LA Weight Loss: Caught Out Again
One of the most heavily commented posts on Diet-Blog was about LA Weight Loss and their underhanded sales tactics. Comments were overwhelmingly critical of this weight loss clinic (however there were some occasional positive testimonials).
LA Weight Loss has been caught out again - and must pay out $100,000 in refunds to misled customers.
The Attorney General's office used "under-cover" shoppers to investigate LA Weight Loss and found a:
"classic bait-and-switch routine in which employees pushed the sale of protein bars and nutritional supplements after consumers had enrolled in the program," (source)LA Weight Loss also claimed that their protein bars would "prevent you from getting saggy, baggy skin when you lose weight," - a complete load of nonsense.
Consumers who believe they were misled when they enrolled in the LA Weight Loss program between Dec. 23, 2005, and Aug. 31 2006 may request a refund within 30 days. Get the full details here (in sidebar).
NOTE: This refund is only available to Washington State residents.
UPDATE: LA Weight Loss now offer an "at-home" program. The program includes access to an on-line community, customized meal programs, 4 weeks of LA Nutritional Bars, and samples of best-selling products -- total cost $219.
Please Note: 24/12/08
LA Weight Loss Closings
This is just a short post to address the five or so people that email us every week about LA Weight Loss closing down and not being able to get a refund.
We aren't affiliated with LA Weight Loss and we don't have any contact information for them. We are sorry that you have been a victim in whatever is going on with the company. Please contact the proper governmental agency if you cannot deal directly with the company. Unfortunately, Diet-Blog is unable to help you.
Kind Regards,
The Diet-Blog Team
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I just wanted to say that I have been with LAWL since Aug. 0f 2006 I lost 25 lbs. in the first couple of months. But now I have been maintaining since November of 2006. I keep going in and staying the same weight and every thing they tell me to do does not work. The thing I hate about LAWL is these guys are not qualified dietitians, most of them are just coming off of the program themselves, and some are still over weight and are sitting there telling me how to loose the weight when they are heavy themselves. I paid $500.00 to get into the program, they told me that I should loose 2lbs. a week, well I have not and I feel like they have taken my money, and are not helping me out on purpose this way I will pay more money to stay in longer. Well guess what there not getting anymore of my money. I'll spend it else where.
ReplyIf you are going to a corporate center this is their address in PA....747 Dresher Rd Suite 100 Horsham,PA 19044 and their direct number to the corporate office is....215-346-4300. Hope that helps.
ReplyI am going to a franchised site. Any help for me there. I want my refund. I have been on the plan for a week and it is not what I expected. I dont have that much weight to loose and this is a rip off. I paid $693 dollars just to join. I didn't think it would be a problem getting my money back.
ReplyNicole,
ReplyDo you know how many calories I should be eating to lose weight? I have given up hope of getting GOOD advice at the center and have started counting calories on my own. I was down around 1,100, that seemed awfully low ( I weigh 180LBS). So I started eating one bar a day (I was having 2 drinks for my lites). I am now eating between 1,200 and 1,400 hundred a day. I feel stuck I have lost NOTHING for the past 2 weeks. I went to weigh in today and when I mentioned this to the "couselor" she said OH and blinked ALOT. The counsleor I liked, who I actually got good advice from is GONE and I feel like I am surrouned by IDIOTS. I refuse to give up because I have invessted too much but I need HELP. I have been doing this for 20 weeks and it is SO hard when I feel like I am not getting any REAL support.
