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L. Buchanan, FLORENCE, S.C. – Food has defined Launa Brown’s life and relationships for as long as she can remember.

She is the youngest of nine children, a wife and mother to three sons in college and the proud aunt to more than 50 nieces and nephews. It’s safe to say that family plays a huge role in Brown’s life – and it’s also safe to say that when they all get together, food is the main event.

“Everything – even church events – were centered around food, food, food,” she said. “Every time we got together, everything was food – even now.”

And the food being consumed at these events? Well, it’s safe to say that the once-Connecticut-based family has taken traditional Southern cooking to heart with plenty of fried foods and buttered vegetables.

“When we came to the South, we were introduced to eating everything from the hog except for the hair,” she said.

At least 75 percent of Brown’s family members are considered overweight, she said, and it’s only through luck that Brown herself has yet to be diagnosed with some of the myriad health problems that plague many of her family members, including diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune disease and heart disease.

“I’m 44, but none of them (the diseases) have attacked me,” she said. “I’m just at a point in my life where it’s like a knowing that this is the time, this is the time to get everything right. I joined Biggest Loser so I can incorporate lifestyle changes. It’s something I want to live with for the rest of my life, not just to win a contest. I just feel like this is my last chance because of my age, and there are so many diseases and disorders in my family.”

So far, Florence’s Biggest Loser competition has taught Brown many lessons, including the soreness one can feel after starting exercise, but the most important lesson that keeps jumping out at her is “we live what we learn.”

That has been true in the eating habits of her family through the years, but now Brown is hoping to use the same theory to make a positive influence on her loved ones, especially her nieces.

“Hopefully I can use these lifestyle skills, as far as (improving) eating, to help my nieces,” she said. “I’m sore, and I want to know when that’s going to stop, but I love it, though. I’m looking forward to losing at least 50 pounds.”

Brown’s sister, Nadine Conyers, is also in the competition, and the women are looking forward to sharing their newfound knowledge with the rest of their family and hopefully impressing them with their new shapes, too.

Launa Brown is the owner of A Beautiful Experience, a salon and event planning business in Florence, and has 20 years experience in both fields.

See this story on SCNOW.com here.

See Launa demonstrate fitness moves you can do from home here!