business & professional

Comeback Kid

West Bloomfield native changes her own life — and others'.

Lynne Konstantin

Contributing Writer

T

hree weeks before her second
son's due date, Marla Kaminsky
was already dilated. "I would
have likely gone into labor any min-
ute she says. "But my doctor asked if
I wanted to be induced. I knew I had
reached 199 pounds during my preg-
nancy, and I just didn't want to get to
that next turning point. So I said, 'Let's
do it!"'
About a year later, in the spring of
2013, the previously fit Kaminsky (who
met her husband while training for a
triathlon) still weighed in at 180. "I said
to Jeff, 'Be honest with me. Do I need
to lose weight?' He would never have
said so, but I insisted. And he said yes. I
really needed to hear that:'
The next day, the West Bloomfield
native began exploring dieting pro-
grams in Memphis (her husband's
hometown), where the family was liv-
ing at the time and where Kaminsky
worked as the advancement director of
the local Jewish day school. She walked
into a Diet Center, loved what she heard
and signed up that day — and lost four
pounds in her first week.
"The weight just started falling off:'
Kaminsky says. "And it didn't feel like
work — the center was fun, and the coun-
selors really motivated me:' By September
she had lost 40 pounds, and her husband
had joined and lost 25.
Soon after, the family returned to
Kaminsky's native Michigan. "I've always
loved helping people, which is why I did
nonprofit work:' Kaminsky says. "But
I've also always had an entrepreneurial
spirit. I've come up with dozens of ideas,
created business plans, but nothing ever
came together:'
Now, however, she had both the passion
and the determination, and she jumped
at the opportunity to own a Diet Center
franchise.
Since opening its doors in January, Diet
Center West Bloomfield has attracted a
roster of more than 70 clients, in large part
due to word-of-mouth success stories trav-
eling around the community.
"When I was doing the program, I loved
that it was so easy, I really didn't have to
think about it, but eventually realized how
much I had learned during the process:'
says Kaminsky, 38. "A lot of our clients are
women on the go, who just don't have time

Marla Kaminsky before and after
losing 40 pounds and starting her
own business.

to think about eating a healthy meal, or
might go all day without eating anything,
then go overboard in the evening. These
are the people who don't think there's an
answer for them, and it's so exciting to

show them that there is:'
But Kaminsky is also very aware that
when it comes to dieting, one plan does
not fit all. Celebrating its 41st anniversary
this year, the Diet Center brand offers four
distinct plans for clients to choose from,
including a prepare-your-own-food option
(which offers proprietary software to assist
in determining proteins, carbs, etc.), a
meal replacement (with Diet Center's own
nutritionally sound shakes and bars) plus
a healthy dinner option; a comprehensive
meal-plan option and a plan based on
thermogenic principles. One-on-one meet-
ings with expert counselors help clients
determine which program best suits their
lifestyle and eating habits, provide weekly
tips, information, self-awareness and moti-
vation.
"But what I really love about the Center
is that the focus is not on weight but on
body composition:' Kaminsky says. "We
want to lose fat, but retain healthy tissue.
That's where a lot of dieters have trouble
maintaining weight loss, because they are
losing pounds the body needs. We want
people to be healthy and to give them
their best shot at keeping off the weight.
We don't aspire to have repeat dieters. We
want them to succeed:'
This includes helping them learn what
a proper meal looks like,
Before
from portions and protein-
to-carb ratio to under-
standing which foods are
most nutrient-dense and
more.
"Just like there are a lot
of gym options for differ-
ent people and lifestyles,
there are a lot of options in
this community for weight
loss. Some people thrive in
a group setting or logging
in to an app:' Kaminsky
says. "As a business owner,
I am not aiming to put my

competition out of business. My aim is to
offer another option for people that has
a proven track record of making a differ-
ence. No diet program is a magic door —
just walking in isn't going to do it. But if a
dieter really shows up, mentally, we've got
the tools to make it a success:'

❑

Diet Center West Bloomfield, 6736A Orchard
Lake Road, West Bloomfield (248-932-DIET;
dietcentercom).

Psychotherapist and mom
Alicia Mindlin, 37, of Keego

Harbor has lost more than
40 pounds since February.

"The staff at Diet Center is so supportive and helpful,
and it makes the program easier with a team behind
you. I am forever grateful." - Alicia Mindlin

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July 24 • 2014

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