Nearly seven years ago, First Coast Living hosted a "Kick-It-Up" contest as a way for 12 local moms to make themselves over and lose some weight. First Coast News spoke with one mom who says it changed her life.
Laura Flynn says she's in the shape of her life, but a few years ago, after having eight children, that wasn't the case.
"I was a stay-at-home mom, and I was around the house all the time," Flynn said.
She was also 85 pounds heavier and unhappy.
"I'm a firm believer that people should live life, and I was merely existing," she recalled.
Wanting a change, she turned to First Coast News for help.
"First Coast News had a ‘Kick-It-Up’ mom's contest," she said.
Flynn was chosen as one of 12 contestants on the show.
Eventually, through diet and exercise, “I lost 35 pounds in 12 weeks with you guys," she said.
Flynn says it prompted her to change her family's lifestyle.
“So that was a good start for me -- changing diet for the whole family, changing exercise for the whole family," she said.
Now, Flynn not only runs -- she also runs a healthy business.
Mor Culture focuses on gut health through probiotics.
“It really helped me lose my last 20 pounds, so I learned about gut health and that you want your good bacteria outweighing the bad," she said.
Her advice to other people wanting to lose weight is that it's never too late to start.
"One little thing, drink a little water every day, walk around your place until you feel like you can walk out and walk around the street. Tiny things make a big difference," she said.