I went to LA weight loss for my 'free consultation' after hearing a million commercials and much media hype. I was very excited and interested in what they had to say. I was asked to fill out some basic info on a form including personal contact information and weight loss goals. I met with a 'weight loss counselor' who gave me a tour of the facility. (Mostly some cubicles and shelves full of products for sale.) Heavily featured in the tour are the 'stars' on the walls... Local and non-local people who have lost huge amounts of weight very quickly! Conspicuously absent is any mention that these results are not typical. Photos and testimonials really get you pumped. Then it's a weigh in... And on to the office to hear 'the pitch.' The program is vaguely explained with words and phrases like 'you can eat your regular food' and the supplements are vaguely introduced as 'all natural.' It became clear to me that the products were ALL separate from the package and I was nervous that it was going to be super expensive... So then we got down to the numbers... Basic package around $600, premier for almost $1000. What? Plus all of the bars and supplements are extra... The bars are ridiculously priced at $28.00 a box... And they want you to eat 2 bars a day. No crime, right? It's crazy expensive and I'm looking to bail. So she asks me what I'm thinking and I say that I'm thinking it's crazy expensive... So then the hard sell starts. She accuses me of not really wanting to lose weight. When I tell her I would never spend this amount of money without talking to my husband and that he wouldn't do that to me, she says I should call him right now. She'll help me talk to him. She offered me a line of credit to cover the cost of the program, as well as veterinary services and dentist appointments. When I ask her if she's offering me a credit card, she says no, it's not a credit card.'You can't use it at a store!' (A search for complaints about this company show MANY complaints about Care Credit... Hidden high fees, etc.) I tell her there's NO WAY I'm getting a line of credit for a weight loss program. Eventually she offered me a 12 week program for $349... But on principle I wouldn't deal with this company. My biggest objections: This weight loss counselor is nothing but a commissioned sales person trained in hard sell tactics that take advantage of vulnerable people. Not wanting to spend that amount of money on LA Weight Loss causes you to be ridiculed. She implied my husband was the problem... That he would not support me. She implied I didn't want to lose weight. It was clear she is trained NOT to let me walk out the door without buying. When I told her there was NO WAY I was going to sign up today, she pushed for an appointment, which I agreed to so that I could get out of there. I won't be keeping that appointment, but they now have my contact information, including my email address. I'm nervous that I will be harassed, although I am prepared to give her an earful when she calls me and tell her I have added my post to the pages and pages and pages of complaints against this company that are out there. There are so many complaints out there. I'm glad I kept my head and did not sign up for anything!!!
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