Lite For Life® News, September 2011
Success Story: Kathleen Lives "Lite" Abroad

Kathleen walked into Lite For Life of Los Gatos one mere week before she left the country to seek out professional opportunities in the theater industry. Even with the massive distance between Los Gatos and Hong Kong, she decided to give LFL a go. "I had heard about the program and it seemed very sensible and realistic, unlike many diets I have tried or heard of. It seemed like a smart program that would be one that I could maintain for a long time and feel satisfied with what I was eating. I had also reached a point where I wanted to take control of my weight and not let it be something that stopped me from living my life the way I wanted," she says.

Kathleen had previously tried Weight Watchers and the South Beach Diet. While she had decent success with both programs, the weight always crept back and her frustration grew. The first few days on the program were surprising and sometimes challenging, as she "craved sugar a lot more than expected but craved caffeine a lot less than she expected." However, she was very determined to get off to a great start. She began putting mostly vegetables on her plate and really focused on the portion size of protein and starch. She was amazed at how much better she felt.

Her efforts paid off. "Any struggles were worth it when I saw my results during my first check in." She was hooked!

While some may have used the massive distance as an excuse, Kathleen put a positive spin on it saying, "Starting fresh in a new country helped me to make healthier food choices because everything was new and being in a new environment meant I didn't have old habits from home to break." She became quite conscious of how food had become more than just nourishment. "Through this program I have also become aware of how much food was related to my emotions. It feels really good to be more in control of my relationship with food. I no longer let my emotions control the food I eat, or let the food I eat control my emotions."

Kathleen is proof that anyone can be successful on this program, whether they live a few blocks away from their LFL location or much, much further. She never had excuses, just determination. Of the distance program she says, "I feel like I've had great support. I know that it's always just an email away or a phone call away, which feels great. Having someone to talk to makes me feel like I am not alone in my quest to make my life better." Life is great indeed! Kathleen has lost 32 pounds and is inching closer each week to her final goal of 55 pounds. We are so proud of her and know she is on her way to becoming 'lite' for life!

"I had heard about the program and it seemed very sensible and realistic, unlike many diets I have tried or heard of. It seemed like a smart program that would be one that I could maintain for a long time and feel satisfied with what I was eating. I had also reached a point where I wanted to take control of my weight and not let it be something that stopped me from living my life the way I wanted.

The first few days on the program were surprising and sometimes challenging, as I craved sugar a lot more than expected, but craved caffeine a lot less than I expected. Any struggles were worth it when I saw my results during my first check in. Shortly after I started Lite For Life, I moved to Hong Kong for work opportunities. Starting fresh in a new country helped me to make healthier food choices because everything was new and being in a new environment meant I didn't have old habits from home to break. Through this program I have also become aware of how much food was related to my emotions. It feels really good to be more in control of my relationship with food. I no longer let my emotions control the food I eat, or let the food I eat control my emotions.

I feel like I've had great support through the distance program. I know that it's always just an email away or a phone call away, which feels great. Having someone to talk to makes me feel like I am not alone in my quest to make my life better." – Kathleen