I joined LA weigh loss last July. I had just lost my mother, was desperate about my weight, all kinds of emotions. I go in- they offer me the wonderful hope that I am going to lose 90 pounds in 40- something weeks- I was thrilled. I paid the upfront cost-it is cheaper than Weight Watchers- and I was pleased. The next visit I go in and I am told that to really lose weight and make the program successful I also need to purchase these bars. OK- I am desperate! I have already put out this expense- so I guess I will buy the bars too. Next visit- I am hit with the price of the supplements!! I have almost 3,000 invested. I lost 15 pounds right away- and not a single pound since Christmas. I am not cheating. I also joined the YMCA and went from being a total couch potato to working out- weights and cardio- 3 to 4 times a week. I should be losing weight even not dieting- but I am dieting! In addition- I paid upfront 90.00 for a health check that I never got. Even though my blood pressure has been high every week that I go- they have never suggested that I not take the supplements. I am now on high blood pressure medicine. I can't quit going though- I have a fortune invested in it! So- where is the Attorney General in Illinois or Missouri???
ReplyThank you all for the info it had helped me in my decision making. I will be sure I go into the center with my eyes open and with my mind set on my goal not the "magic Bars" Now I must say Im intrested in what I will find and if they will try their aggressive tactics on me ....maybe I'll bring my husband for fun
ReplyThe staff has no formal education and technically shouldn't be giving any advice on nutrition at all. If you are obese, this is not the program for you. I was desparate and paid over $2000. As an overweight person, I know A LOT about nutrition (from constant diet attempts) and they taught me nothing I didn't know. What they couldn't help me with was gaining insight into WHY I overate. Basically, it was an office of teenagers who lost 15 pounds the year before with the program. The '1-on-1' counseling was me walking in getting weighed, showing my food diary and their peddling products on me to compensate for my minimal weight loss. Boo!
ReplyNews flash, folks, everywhere you go someone is trying to sucker you into buying things you don't need. Go into any Wal-Mart and be assured that they have spent much time, effort and money in determining just how to lay out that store to entice you to buy more than the milk you went in for. They are in business to make money..so is L A Weighloss, so is Weight Watchers, so is Jenny Craig. Talk to 100 people who have used any of these programs and you will get good and bad comments. Do what works for you is what I say. It is about health and getting the weight off in safe, healthy way. I am on L A and was told right from the beginning, before I agreed to anything, what the total cost would be...AND that the bars and supplements were optional. I did not sign up on that visit and I was not pressured at all to do so. I have since purchased the bars...which I happen to like, but I can assure you that no one will MAKE me buy anything I don't want to buy. Even if I lose my right to the refund, if I lose the weight and can keep it off, the money was well worth it. I, too, had good success with Weight Watchers, but in my small town there is only one night a week to go weigh and meet and that is at a time when my husband is not home, therefore I would have to take my kids, which did not work out real well for me. Those weigh ins and meetings were also very crowded, so I would sometimes wait up to 30 minutes in line to weigh. With L A I can go when it is convenient for me to go, without my kids, and that is a huge help to me. I also was paying $10.00 a week at Weight Watchers, plus the cost to join, so in the long run it really was not that much cheaper. And there was a little pressure there to buy their "Just 2 Points" bars, electronic points calculators and such. Again...they are ALL in business to make money..and if you believe any of them are there "just cause they care about my weight loss," I have some land I'd like to sell ya. Do what works for you, what makes you feel good and healthy and happy. It won't be the same thing for everyone. Do your homework before committing to anything...be a smart consumer...and don't let anyone sucker you into buying things you don't need...not even at Wal-Mart.
ReplyI just wanted to share my experience with the company and respond a bit to some of the comments here.
I am an employee of LA Weight Loss, and googled the company while I had some time on my hands. I came across this blog, and am really bothered by it.
I hate that so many people feel cheated or ripped off. I do want to point out though--if you have bad service in a restaurant, you'll probably call the manager over and mention the problem. If your server is fantastic you probably don't go shout it off the rooftops. Disgruntled customers always speak louder than those that are pleased.
As far as training and the training being all about sales, large classes, etc. My training class was in fact intense classroom training. There were only 3 of us, 1 previous LA employee that loved it and was returning, and myself and another girl, both new to LA. We learned a TON of information in training, and 99% of it was medical/nutrition/counseling. They taught us about how important it is NOT to force products on people, and only to do what it is that will make the client happy.
