It was 2006, when I decided I needed to lose some weight.  I was 155 pounds and I just didn’t feel good.  Up until the second year of college, in 2002, I had been skinny and able to eat whatever I wanted.  I never really developed any healthy eating habits.  I was clueless about how to start to lose weight.  I knew I needed some help.  I went for a consultation at Jenny Craig but it was way too expensive for me at the time.  I also didn’t like the fact that I had to buy their food and then add the vegetables and fruits.  At the time, I just had a part time job so I wasn’t making a lot of money.  I looked up Weight Watchers but I didn’t like that I would have to go to group meetings.  That didn’t appeal to me.  I also looked up Quick Weight Loss.  I ended up signing up for the program but I cancelled the program 2 days later.  They had a paper of all the foods you were allowed to eat and I only liked maybe 4 things on the paper.  They said if I added any food not on the list they couldn’t guarantee my quick weight loss.  I came across L.A. Weight Loss.  I liked the fact that they taught you how to cook your own food and about portion control.  The only food they recommended was their L.A. Bars.  The L.A. Bars were just protein bars.  Which were good for me cause I have a big sweet tooth and the bars satisfied my sweet tooth.  I could also afford the program.  One of the reasons I wanted to lose weight is because my best friends and I were going to California in a few months.  I couldn’t wear a bikini at the weight that I was.  The program was good for me because it let you talk to someone one on one instead of a group.  They gave you a food diary to write down everything that you ate so they could see what area needed improvement.  I was very honest in the diary.  If I had a piece of cake, I wrote it in the diary.  I also loved the fact that you could call them at any time and get an answer to your questions.  They also taught you how to eat out and stay on the plan.  It was especially helpful when I was going out to eat to discuss what was healthy.  It only took 3  and a half months to lose 31 pounds.  By the time I went to California, I was 124 and able to wear my bikini.  The next time, I started to gain weight I wouldn’t use any help.  I would use the L.A. Weight Loss plan as a blueprint for my “diet phase”.