10 pounds of my 15 pound goal. I have lost at least 5 inches so far. My recent weight loss has slowed due to an increase in my workouts. I have worked out almost every day since I started the plan, and since muscle weighs more than fat, I expected the loss to be slow.

As I mentioned, I felt a bit of pressure during my first two days, but I have not ONCE felt any pressure since then. They have mentioned supplements once or twice, but not pushed them. No one has belittled me, insulted me, or made me cry. I'm not sure if that's because I'm not a good "target" since I have only a few pounds to lose, or if it's because I'm at an ethical center. Or because they can tell that I'm not going to take their crap. At this point, I can easily walk away. I know the plan, I don't need the check-ins to be successful.

This plan has actually been invaluable to me. Their cookbook has been the best purchase that I could have made. I was used to cooking a lot of processed and cooked foods, and the cookbook has taught me how to make things fresh from scratch. Additionally, I have learned a bit about nutrition, but I hold myself accountable to educate myself. Yes, the counselors should be educated, but I have found with professions in EVERY field that their information is not often 100% correct. I've had medical doctors (OB and family doctor) completely contradict each other with the information they gave me on the SAME subject.)

My thoughts are that if you take the time to educate yourselves, and you won't have to rely on the counselors for your nutritional information. I picked up a great book a few years ago - Nutrition for Dummies. It's an excellent resource. I'm currently reading You On A Diet - again, great book.

It is sad that so many people have had such horrible experiences, and I'm glad that I have not. Best of luck to everyone on the plan.