BY MELISSA ROLLINS (Morning News)

Most people will tell you that when trying to lose weight, not having family or friends on the same journey can make lifestyle and food changes a struggle.

Windy Sitton took part in the Florence’s Biggest Loser competition in 2014. She lost weight but after having a family health crisis, gained it back. In 2015 she signed up for the competition again, this time with her husband, Tony, by her side.

“Over the last year my father got sick, so I started focusing on him rather than myself,” Windy said. “My husband and I have a lot of fun when we are together so I asked him if he wanted to do it with me and he surprised me and said yes. Our motivation is just being healthy together so we can be together for a long time.”

Having been on Team Tory (Zwanziger) last year, Windy said that she wanted to be sure they were on his team again.

“Tory and Tony have a lot of similar characteristics,” Windy said. “I really consider Tory a friend now. He pushes me in a positive way, so I wanted to be on his team again. He expects a lot, and sometimes I don’t always expect a lot from myself with fitness. He knows how to push you out of your comfort zone but is very respectful about it.”

Tony said that one big change for him since the beginning of the competition is that he is now eating breakfast.

“I have never been a breakfast person,” Tony said. “If I would eat breakfast, I would get heartburn and indigestion. We were introduced to the idea of using whey protein and making smoothies, so that is what I do now, I make smoothies for breakfast.”

Windy and Tony say they have had different journeys with weight. She has dealt with it all of her life, coming partly from the fact that her mother did a lot of “Southern cooking”, meaning there was an abundance of delicious but unhealthy food on the table. He, on the other hand, grew up in an agricultural setting in Colorado, eating homegrown vegetables and meats while taking part in outdoor activities year-round.

When they married 12 year ago, those two paths collided, with a little give and take on each end. Now with both owning and running their own business, they said work and family have taken a toll.

“In three years, I had three family members get cancer,” Windy said. “Tony’s dad got really sick too and he actually passed away, so it has really been a lot in just a few years.”

“Around 2009, we were members at the YMCA and it was working for me,” Tony said. “Then work got in the way. For a while, I was working in a machine shop setting. There is not a lot of movement going on there. I have since started working for myself, which does and doesn’t free up time. My motivation is to get back to what I looked like when we first met.”

The Sittons have started working out six days a week. They say it has become such a part of their daily routine that it feels odd not going to the gym on Sundays. They have even started including the pool in their exercise.

“I love water,” Tony said. “When we go to the beach, I’m the first one in the water. I’ve never seen it as exercise though. Now I see that you can use water, the pool, in your workout.”

Two grown daughters and their grandchildren have also been a big motivation for the Sittons, not to mention big supporters of their journey with the Biggest Loser. Tony said he loves to ride motorcycles and wants to be healthier so that he is around when his grandson is old enough to ride.

The Sittons are one of only two couples participating in the 2015 Florence’s Biggest Loser competition.

 

Read the story at SCNOW.com!