Her weight loss program consists of giving up on junk food and exercising. She had no help from a doctor or dietician but she did a lot of research on healthy weight-loss before starting her program.She is 5'4 tall and used to weigh 500 pounds. Now she weighs 170 and fits into a size 12 petite.
She was so obese that she couldn't exercise at all in the first year. She lost 90 pounds in that first year by changing her diet only. Last year she started exercising by walking just a quarter of a mile a day. After greatly increasing her walking routine over that year she joined a gym in October 2004. By October of 2005 she completed a 26 mile marathon in six hours. (Update: to be more precise, I believe her marathon finishing time was six hours and six minutes.)
The focus of her successful diet is lots of vegetables and fruits, with fish and chicken being the main proteins.
People Magazine interviewed Cathy Lee in October and just took some photos of her to feature in their December 30th upcoming edition. I guess this edition may have a New Year's Resolution weight loss focus. It should be available at your local supermarket by December 29th.
Update December 28th: Cathi Lee was interviewed on NBC's Today show today. If anyone knows if this info is available online somewhere, please comment below.
Update December 29th: Thanks much to Stacy Meyer Jochem. She is Cathi's marathon training partner and she left a note here telling us where we can see the interview with Cathi Lee on MSN.COM. (See her comment below).
As well today I notice People Magazine has just announced their "Half Their Size" issue. It's a special-double issue that will be on newstands for two weeks beginning tomorrow. The focus is on how famous celebrities and regular people have lost their weight. The stories discuss healthy weight-loss and don't include examples of surgery, fad diets or diet pills.
What I find really interesting about Cathi Lee's story is that she did her own research and is following her own unique diet. It would be great to know more about her daily eating plan.
Update January 15th: Cathi Lee will be interviewed on ABC's Good Morning America tomorrow morning.