I have an extensive background in the Weight Loss industry, as well as being a few credits shy of a Business Management degree. I wasn't some "plucked off the street" employee as many people suggest employees are.
For people with complaints, I strongly suggest you call the corporate 800# because I'm sure that they can resolve almost all issues. In my area (New England) there is FANTASTIC management, and it isnt a numbers game. It's about clients. Yes, there are a few employees who are sales oriented or maybe not the most caring people, but the clients pick up on that and just don't sit with them, and managers do everything they can to effectively handle these situations.
I am thrilled with the job. I really do love the clients, I love watching them achieve success, I love giving them 10 minutes to boast about their weight loss in my office, and tell me how well they've done-I love everything about my job.
Again, unhappy customers always have a voice far louder that that of happy customers. I understadn that some people are upset, but I really do want people to know that this is not indicative of what LA Weight Loss is like.
ReplyI joined LAWL little over a week ago. I lost 3.5 lbs on my first visit with the two day start-up diet and juice, and then 1.5 on the second visit, but by the third visit had gained back a pound. The girl reviewed my food diary to reveal that I had missed three fruits which she said "made me gain wait because my body was starving itself!" This made me angry, because I'm an intelligent person, and if you could see me you'd know that MY body sure isn't in any way near starving!!!! I am quite overweight, but that's exactly why I joined. I have been exercising six days a week, and drinking LOTS and LOTS of water. Remember 16 ounces = 1 lb. I felt like since I came later in the day that extra pound was the water that I had drank. Nevertheless, she determined the cause she thought was right even though I do not agree with her. It is impossible to get exactly the amount of servings EVERY day unless I eat exactly the same food every day. I'm too busy for that. I did buy some bars and like the taste, but I don't plan on buying any more of them. I compared the ingredients and they have almost exactly the same ingredients as Slimfast Optima, which I really prefer as a meal replacement instead of a snack. I am going to keep going, and will follow their diet because I paid for it. I will not buy any Lites or supplements.
ReplyNEWS FLASH
ReplyIf I buy a product and Wal Mart and I find out it does not work and that it does not meet the specifications I was told it did when I bought it, I take it back and they return my money! If they don't I contact the attorney general. I bought a product at L.A. Weightloss. I bought indiviualized counseling from competant counselors who had successfully completed the program. That is not what I got. I got counselors who know nothing about nutrition, either have not met their goal weight or have never been on a diet and who are more concerned with pushing more product than actually helping me get the weight off. So I want to return the product. But, you know what, they won't take it back. So I think it is time to contact the attorney general.
Competant counselors would understant that not everyone loses weight the same and would have a variety of "tricks up their sleeve" to suggest when the plan it not working. At L.A. they either tell you to buy more products, or blame you for the problem. They are the ones who guaranteed their services, now they have to deliver!!!
I was losing and have hit a 3 week plateu. The counselor was staring at my journal, biting her nails-she then suggested I try meal replacement shakes (260 calories loaded with sodium) becasue they are liquid and my body will process them differenlty (not true). I let her stammer for a few more minutes before I told her I was going to do take off (with cantalope insead of juice). What am I paying her for?????
Nobody MADE me buy anything, but they did misrepresent their products and services and that is illegal (wait that is why they have been successfully sued in two states and were busted on national T.V.)
I recently joined and am now wondering if it was a mistake. I was told all foods were optional and now I am being told that I need to spend $1000 on bars in order to be succesful. I am wondering what makes the LA lite bars so different from similiar bars on the market ie: south beach bars. I have looked at the nutritional values on both and find them to be very comparable. Is this a scare tactic - you won't lose weight if you don't use our bars? Obviously not using them negates the money back guarantee.
ReplyThe bars are optional. I bought them becasue I wanted the guarantee and the rebate. I did not start losing weight until I stopped eating 2 bars a day. They are 180 each!!!! They will tell you they are "specially formulated" ask for the scientific research-there is none!The difference between the South Beach bars and the L.A. bars is that the South Beach bars taste better and cost $2.50 a box. If you want to preserve your guarantee tell them you are buying the bars on e-bay. You will lose weight on this diet, but you have to educate yourself, do not count on the "counselors" to give you good or even consistant advice. So I ask the question again WHAT AM I PAYING THEM FOR?????
