"I've got 15 pounds off," said Max. "It's been a lot easier since I've been working with Jerrod."
"Yesterday was his official weigh-in, down about five and 1/2 percent, which is about sixteen pounds," said dietitian Jerrod Libonati.
Both Max and Jerrod attribute the loss to eating small snacks every two hours to regulate blood sugar and keep hunger pangs at bay.
"My first snack could be cottage cheese and an apple, or yogurt with a tablespoon of almonds," said Max.
With a dietitian and trainer to help him keep his goal, he is one lucky guy to have experts assist him. But still, he is the one doing the work.
"There are two variables -- continual caloric maintenance and exercise. And if you remove either one of those, within a month or six weeks, you're going to see a weight regain," said Libonati.
One of Max's after-dinner strategies is to stay away from both the television and the kitchen.
"After dinner, I just go upstairs to my room, and IM my friends or talk to them on the phone," said Max. "It just keeps me away from temptation."
It's a calorie-free way to keep his hands busy and his eye on the prize, although Libonati wants him to realize that these habits are for life.
"It's not about the quick fix. It's not about how many months, or I met my goal weight," said Libonati. "This is about chronic disease prevention."
