South Carolina woman plants seeds of health

Willie Cox was never much of a gardener. Throughout her life, she related more to couch potatoes than growing potatoes. But all that would change when she hit 233 pounds.

She spun the scales because of one thing. She enjoyed her dinners fried and her snacks sweet. As Willie aged, though, she worried that her weight would become a major health problem. She already had asthma, and needed knee-replacement surgery after an injury. The extra weight made recovery twice as difficult.

Willie also suffered from shortness of breath. She couldn't walk up stairs without gasping for air. Her mother and three sisters -- all of whom were overweight -- had diabetes, and Willie knew she was on the fast track to a similar fate.

Willie tried a number of diets, but couldn't kept the weight off. At 233 pounds, Willie decided to try L A Weight Loss. In January 2006, the 59-year-old joined the Greenville, S.C., center, where she was paired with a one-on-one weight loss counselor.

Her counselor taught her simple tips and tricks to give her diet a healthy makeover. She cut out her candy binges, and ate more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. Willie also began baking chicken instead of frying it. For a fat-reducing boost, she added L A Weight Loss's Controltrim to her baked goods, salad dressings, and sauces.

Adding the fresh fruits and vegetables was easy for Willie. As she lost weight, she gained energy to work in her garden, where she grew corn, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes. With all the good food coming in, it wasn't long before Willie's weight loss gained momentum.

To further accelerate her weight loss, Willie walked regularly. As the pounds melted away, she increased her distance. Every mile made a difference.

After two years on the program, Willie has sailed past her weight loss goal of 170 pounds and now weighs 162 pounds, for a total weight loss of 71 pounds.

Losing weight has changed Willie's life. She feels younger than ever, and can carry her grandson without getting tired, something she couldn't do before.

Willie feels much better about herself. Her husband loves the progress she's made, and tells her every day she's beautiful. He also built a home gym in their backyard for Willie to maintain her weight loss.

Willie's dive into healthy living proves that eating healthy can be as easy as planting a seed and watching it grow. Way to go, Willie!

Here's Willie at 233 pounds in 2006:



And here she is today, 71 pounds lighter at 162 pounds. Smoking!



FAST FACTS

Name: Willie Cox
Hometown: Travelers Rest, S.C.
Age: 61
Height: 5'4"

Starting weight: 233 pounds
Goal weight: 170 pounds
Current weight: 162 pounds
Program start date: January 2006

Favorite food: Spinach.

Biggest temptation: Gummy Bears.

Biggest motivator: Receiving constant support from her personal counselor.

Biggest obstacle: Getting past plateaus.

Old eating philosophy: Eating fried foods and binging on sweet temptations.

New eating philosophy: Baking instead of frying, and eating plenty of vegetables.

Best thing about losing weight: Being able to carry her grandson.

Best weight loss secret learned: You can lose weight and maintain it if you stick with the program.