ReplyHappy employee one thing you need to realize is maybe these things dont happen where you are but it does happen in 80% of la weight loss centers. Yes people that are upset are going to speak louder and they should. Why should anyone put their faith in a company where almost all the people working there have no education in nutrition or weight loss. That is a blatent lie from day one. Losing weight is up to the person losing but you also expect the people you are PAYING thousands of dollars to help you should know MORE than you!! Im glad you love your job and were "trained" in nutrition and not sales but most trainings consist of sales,sales and oh more sales. Barely anytime is spent of the actual program and how it works. Then you have additional training every month called workshops....and in these workshops its on daily solutions on what to SELL a client on their daily visits. Yes everybusiness is out to make money but at Walmart like you said you know what your getting and if it doesnt work easy return. At La you dont like what you get your screwed and no refund or you have to press the issue till they finally break down or get the attorey general involved. Wake UP!!!!!!
ReplyI started the program in Nov. 2005 and quit in May 2006. I was never able to loose more than 9pds 10ozs although I followed the plan very carefully. By the end of May I realized this wasn't going to be the answer to my weight loss problem. I too was talked into buying all my bars in bulk as well as the supplements. I spent 2000.00 in total. At first I was loosing one to two pounds a week and I was so excited, but then I plateaued and wasn't able to get over the ten pound hump. But I hung in there hoping that the diet would just take a little longer for my body. When I talked to my counselor about the situation at first she was very encouraging and supportive, by May I was very frustrated and she became very short with me. I left there feeling upset on more than one occasion. My counselor told me it wasn't her fault that the diet wasn't working for me and that there must be something wrong with me. I left there and never went back. In December I still had over 72 boxes of unused product and decided to see what I could do about getting a refund. I am happy to tell you that I didn't give up until they refunded me over 900.00! Don't give up if you are unsatisfied with the quality of treatment you recieve. Did you see the LAWL clip on 20/20? There are many of us out there who were bamboozeled but don't just take it lying down get in there and get what you paid for!!! We are the only ones to blame if we don't speak up. I wish that I had lost the weight, Loosing the 56 pounds would have been worth every pennt to me!
ReplyI joined and was in the program for a year and only lost 11 pounds. I went back to Weight Watchers (by the way, no pressure from them to buy any more than the actual plan) and I lost 10 lbs in the first month. So far, I have lost 27 lbs and no one has belittled me on the weeks that I gained (which they did at LA Weightloss in Daytona Beach, FL) and no still no pressure to buy anything else. I am one of the lucky ones who did get most of my money back, but I had to fight them for it for 3 months because they kept leading me on and giving me wrong information. Please don't make the same mistake as I did, join a reputable program. Weight loss is hard, but it should not take a year to lose 11lbs. and your counselor should be encouraging and not make you feel like it is all your fault and that you should buy more stuff from them. Good luck on all of your weight loss efforts. I know that it is tough, and some of these scam artists make it tougher by taking advantage of our weakness.
For those of you who justify this bad behavior in the name of profit, shame on you! There are reputable weight loss companies like Weight Watchers who have been in business for many years without lying to people. This is not a fluke because they have been and will remain in business for many years doing what is right.
ReplyI joined the program middle of Feb and I am down 13 lbs. I find the diet easy to follow and I don't eat 2 bars a day. I eat them as I feel I need something sweet. I tell them that I consume 2 a day. I truly feel like 2 is too much. I don't find the girls pushy. The girls will ask you, do you need any bars? but I understand that these girls have a job to do and I am okay with that. When I hear that people have spent $2000, I think thats crazy. I have spent $700.00 and thats it. It cheaper then weight watchs and the girls at weight watcher are not nutritionist! All these places are the same. I've been to weight watchers and they don't care if you don't come back your just a number. When I missed my la weight in last monday, they called me and wanted to know, when will you be in. I love that they all and I need that push!
