Desperate to be thin?  Before you shell out what I would consider a small fortune read this guide.

-note: some people have lost weight on the plan, it will work, but you could read a book on balanced diets and get the same results.  I do not care what other people tell you, EVERY center they own has one goal, to MAKE MONEY.  They are not there for charity or because they love you.

I tried LA Weight Loss' diet plan.  Not only did I try it, but I was a manager for the local store.  WHAT did I just say? STORE!  This is not a place to go if you need support because every employee has a goal to make a sale out of you.  Sure we humor you by weighing you in and talking to you and trying to lead you into doing better, and some of us seriously want to see you succeed!

The companies goals are, as told to me by our local trainer, and area managers are:

sales goals.

How is this?  Well first of all the company believes overweight people are procrastinators.  Employees are punished if a call comes into a center that is not booked for an appointment within 24 hours.  They are given a bunch of script replies which they have to memorize, or read from a card when you call with excuses for not coming in.  Try it, call them and see how hard they work to get you in, don't fall for it.

Next they use tricks like charging you by the week, but what they don't mention is they want the money all up front.  Oh and it's not a 2 month program...they figure 2 pounds per week during weight loss (they use their own chart of  anorexic weights to figure the most weeks*) then there is a stage of a few more weeks to reintroduce foods back into your diet, stabilizing, then the 1 year of Maintance!  So say you need to loose 40 pounds, they figure that to be 20 weeks of weight loss.  You would think thats not too bad, 7.00 a week times 20= 140.00, right?  NO!

They are going to charge you for stabilization and maintence as well, at 7.00 a week, about 60 more weeks, so add on another 420.00.  Now add that together, you got = 560.00!

Ok so that's it right?  WRONG AGAIN!

You have to buy what they call LA LITES.  Nothing more than sugar, and soy bars to help control sugar urges and help with feeling full.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY THESE BUT YOU WILL BE FORCED TO!  Why?  Because that's profit and someone will be screamed at (employee) if you don't buy your whole program up front as well!  So you need 2 of these bars a day, at 2.00 a bar- 28.00 a "double" box which last 7 days.  You need approx 80 boxes, and pay 28.00 a box.  That's right another 2,240.00!  they will give you a small discount on these when buying up front, aren't you glad!

Let's say you buy them for 2,000.00, and paid 560.00 for the program...now you are in 2,560.00 and you haven't lost a pound but of cash!  How do you pay for it?  they offer financing.  The interest rates are crazy but even welfare recips can get financed for a few grand!

Oh and speaking of a few grand, you'll need to buy suppliments and vitamins and shakes and soups and snacks, and more.  Don't forget  the cookbook and take off juice!

An employee is given a daily and weekly goal and it has to be met or the managers pay is greatly reduced.  Employees will make you feel bad and keep reminding you of your goal and ride out that guilt until you buy more diet stuff you aren't using right anyway.

So what is the diet secret?  No diet secrets.  It is portion size control and strict selections of foods from each group.  Limited proteins, limited starches, low fat limited dairy, and small veggie and fruit portions.  Depending on how much weight one needs to lose is how much food you eat.  They base this menu of daily choices on you eating 2 la lites, or their soy bars, a day.  You have to eat those lites to follow the diet or they increase the protein intake.  They will ride you on how they will make your life easier, blah blah.

Bottom line:  the program is very strict, expensive, and requires a very long uninterrupted dedication, but the diet will work.  I seen very few people finish it, and most regain weight and had to start all over. They never learn how to eat without those soy bars.  It's a part of every level of the diet!

My personal feelings, I've seen better success on diet and exercise.  You really want to lose the flab, put down the doughnut and pick up the celery.  The hardest part is being honest with yourself and saying, I CAN control what I eat.  Get a video and exercise.  Tell yourself you can do it and reward yourself with something other than food when you drop every 5-10 pounds!

My area was very sales oriented and pushy.  I am not claiming all La weight loss' to be so corupt.  This is not to be negative toward the company, but an honest insight to a plan that is money goaled not weight loss.

I would be more than glad to answer any questions you might have including where to find tapes, vitamins, and online support!  I do not sell any of these, I am a mere friend to you and your needs.

EMAILED TO ME FROM A FELLOW EBAYER:

"Hi there, in regards to your guide on La weight loss. I just wanted to say THANK YOU...for putting the truth out there. I too was a manager for an LA weight loss center, and I only lasted for 6 months. I took the job straight from managing a Jenny Craig Center and thought it would be wonderful to operate a newly opening center when LA WEight loss came to my city. It was the worst professional experience of my life. The way that the clients were taken advantage of gave me so many sleepless nites. THe pressure placed on the employees and myself was insane. It was awful. "

-note: since printing this review I have gotten hundreds of emails from past, and present employees and consumers.  I thank you all for sharing your experiences with me. I would encourage any of you who know this to be true, from an employee and consumer, to post your own review so others will see your story.

some Q+A:

can you give me the diet?

I can help you find the right diet for you.

Can I get my money back?

nope

what excercise tapes should I get?

email me with your target zones.

PLEASE do not think I am trying to tell anyone the program doesn't work, all diets will work for someone, this is a mear insight from a business view.

Please vote YES to the helpfulness of this guide before someone else gets robbed !