Hollywood Tans: Senior Tanologist: Meet Janessa Lopez, one of the new faces of Hollywood Tans

Janessa Lopez isn’t someone who lets her circumstance get the best of her. At one point in her life, the model found herself in the middle of a daunting break up and an accompanying custody battle over her son. Like most women Lopez found her light dwindling with the new found stress that had taken over and reincarnating that light in unhealthy foods, less physical activity and withdraw from most social interaction. As a result, Lopez gained 30 pounds. In spite of her situation, Lopez continued modeling, but admits she was numb inside and her apathy began to manifest outwardly.

One day a co-worker said to her, “You were so glamorous before, what happened? I guess that’s what happens when you have kids, right?”

Prior to having her son Brody, Lopez had plenty of experience as a bikini model and a promotional model for organizations such as USC Football, Playboy, Relay for Life and National Girls and Women for Sports.

“The minute she [co-worker] said that to me, I had to pull myself together. I originally got into bikini modeling because I loved feeling glamorous, and there’s this feeling of female empowerment that comes along with it. The fact that I was no longer conveying that was a wake-up call for me.”

Since then, Lopez has started rejuvenating her bikini model body. She officially began her weight loss journey on January 24, 2011, with a goal of shedding 40 pounds.

Lopez, currently a life coach at Jenny Craig, advises her clients to identify what initially is causing the weight gain and find ways to address where the emotional or mental problems lie. “Begin with the end in mind,” Lopez says. “Stop and think about where you want to go, what goals you’d like to set. Weight loss is so much more than a number on a scale. At the end of the day, you have to want to be healthy.”

And so she’s begun. Lopez has returned to working out five times a week and following a healthy diet. She also journals every workout and everything she eats so that she stays motivated and continues to see results.

In order to continue to feel glamorous every day, Lopez tans at Hollywood Tans, where she receives her favorite service, the high pressure tanning. One day, the CEO of Hollywood Tans, Lewis Shender, suggested she model. A simple compliment turned into Lopez becoming the face of Hollywood Tans.

“We at Hollywood Tans really like what Janessa has done, in terms of her weight loss and more importantly, positive outlook on life. It’s also a plus that she enjoys tanning with us,” Shender said. “We’re thrilled to have her represent us and spread her positivity and cheer her on to becoming the best bikini model she can be!”

Lopez’s son Brody is her biggest supporter; as he often helps her take document her weight loss by taking pictures of her. “For a while I didn’t know what my sons "home" life would be like since his dad and I split. I knew I wanted him to have a firm foundation and the best way I could show him that was by how I lived my life. I want him to know that his mommy didn’t give up.”

Here's her progress so far: