Tipping the Scales of Justice
Washington, D.C., lawyer John Austin has struggled for years with his weight, but he’s never found a diet or plan that could help him shed the 150 pounds he needs to lose—and keep it off for good.
Mark Leventhal. Photo by Ron Aira
So Austin, of counsel at Patton Boggs, decided to turn to another lawyer for help. That other lawyer is Mark Leventhal, who thinks his been-there-done-that weight loss success story is just what other attorneys need to shed the pounds once and for all.
With Leventhal Weight Loss Inc., a slim-down service catering specifically to D.C. lawyers, Leventhal is betting on the premise that only another lawyer can truly understand what makes it so easy for lawyers to gain weight and so hard for them to take it off.
Leventhal cites stress as a reason he packed on 60 pounds over the 10 years he practiced international trade law.
“It’s not uncommon—you start to put on the pounds little by little, and before you know it, it can be out of control,” he says. He lost the lbs. by following a careful program of diet and exercise, but the demands of his practice often weighed down his efforts. After mulling over the idea for several years, Leventhal finally left his law firm last year to give full attention to the new company, which launched in September. He took training courses in coaching and also became certified as a personal trainer, sports nutritionist and weight management consultant.
Leventhal says his program differs from the likes of Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig because it offers support plus a network of additional resources: personal trainers, nutritionists, massage therapists and even a doctor. The base price of $250 a week includes four weight-loss counseling sessions to be used over 30 days, either in person or over the phone.
Services—such as prepared meals and snack bags, supermarket tours, customized exercise programs and massages—are available for an additional price.
But it’s Leventhal’s ability to work within the lives of busy lawyers that Austin hopes will finally tip the scales in his favor. Until then, the still-dieting lawyer jokes, “You could say the jury is still out.”
