Brenda Wooten
Age: 47
Hometown: Humboldt, IA
Starting weight: 208
Current weight: 203

From the moment her son Dylan was born 15 years ago, Brenda Wooten immediately started putting his needs first—and she continued to do so when she divorced his dad a few years later. When she came across MORE’s contest, the grocery store employee was ready to start dating again, but really wanted to lose some weight first. “I’ve been heavy most of my life, and have tried every diet out there—some of them twice,” Wooten explains. “I have a love-hate relationship with food.” Taking the weekly classes, and being able to chat with other dieters in the program, made a difference for her. “It’s nice knowing that there are other people out there in the same boat as you, with the same struggles,” she says. “We encourage each other. Whenever I am having a rough day, or a rough week, they give me a pat on the back. I finally have a support system.”

Best lesson learned: Life is not The Biggest Loser. Seek progress—not perfection.