ReplyBEWARE!!! READ THE FINE PRINT BEFORE YOU SIGN ANYTHING. THEY WILL TELL YOU "OH SURE YOU CAN HAVE A REFUND, A FULL REFUND" AND NEGLECT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU DO NOT GET YOUR $149.00 BACK IF YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THEIR FIRST VISIT. OF COURSE THEY DO NOT PUSH THE BARS AND OTHER "DIET" ACCELERATORS AT YOU UNTIL THE SECOND VISIT. THEY ACT LIKE YES, YOU CAN LOOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT THESE, BUT THESE ARE FREEBIES AND IT MAKES IT HARDER TO LOOSE IT WITHOUT THEM.
WHATEVER!
THE BARS HAVE 190 CALORIES!!!!
THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHER BARS ON THE MARKET AND DRINKS ON THE MARKET THAT CAN DO WHAT THESE DO. THEY ALSO COST UPWARDS OF $1000.00 OR MORE!!!
TAKE IT FROM ME, WATCH WHAT YOU ARE EATING, EXERCISE AND DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!
ReplyI think that it is all based on your center. The counselors at my center are very supportive. I have lost 40 pounds on the program and I am still losing. I do by the bars b/c I am a chocolate addict but I don't necessarily eat two a day. I have been encouraged to buy the products but never pressured. Some of this has to do with the fact that the counselors at my center know that I can't afford to spend the kind of money it cost to buy all the supplements so they don't pressure me. For me, LAWL was a blessing. I've been overweight all my life and this is the only thing that has worked for me. People who feel they are being ripped off need to study up on some of the other plans and compare the prices. I can honestly say it's worth every penny!
ReplySomebody from York Pa? I just joined this week and I had to pay 706.00 including the program and suplements for 3 months and 4 bottles of juice, they told me I need to buy 72 boxes of bars, (1090.00) I think is to expensive, but I do not know if the people that works in this center are nice or not. I really want to give a try to this program but I need and advice from somebody from this area York Pa.
ReplyI did the LA Weight Loss in 2005 and I lost 25 pounds. I did get the high pressure sales to buy the bars and shakes and supplements but being the single mom I held my ground and refused, I bought it all on ebay for MUCH cheaper. But, it was all a joke anyway..all they do is point out common sense eating. I could have done that myself, but they did give me motivation on the weigh-ins, weighing-in in front of someone every other day did keep you on the right track. Save money - excercise, eat your veggies and weigh-in in front of your neighbor lol
ReplyI, like so many others, have spent thousands of dollars over the years, and tried every pill, plan, gimmick, etc to lose weight. Over the past year or so, I have been in a program to have weight loss surgery, but I have been denied twice by my insurance, plus I was never 100% convinced that this was the correct choice. It is, after all, a drastic and permanent step. So I have gone back to LA Weight Loss. I tried it before, but did not have a lot of success. However, this, like ALL weight loss programs depends on one thing: You have to do it correctly every day. I believe that I had to get to this place in my life and health to take that seriously. Yes, it isn't as cheap as buying another "miracle" pill at WalMart, or many other false hopes we have all had. However, it is based on eating like we all learned was correct in 8th grade health class, plus using their products as helpers. When I went back this time, I told them I would only rejoin if I could do a 3 month trial period, in which I would give all that I could, not cheating. They agreed, after I persisted in saying this was the only way I would do it. I was never pressured to buy anything, but I chose to get the LA Lite bars because they DO help me not to cheat. I also believe that the main help they provide is having someone to talk about one's problems and progress to every week. If you just clip out a diet from some magazine, it is just too easy to slip off a little, and then a lot. I personally need to "report in" on a regular basis. Like all things in life, what you put into this will regulate the results. And , like any other business or chain store, the personnel and quality may very well vary from town to town and state to state. It is up to the consumer to use enough common sense to see that they are treated fairly. It has only been a little over 2 weeks for me, and I have lost about 8 pounds so far, so I can't say that it will be a long term solution, but I do know one thing: I have to put in the work, both in keeping track of my food every day and not cheating, and in realizing that healthy weight loss is not a "quick fix". I DO know that I am eating healthy; I feel lots better, and I did not resort to having my insides rearranged. If I had done the surgery, I would still have had to carefully measure and monitor my foods for the rest of my life, so why not just try to do it like this, with no risk of complications etc? It all boils down to personal responsibility.
