Weighing In: Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs dropped 300 pounds with exercise and healthy eating

By Catherine Godbey | Living 50 Plus

First, Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs watched her father suffer from diabetes, heart conditions, fibromyalgia, arthritis and cancer. Then she watched her older sister battle all the same health problems, except for cancer.

“I was 450 pounds and I realized if I didn’t make any changes, I would be in the same situation in 10 years,” said Hutcheson-Cobbs, who was on nebulizers, blood pressure medicine, insulin, used a CPAP machine and suffered from high cholesterol and asthma. “That’s when I decided to change my life.”

Now, 14 years later, the 60-year-old Hartselle woman has lost 300 pounds, run a half-marathon, led Silver Sneaker classes for senior citizens and follows a vegan diet. She remains active, running, power walking, swimming, hiking, playing disc golf and doing archery with Garrett Cobbs, her 37-year-old son who lives with special needs.

“I’m not very good at a lot of the sporty things, but I have fun doing it,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said.

Hutcheson-Cobbs serves as an inspiration to individuals of all ages hoping to make a positive lifestyle change.

“If I can do this, no one has an excuse. I wasn’t able to walk from the parking lot into the store. It was a struggle just to breathe. My whole life revolved around going to doctors every week just so I could function,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said. “All it takes is the first step.”

For Hutcheson-Cobbs, that first step occurred Jan. 1, 2011.

“I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself or understanding of what I was capable of doing. I didn’t know I could actually accomplish something big like this,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said. “I knew I could maybe do one thing so I gave up sodas and lost 9 pounds that first month.”

The following month, she cut out sugar and started eating more vegetables and lost 10 pounds. The third month, she lost 9 more pounds.

Slowly, the woman who knew every pasta and cheese available and made a new dessert every day, changed her eating habits. She emptied her cupboards and refrigerator, replacing whole milk with fat-free milk, oils with applesauce, tea with water and mayonnaise with fat-free sour cream flavored with a Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet.

She concentrated on a gluten-free and fat-free diet, eating proteins, vegetables and fruit. She stopped going to fast food drive-thrus, entering the gas station when filling up her car and picking up snacks at the grocery store checkout line.

In 2012, a year into her journey, Hutcheson-Cobbs added exercise to her lifestyle.

“I started exercising because somebody said to me that’s what I should do. It never occurred to me to exercise. I didn’t have anybody to walk with me on this journey,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said.

After learning about Couch to 5K, Hutcheson-Cobbs, at midnight one night, researched the program, saw the cute clothes and shoes she could wear and signed up.

“Now, I’m a born-again Christian. I love Jesus. But the next morning, I sat straight up in bed and said, ‘What the hell have I done? I have asthma, what have I done?’” Hutcheson-Cobbs said.

She completed her first race and immediately signed herself up for a 10k and Garrett up for a 5k, which she ran with him.

Along with the physical changes, she started journaling — a practice she continues today. Every day she writes three things she is thankful for and every bite and lick she tastes. She calls it her BTL journal.

“It is so important to do that so you can see what you are eating every day and what changes you need to make. For me, these were life and death decisions,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said.

Despite undergoing reconstructive surgery on both of her feet, which resulted in her learning to walk again, and suffering a brain injury caused by a car accident, Hutcheson-Cobbs remains focused on her health.

“The car accident caused me to have a brain injury, inflammation and a concussion,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said. “There was swelling in my brain and my body, and I lost my memory. I would get to the end of the street and not remember where I was going. I wouldn’t leave the stove without setting a timer.”

Hutcheson-Cobb’s neurologist sent her to outpatient rehab. The therapist working with her recommended an anti-inflammatory diet, which consisted of avocados, black coffee, green leafy vegetables, blueberries, broccoli, turmeric, carrots, English peas, lentils, asparagus and Brussel sprouts.

