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Coco Warner ReportingA Spanish Fork woman is an inspiration to those around her, due to her incredible weight loss. Recently, she checked off another goal on her list.
After struggling with weight her entire life, Jodi Mattinson lost 243 pounds, and most importantly, she's keeping it off. She did it with sheer willpower, without surgery. And that same willpower saw her through her first 5K race.
Excitement and anticipation begin every race, especially when it's your first. Jodi Mattinson ran 5 kilometers on Saturday, inspired by another Utah woman's triumph over obesity. That triumph is detailed in the book, "Running with Angels".
Pamela Hansen, Running with Angels: "We lost a baby about 17 years ago and I gained a lot of weight and then lost over 100 pounds and ran a couple of marathons. So I thought it would be fun to share the joy and excitement of running with more people."
Jodi Mattinson: "It was good to see somebody else having the same, similar struggle as mine-- and going through the same kind of struggle with weight loss."
Jodi finished in 31 minutes. She's proud, yes, but more proud of the race she's been winning against herself since April of 2002. When she holds up a pair of her former jeans, you can hardly believe this healthy woman once struggled to fit into them.
Jodi Mattinson: "I weighed 388 pounds and I felt horrible, I didn't have any energy."
Jodi credits Weight Watcher's diet with helping her lose the weight, 243 pounds in two years. And this last year, her husband lost 80 pounds.
Craig Mattinson: "My blood pressure medicine wasn't working anymore. I couldn't function. I was tired all the time, feeling down on myself and finally thought, 'you know, if my wife Jodi can do this, so can I.'"
The Mattinsons say they spent several years seeing sites from the inside of their car because they were physically unable to get outside, walk around and see their surroundings.
Craig Mattinson: "Now when we travel, if we want to stop and see something, we get out and hike up the mountain."
Jodi may have been running with angels on Saturday, but her husband would say she's a running angel.
Craig Mattinson: "She inspires me every day of my life, and I know she inspires others."
Coincidentally, Craig and Jodi are celebrating their second wedding anniversary today.