ReplyThe take off juice is $30.00. Do you know if I mix all the juice that is in the ingredients will it work the same?
ReplyI've been a member since last July - Im down 30 pounds - even though its taken me this long - I do have to say I have had more progress here then any other program. I did take the option on the lite (as the call them) but at my centre they make suggestions and dont force you to purchase their products-- I should also mention, if your going to have enought will power to loose the weight then have that same will power to say NO if you dont want the additional products -- I did!.
ReplyThat's not true! I am in Navada and I got a refund
ReplyThe refund is not just for washington residents. I am from Nevada and I received a refund
ReplyWhat magic pill are most of these people looking for? I have lost 70lbs and kept it off for 2yrs, had surgery in Aug. and gained 10lbs, and have gone back. With 3 kids and an active life lawl works. Life happens and you have to work hard for the things you want. All of the complaints I have read are about $, yes supplements are pricy, but check out GNC and grocery store prices...lawl sups are close if not cheaper. Weight lose is a life style change not a diet, which means it is a choice you have to make. Will lawl work for everyone, no. Nothing does. I would like to know how many of you that complained, went on to be successful with your weight loss? It is fair to voice your opinion, but you should be fair and realistic. As a young adult, Jenny Craig was happy to take my money(money I didn't have) for a program I really didn't need, but I made the choice. My hope for all is that if you really need to lose weight, you set realistic goals, work hard and are successful...being healthy should be your first goal. And when you are thinking about dollars, think about how many you spend buying larger clothes, junk food, take-out, or whatever else you spend you dollars on instead of your health.
ReplyI joined L A Weight loss the first week of January, I lost 18 pounds and reached my goal weight 2 weeks early, The first week they sent me home with free LA lites, I came back the second week and told them I was on a tight budget and was not going to buy the lA Lites, I checked chocolate milk, which is the same makeup as the lites, so I would use the milk instead. I asked her if I had to buy the lites, and she said no. So now that I've reached my goal weight and going into stabilization, she said in order to get my rebate, I'd have to purchase the lites. I said, this is the first time I've ever heard that. ( My friend and I have been going together, and she verified this) My question, the la weightloss counselor misrepresented the program. The lites would cost more than the rebate. All she told us in the begining, loose the weight, get the first rebate, maintain for 6 more months get the last rebate. Now I hear all these new stipulations. I am eligible to receive a refund for the initial sign. I don't remember signing any contract and if I did, LA Lites were not mentioned in order to get the rebate. I am 63 years old, and have a minor in nutrition; There was no way, I was going to eat 190 calories per Lite bar, when I wanted to loose weight. Eleanor
ReplyI have read everyone's comments about LA Weight Loss. I joined last week, even after reading the comments. I chose the 8-week makeover. It was $400, including 16 boxes of the LA Lites bars, and 4 bottles of the Take-off. I did the Take-off the first 2 days, and didn't lose an ounce. I was pretty frustrated, but decided to stick with it to see what happened. I was pretty diligent over the next few days to not 'cheat'. Well, I went in on Monday to discover I had lost 6 pounds. Needless to say,I was thrilled. I am going on a cruise in 5 weeks, and I am hoping to lose 20 pounds total. Now I feel confident that I can get close if I stick to it. I also like that I can make things for myself that my family can eat also. They are eating healthier, because that's how I am cooking. I have to say, the 8-week makeover shoould give me a good start to a healthier diet, and after the 8-weeks, I already have the materials to continue on if I chose to, minus the LA Lites Bars. (P.S. My center has not pushed me to buy any additional supplements yet. I am just taking vitamins from Wal-Mart, and don't intend to buy and other products form LAWL)
ReplyDoes anyone know if buying LA Lites is mandatory if one needs to buy extra weightloss weeks. My center tells me that if I want to buy more weeks, I have to do the lites (I thibk their rules changed in '07). Just wanted to verify this. Thanks!
