LA Weight Loss Lose the weight, not the lifestyle. That’s the slogan for this international weight loss program that boasts 700 centers worldwide. The goal of LA Weight Loss is to help people undergo a transformation through education and behavior modification. Instead of force-feeding customers a fad diet, the centers offer one-on-one counseling with a team of experts who teach the clients how to maintain a healthy lifestyle through balanced eating and exercise. Motivation and support are two key elements of the program.
Although it varies from center to center, counselors may either be trained in the field of nutrition or they might be former LA Weight Loss members who work off commission. Before an individual can become a member, they fill out a medical questionnaire and undergo blood work. If there are no physical limitations, they become a member and attend sessions three times a week at the center. The program lasts a year and consists of three phases: the weight loss phase, stabilization and maintenance. As you move throughout the different phases, you’ll begin to frequent the center on a weekly basis.
While LA Weight Loss’ webpage presents an image reflecting a common-sense approach to losing those extra pounds, there are a couple of things that aren’t made clear. For one, becoming a member could cost you up to $1,000 just to get started, which you have to fork out for their nutritional supplements and bars. If you don’t purchase the bars, then you aren’t eligible for the money back guarantee. The “counselors” get a cut of whatever they sell, which also raises a few eyebrows.
Comment #1
(Posted by an unknown user) Rating
LA Weight Loss has helped me tremendously. How the program works is that you start in a weightloss stage to get to the weight that you want to be. It certainly isn't easy because our lives change so much. The cost up front doesn't have to be 1k, there are many options. Part of the cost is that you are paying for your weeks ahead of time. I am currently in my weight loss phase and have lost 36 lbs slowly in 6 months. I am proud of myself and encourage you to look into it, they have different plans for different lifestyles. I believe it helps to pay ahead because I am set in to this commitment now which has been a struggle for me for a long time!
Comment #2
(Posted by Angie) Rating
As a member of LA Weightloss, I can say that it does work and I too am a skeptical one. I don't buy the their vitamins, meal replacements, shakes. I have lost over 25 pounds in 2 months and never ever feel hungary. I'm not one for really exercising much, and I like convience foods. The gold plan works great for me and I highly reccomend it. They do have sales if you reallly want to purchase all the extras.
Comment #3
(Posted by tstewart) Rating
Programs like LAWL train you to become dependent upon them for your weight loss. Be one of their groupies in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The only thing that really showed a weight loss while I was a member of LAWL was my pocketbook.
An issue that I encountered with LAWL centers was that they explain how they will be your "kitchen pantry." This is a plan where you pay for your bars, snacks and supplements in advance and just pick them up when you need them each week when you weigh in. They further qualify this plan with the foods being fresher. These are prepackaged meal or snack replacements. They are being shipped from California and stored at the center--I mean really--how fresh can a soybean meal replacement bar really be? This is a great concept for them though--you have paid for your products in advance--basically, an unsecured loan for them. My experience was that I might get my desired product later. Each time I went in to weigh and get my desired product, they were out of what I wanted. They suggested that I try a different flavor. By this time I already knew which flavors I liked and the flavors leftover were always the ones I least liked.
Couselors were also very pushy with the product and I always suspected they worked on commission. It is good to learn this for certain. Sometimes I would have a huge credit for my "kitchen pantry" and they were still trying to sell me more bars, soups, and snacks.
They also claimed that without their products, I would not be successful on their plan. In a year, I lost a mere 11 pounds at a huge expense and inconvenience. In fact I still have a credit balance which they will not refund.
I am currently using Dr. Louis Gittleman's Fat Flush Plan and Cookbook. In three months I have lost 12 pounds and two dress sizes. The wonderful thing about my current plan is that I personally have the responsibility for my food choices. I have learned behavior modification for the weight loss and will continue to have the responsibility for making appropriate food choices for a healthy lifestyle for the remainder of my life.
Comment #4
(Posted by Susan) Rating
There is absolutely NO bloodwork..Are you kidding? These are sales people poorly trained in nutrition!
Comment #5
(Posted by Deb) Rating
I'm glad that your reviewer is not afraid to raise some eyebrows! Nice review. Informative comments also.
Comment #6
(Posted by Dalores) Rating
I joined LA Weight Loss a couple of years ago. It did cost quite a bit up front and their plan of eating less made me very light-headed. I lost 10 pounds in the first couple of months, then it just started to creep back on. It is very hard to get money back with their money back guarantee also. If you didn't follow the plan perfectly every single day they will say that you don't qualify for the guarantee.
Comment #7
(Posted by BJ) Rating
I, too, joined LA Wt Loss. I should have known better after my experience with Metabolic Wt Loss (yes, I lost weight as long as I drank 8 packages of their drink a day @11.00/ box of 7. Very pricey. As soon as I stopped the drink, wt came flying back. At LA Wt Loss, paid approx 1200.00 up front and it seems like I bought a box or two of something every other visit. Wt loss was very,very slow. Then LA closed the francise. Had to take all boxes of products still owed. I had also repeatedly asked how many I had , but in their haste to sell me more they kept telling me I was almost out. Almost out turned out to be 56 boxes. I don't know about the rest of the world but I certainly didn't have the space for that many boxes of product. Then was supposed to continue program online. Then Pure Wt loss moved in. Goodbye to computer link. Bottom line. I just quit. Still paying off the cost. It is not what it says it is. Their only interest is in your money. The more they can sell you, the more money they make. It's like the pyramid scheme, and, unfortunately, your hips are at the bottom of the pyramid. Save your money, take a vacation.
Comment #8
(Posted by Theresa) Rating
The artical doesn't mention that they are going out of business! In our town (Champaign, IL) they sold out or changed their name to Pure Weightloss then two months later closed the doors. Pure Weightloss then went bankrupt so we lost all the money we had to pay up front!