“That’s all I could eat. That and sardines, which I wouldn’t eat, and eggs, which just didn’t taste right to me after the accident,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said. “Within 30 days, my focus was better and my injuries were improving. I started implementing that diet with Garrett and it made a huge difference in him also. Now we are vegan.”

Like she has done since 2011, Hutcheson-Cobbs will start the year with a new lifestyle goal.

“Garrett and I like to try something new every January. I might not like it or stay with it, but we try it. That’s how we have gotten into running, archery and disc golf,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said.

For 2025, Hutcheson-Cobbs and her son are considering taking up pickleball or cornhole, both which were added to the state Special Olympic Games for 2025.

“I hope God will use my story to encourage others. Regardless of whether their goal is to lose weight, change careers or go back to school, people should not think they are too old, too young, too overweight or too whatever,” Hutcheson-Cobbs said.

Healthy living tips

Water World: Water intake is a must. Drink eight 8-ounce cups a day. “Many over the age of 50 tell me, but I go to the bathroom at night. Drop the coffee and other beverages and get the water in before 6 p.m.”

Get Stepping: Strive to get 20,000 steps in. You can walk or run in your neighborhood, park, gym, shopping center or pool.

BLT: Write down every bite, lick or taste that goes into your mouth.

Calorie Bank: Make a plan for workouts for the week. Just like you get paid on Friday and you can’t spend anything if it’s not in the bank, the same thing goes for fitness. If you haven’t exercised and have calories in your account, then you have nothing to spend on the weekend. If there is a birthday party, you can’t have that piece of cake, if you haven’t worked off those calories during the week.

Meal Prep: I spend Saturday and Sunday chopping vegetables, making salad, cooking rice and having the basics made. That way, I can have a meal made in 20 minutes or less during the week.

Portion Control: Buy a scale to weigh your food. For condiments, place serving size amounts in individual containers.

Keep it Real: Eat raw as much as possible. We juice our own fruits and vegetables. Carrot juice is one of our favorites.

Read Labels: Be in the know when it comes to fats and sugars.

Fitness Fun: Find something you love doing and do it. If you have no motivation, get a dog so you can walk it.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 15.5 ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

½ cup green bell pepper, diced

½ cup yellow bell pepper, diced

½ cup sweet onion, diced

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

½ teaspoon freshly chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix together vinegar and garlic. Add peas, tomatoes, peppers and onion. Stir gently. Mix in seasoning and serve cold.

Note: For anti-inflammatory eating, substitute peas for lentils and remove the tomatoes.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

4-4½ pounds butternut squash

2 large sweet potatoes

2 cups vegetable broth, may need more depending on how creamy you want it

¼ teaspoon ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Place butternut squash in the microwave for 5 minutes to soften. Cut butternut squash in half, brush lightly with olive oil and place face down on a baking sheet. Do not remove seeds. Trim ends of onion, cut in half, peel and discard skin. Brush lightly with olive oil and place on baking sheet with butternut squash. Wash sweet potatoes and place on baking sheet.

Using the side of a knife, smash the garlic cloves, peel and discard the skin. Place on baking sheet with squash, onion and sweet potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender. After done baking, remove seeds from butternut squash and set aside. Cut the skin off the butternut squash. Cut the squash into small cubes. Place in a large bowl. Add diced onion and garlic. Peel sweet potatoes. Cut into small cubes and place in the bowl with squash. In a blender or Ninja, add the butternut squash mixture. You may need to run two batches. Add 16 to 20 ounces of the vegetable broth. Add more if you want a creamier soup. Repeat the process until all is blended.

Pour mixture into a Dutch oven. Add ginger, salt and pepper and place on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until steam rises. Taste and season more if desired. Serve hot.

Note: Save the seeds from the butternut squash and roast them at 375 for 20 minutes. Makes a tasty snack or a good topping for the soup.

Mayonnaise substitute

1 16-ounce fat-free sour cream

1 package ranch dip mix

Mix the ingredients together and use in place of mayonnaise.