ReplyI have lost 40 lbs. in 4 months on LA weight loss. I love the program and think the money spent is well worth it! I think the bars are delicious! :)
ReplyI went to LA Weight Loss and thought wow what a great program. But with the amount of money I was spending it was too much so I opted to quit the program and ask just for the weeks I paid for up front back. Well I got a whole month of nothing but run around and no one had answers for me. So I finally sent a letter stating that the contract that I signed did not say I wasn't entitled to my remaining weeks that werent going to be used. And if I didn't receive a refund within 15 days I would be taking them to court. Needless to say two days after sending that letter I finally got a phone call saying they were sorry and I would have my refund. Well I got my refund and guess what the check they gave me came back with insufficient funds!!!!!! Of course this LA Weight Loss is a franchise owned by T-Lites, Inc out of Brentwood, TN. But let me say that I would rather be fat that have to deal with these people again! Consumer beware. Think about this why pay thousands of dollars to have someone watch you loose weight. If I thought about that before I went I would be in the legal problems that I am in. They make their money praying on the fat!!
Replyi got duped. i went in just looking for info and was told they had nothing in writing that i could take home. then i was handed a survey. being as curious as i was, i filled it out and then talked to someone. OMG she was a good salesperson. my mom, who was with me, refused to fill out the survey and insisted on going home several times, but i wanted to hear her out. she sold me on the thing! i signed up, even got the credit card. but i never felt right, it seemed shady b/c she kept talking about the bars and the juice and not how i would be eating and sample meals and such. it was all about the products. so i posted my concerns to a knitting message board's venting board and several of the members urged me to cancel b/c they also found it shady.
i did cancel the day after signing up... but get this! you have to cancel w/in three days of contract signing and it has to be done IN WRITING!!!!! what?? no way. i wrote the letter and i spent $15 at the post office to have it sent via 1-day mail (and b/c it was 30 minutes till closing, it would take a day and a half).
i went to the center to let them know i canceled and to try to return the juice. they made me keep the juice and the woman tried to use my own words from the previous day against me when i tried to tell her that i talked it over with friends and decided that LA Weight Loss wasn't right for me at that time. yes, i do want to lose weight, yes it is important for me right now, but their system just doesn't seem right right now. she said "oh your friends don't know you very well" excuse me? my friends know me better than i know myself!
i really should have done my homework before ever entering that godforsaken place!
ReplyI am 19 years old and am 60-80 lbs over the weight that is normal for my height and age. My friend has started the weight loss program after her mother forked over 700$ to start at the cheapest program, not the one they give you money back. In the first week she lost 5 lbs, which I thought was emazing! She didnt hit a gym at all, is what i was thinking. So I decide to go in for their "free" meeting with a councellor, since I am obese and always wanted to lose it.. well to my knowledge. I sit with the councellor and let her know why I am taking the program, she askes me many questions about my life, even going into my sex-life,.. which then I look at her and she is just waiting for me to answer her with these sob stories about my life how being so over weight has ruined my life and I cannot live like this, and every question she would wait akwardly long. It made me feel very uncomfortable. I am a student at the university, so I told her I need a program that I can affort (like I can afford anything)she told me about her cheapest program, and told me I only had to pay 130 every two weeks, which is 50% of what I get a month by the way.. I told her it is alot but I know my parents would definatly pitch in if I talked to them, right away she got me filling out the finance contract, I did not know that I had to finance... she didnt let me know about any of the Fees only the 700 that was the program, and something about 3 months free? I didnt ask. I got a bad feeling in my gut, and said.. "sure" ha! I'm glad im so dirt poor becuase they didn't finance me, and she had to come back in to tell me "I'm sorry, I don't see this often, but you have been rejected and we can arrange some other options for you after I talk some with my manager" I told her okay, and she set up another meeting a week later, I did not go.
