Getting my Figure Back at 46 Years Old. Atlanta, GA

I vacationed in St. Croix for my 46th birthday and wasn't happy with my appearance due to weight gain over the last few years. A poor diet, sit down job, lots of wine and too much junk food had finally taken it's toll on me. I went from a size 10 to a vey uncomfortable size 12, (that really should have been a 14) and finally decided to do something about it. I promised myself that I would be in better shape for the summer and proud to be in a bathing suit come swim season. I was watching TV while getting ready for work and saw an ad for Medical Weight Loss by Healthogenics. They guaranteed a loss of 2-5 labs per week by following their plan or your money back. I figured what did I have to lose. The initial consultation was free and consisted of a health assessment, BMI measurement, and a discussion about your individual goals. I weighed in at 180lbs which is the heaviest I've ever been, I knew I needed help to achieve my goal of 160lbs. Based on losing 2lbs per week it was estimated that it would take me 10 weeks to reach my goal. After the 10 weeks they wean you off of the restricted diet and gradually incorporate more food into your daily life. The diet plan was in several phases that change each week, the first week was easy They provided me with a meal plan to jump start my metabolism. I was eating more food than normal (healthy food) and not skipping meals like I had in the past. The hardest part was forcing myself to eat breakfast every day. That required planning ahead so that I had meals ready the day before. The weeks following were much more challenging because the amount of food was reduced quite a bit, plus it was hard to stop eating junk food and go out with friends sans cocktails. I was also required to drink 4 of their protein drinks per day and increase my water intake dramatically. In the end it all paid off. The first week I lost a whopping 7lbs but my clothes still felt the same so I didn't really notice the results until I stepped on the scale. The next week I lost an additional 3lbs for a total of 10lbs which is when I noticed that my pants were much looser. That was the motivation I needed and the accountability of being weighed each week held me accountable. The MWLC was launching the Lila Strawberry Laser Liposuction at their clinic and offered 1 free session to all of their patients and a promo of 8 sessions for $1000 if you signed up that weekend. It also came with a guarantee so again I figured what did I have to lose. It worked great in conduction with the diet plan that I was on. You're required to increase your water intake, avoid processed foods and do cardio for 30 minutes for 3 days after each treatment. I chose to do 2 sessions per week and focused on my upper and lower abdomen and my back. I noticed inch loss immediately following each session. The procedure itself is painless, that laser pads are placed on the area of desired inch loss in 10 minute increments and 2 devices are placed on your lymph node s. After the treatment you stand on a machine that shakes the fat loose from the cell that has been opened up by the laser then you drink lots of water to flush it out of your system. After a total of 8 sessions and 8 weeks on the program I exceeded my goal and am now 158lbs and much slimmer. The weight loss program itself is for 1 year and they slowly transition incorporating more food into your daily life a week at a time for a total of 6 more weeks after you reach your goal. Weekly weigh ins are still necessary so that you are still being held accountable. It wasn't easy but eventually you get used to eating healthier and it's becoming a way of life. Never in a million years did I ever think that I could give up sweets and wine at the same time and still be sane. It was totally worth it and I've recommended several friends. I went from a size 12-14 to a size 6-8 in 2 months. My coworkers and friends have seen my dramatic weight loss and are very impressed with my results. As a treat to myself I went shopping for a new wardrobe and packed up all of my old pants to give to charity. I have signed up for 8 more sessions of the Strawberry Laser Lipo to work on my thighs and my back. You have to wait 2 weeks after 8 sessions of the Laser Lipo to avoid disrupting your lymphatic system. I highly recommend this treatment when combined with diet and exercise. A few suggestions that I gave the clinic were to utilize a food log app rather that writing it down on paper and turning it in weekly. I used the Lose It app, it's free and helped me a lot, you can also log water intake, body measurements, and exercise if you upgrade. It's totally worth it for $29.99. Another suggestion was to have specific exercises routines included as part of the program rather than just cardio. I use the SWORKIT exercise app which is also free or you can sign up to a more customized plan for $29.99 per yr. I'm sure there are similar apps out there but those are the 2 that I used and found helpful in my progress. Good luck and I'll post an update after my thigh treatment is complete.