A local teenager is not himself these days. In fact, he’s half
of what he used to be.

Justin Willoughby of Bolivar Drive – who has lost more than 400
pounds – has been working out vigorously for the past three or four
months at the Bradford Family YMCA. In that time, he said he lost
about 60 or 70 pounds. Over the span of about two years and two
months, he has lost 401 pounds and now weighs 398 pounds.

At his maximum weight, doctors told him that he should see a
cardiologist to make sure his heart was in good condition. After
losing about 300 pounds and beginning his exercise, he went to see
a cardiologist to make sure it was OK for him to begin the YMCA
workout.

“I’ve basically tried everything,” Justin Willoughby, 18, said,
adding he’s tried diet and weight pills to high protein diets and
Slim Fast. He said there was no surgery involved in his weight
loss. Out of all the weight loss efforts he’s tried, he said the
YMCA workout seems to be working the best for him.

Justin Willoughby is not alone in his effort to lose weight,
however. His family, which includes his father Ron Willoughby, 58,
his mother Diane Willoughby, 49, and his older brother Chad
Willoughby, 22, has been supporting him by joining his workouts at
the YMCA.

“He is the key,” Diane Willoughby said. “He’s the reason we
started to go there. And everybody needs exercise to stay
healthy.”

The Willoughbys decided to make the workout a family affair. The
family works out from about 10 to 11 a.m. every day except on
Sunday.

“We spend a couple hours there every day,” Diane Willoughby
said. “It also helps me with my arthritis, and my husband’s got a
bad back.”

“With more than one person, we have a lot more success,” Justin
Willoughby said. “We’re doing things as a family.”

Basically, the family spends time on weights, the treadmills and
the bikes. However, they change things up each day.

“I switch it up every day, but I do walk and bench press every
day,” Justin Willoughby said.

Some days he rides the stationary bicycle, but other days he
doesn’t. Some days he works on his legs, while others he works on
his arms and chest. He said he walks about two to 2 1/2 miles each
day.

“He’s trying to build muscle now,” Diane Willoughby said about
Justin Willoughby.

Justin Willoughby said his father just began to lift weights
with him, and sometimes they make it into a competition or a game
to make it fun or interesting.

“When we go there, it doesn’t have to be boring. It can be fun,”
Justin Willoughby said. “Sometimes, we compete against each other
on the treadmill. You don’t have to be a robot on the
treadmill.”

“The four of us basically end up together on the treadmill,”
Diane Willoughby said.

“Everybody’s doing really good,” Justin Willoughby said. “Our
clothes are fitting looser. We got a better attitude and are more
outgoing than before.”

Besides the workouts, the family has changed their eating
habits.

“I’ve changed everybody’s eating habits in the house,” Justin
Willoughby said.

He said they don’t eat anymore white breads. They eat wheat
breads and wheat pastas. They have a salad with most meals. They
eat a lot of low fat and fat free foods.

“We cut out on a lot of stuff,” Justin Willoughby said. “We
still can eat anything we want to. We just eat it in moderation.
Like sometimes we go out for ice cream cones, and a piece of candy
every now and that doesn’t hurt.”

Even though Justin Willoughby said he was never really made fun
of in life, he has had some embarrassing moments because of his
weight problem.

“I was about 650 pounds and would go into Wal-Mart all the
time,” he said. “And little kids and older people would look at me.
All they did was look at me. It was embarrassing.”

However, he also said he’s got a lot of support from his family,
friends and church family.

“I’ve had good friends and support along the way,” he said.

“He’s a miracle,” Diane Willoughby said.

Justin Willoughby said when he’s having a hard time getting
through his exercise, he quotes scripture and is able to complete
his workout. He is a firm believer in prayer.

“My crutch is Jesus Christ,” he said.

He is a member of the Open Arms Community Church. He said the
church has been behind him, and he gave testimony there that he is
losing weight through the help of Jesus. He said he’s going to be a
minister and will be starting a weight loss ministry at the
church.

“It’s really something how far I’ve come,” he said. “There’s a
lot of heavy people in Bradford, and I can make a difference. And
my family can make a difference.”