Also, she did not mention anything about buying bars, or protien things, though I did not get past paying for it. :P I just stole information off my friends meal card which by the way they also said I could not do since every meal plan is based on the person hight, weight, and age. And I wouldn't be able to use that plan. So I lost 30 lbs so far, paid 0$ have 0$ and can climb stairs without getting so tired, and feeling depression.
Oh and mentioned up there was, "Most the girls 'look' 18" AHM! They are ranged from 19-23.. actually... lol.. least they are not all skinny buggers, I had two my weight, they jsut started working there and are on plans themselves... oh yeah non took school to get where they are now, doing concelling... I asked.
If you want any information about the meal plan, contact me if your close to 200lbs and 5'6 well close.. my friend is a bit differnt I lost weight!
ReplyI will give updated info about her when she starts loosing weight again.. shes been on it for a while and not much difference her pants still fit snugly ..
Danielle
dmh187@mail.usask.ca
I worked for LAWL for a few months and I can tell you that the plan is nothing special, just your everyday weight loss program, cut down on portions, low fat, more fruits and veggies. For those of you that have been wanting to lose weight know the routine, but if you need the one-on-one you will be paying big bucks for the counseling. If you can't get the support from friends/family or even a weight loss website that's when your pocket book feel the pain. They get you started and then "BAM" they slam you with another charge as they want you to bulk purchase your LAlite bars. No, you do not have to have these bars to lose weight you can purchase protein bars at walmart a heck of a lot cheaper. There is a brand of breakfast bars that have the same ingredients as the ones LAWL sells for a fraction of the price. If you check into their supplements and write down the ingredients you can get the same thing or something close enough for a fraction of the cost. They want to sell their "extras" for that is where they really make the money. I quit because of their ethics. I couldn't sell something like that at that cost and still sleep at night, not when I knew you could get the same kind of help for a fraction of the price. All I can say is "buyer beware"!!!!
ReplyThe employees I've met are very nice, the program has worked for me-HOWEVER--their "refund policy" is borderline scam! I wonder how many clients actually "qualify". They don't tell you upfront that you MUST eat the bars and be exactly within 5 lbs of your goal. If you do better than goal forget it. Clearly in it for money rather than peoples health.
ReplyThe plan works if you follow it! I work for La Weight Loss. If you are munching out of the weekend drinkin beer, and not telling your counsellor about it, guess what you won't lose. Congratulations on everyone on this site for you success!! Those of you that failed, it's too bad that you don't have the drive and commitment that it takes to regain your confidence. I love my job, I help motivate people all day, and see their journey it's amazing. And expensive? compared to what, all the other fad diets that you've tried? and failed at again and again, even if you lose the weight did they show you how to keep it off? probably not, but we do! no one said it was easy, but it pays off in the end.
ReplyVery Interesting! I just enrolled at LA Weightloss a week ago. They are definately a marketing machine - but I have seen alot of people get success from them.
I was absolutely told that the bards would prevent
"..Saggy boobs, butt and everywhere else we ladies get it from losing weight" - and that is a direct quote. Ofcourse toning is the only thing that will help and bars would never make that difference. Should be illegal how they promote it and take customers through the process though.
Weight is a tough enough issue without someone playing on your emotions.
ReplyJust wanted to say that I started the plan on Wednesday with 2 days of fast forward. That mad Friday my first day with 'real' food. By my Saturday weigh in, I'd lost 4 pounds. That means in less than 4 days... I just want to say that you know the monetary cost of the plan from day one. And I would rather pay that cost than the cost of hospital bills for the heart attack and all of the other things that could go along with my being overweight later in life. And I DO use the bars. They help curb my sweet tooth. As of yet, I haven't cheated one iota.
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