Meet the woman who lost 117LBS and 42% of her body fat thanks to twice-a-day workouts and six high-protein meals a day

PUBLISHED: 12:10 EST, 14 November 2013 | UPDATED: 13:50 EST, 14 November 2013

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A woman has opened up about her transformation - both inside and out - after shedding an incredible 117lbs in a year and a half.

Christine 'CC' Hodges from Eagan, Minnesota, weighed 239lbs in February 2012 when she realized she 'felt worthless'; she decided then to turn her life around, for her own health and for the sake of her young son.

After joining a gym, modifying her diet and losing the first 60lbs, the 28-year-old single mother enrolled in a national 90-day lifestyle challenge which saw her working out twice a day with a personal trainer, and ultimately winning the competition.

Before: Christine 'CC' Hodges from Eagan, Minnesota, weighed 239lbs in February 2012. Today, the 28-year-old is 117lbs lighter and has shed 42% of her body fat

After: She joined a gym, modified her diet and lost the first 60lbs, then the single mother enrolled in a national 90-day lifestyle challenge which saw her working out twice a day and ultimately winning the competition

As the winner of the challenge, triumphing over 10,000 other contestants, Ms Hodges won a $10,000 prize, but she was rewarded in a more profound way as well.

'I began to live life the way it is to be lived, with intention, with meaning, with the ability to empower . . .with worth,' she wrote on Lifetime-weightloss.com. 'I was a woman of worth! I finally believed it.'

The mother-of-one's transformation has been especially life-changing because she never felt confident in the past.

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'I'd look in the mirror and I couldn't believe what I saw,' she said of her former self, which - at 36per cent body fat - was considered severely obese.

Today, though, she is just 14.8per cent body fat, thanks to a strict regime of twice-a-day workouts for 90 days, a low-carb, high-protein diet, and a lot of willpower.

Transformation: Today, she is just 14.8per cent body fat, thanks to a strict regime of twice-a-day workouts for 90 days, a low-carb, high-protein diet, and a lot of willpower

Gradual process: When she and her personal trainer worked together during the 90-day challenge, she would wake up at 4am for early morning exercise

Moving: 'The first 20 pounds that I lost, I started to, you know, walk a little bit prouder,' Ms Hodges says in a video interview, tearing up as she talks about her transformation

She explained that when she and her personal trainer worked together during the 90-day challenge, she would wake up at 4am for early morning exercise.

While her commitment to weight loss was an expensive and time-consuming challenge, her new nutrient-packed healthy diet made her more energetic than ever, and she felt happier than she’d felt in a long time.

In terms of diet, she credits quinoa and yams, protein like egg whites, turkey, salmon and tuna, and vegetables like broccoli, spinach and asparagus for helping her lose weight.

She also took daily vitamins and fish oil to ensure recovery for her muscles after her gruelling workouts.

Then and now: 'I'd look in the mirror and I couldn't believe what I saw,' she said of her former self, which - at 36per cent body fat - was considered severely obese

'The first 20 pounds that I lost, I started to, you know, walk a little bit prouder,' Ms Hodges says in a video interview, tearing up as she talks about her transformation.

'I began to live life the way it is to be lived, with intention, with meaning, with worth'

Not only did she begin to feel more and more confident in herself, but her relationships with other people improved as well - including her young son.

'Day 36, my son who was almost three at the time told me, "Mommy I love your big muscles, I want big muscles like you mommy," and we did push ups together,' she recalls.

'It dawned on me that he was seeing these changes in my body and mind, and we connected.'

Unrecognizable: The mother-of-one's transformation has been especially life-changing because she never felt confident in the past

Motivation: 'Day 36, my son who was almost three at the time told me, "Mommy I love your big muscles, I want big muscles like you mommy," and we did push ups together,' she recalls

Future plans: Ms Hodges may have successfully completed the 90-day challenge, but she still has more goals to achieve. Next, she plans on competing in her very first bikini contest in May

Now, she makes it her mission to empower others to have the courage to make a change in their lives, too.

'I just want others to know then it's never too late,' she wrote on the CBS Minnesota Facebook page. 'You can reach out to me if you need help, support or guidance!'

Ms Hodges may have successfully completed the 90-day challenge, but she still has more goals to achieve.

Next up, she plans on competing in her very first bikini contest in May.

Eagan Woman A Finalist In Fitness Challenge, Loses 117 Pounds - CBS Minnesota

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Pace, USA, 42 minutes ago

Good for her -

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dsgross309, peeksill, United States, 2 hours ago

I love the success stories. She does look great and she is fabulous!

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Cucu, Miami, United States, 5 hours ago

Congratulations to Ms Hodges, great job! I don't know why people are shocked, all it takes to loose weight is determination and lack of excuses. Skin shrinks when you build up muscle so when you make comments about this lady getting surgery for the removal of extra skin, you are attempting to take away credit from her natural weight loss. I wish her the best on competition, a great way to establish goals and motivate herself, unfortunately for some the motivation ends when the weight is lost and then it creeps back slowly. Stick with your goals, you look great!

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KDub, Los Angeles, 2 hours ago

Yes!

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cordelia, Essex, 5 hours ago

Well done!

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Female, Andromeda, 7 hours ago

She looks amazing! Here is proof that anybody can do it, and anything is possible if you say "I can!" - Sunshine Girl, Ft Lauderdale, FL, 14/11/2013 22:00 Better yet, 'I WILL!'

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WordsFailMe, London, Uk, 8 hours ago

She has done amazingly! A true inspiration!

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That girl, Oxford, 9 hours ago

Tell us the obvious...no we all thought sitting down all day and eating purely carbs was gunna do it!

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Primalist, York, United Kingdom, 8 hours ago

But that's what the 'diet' and 'health' industries tell you to do - shun fat, eat more carbs, and then wonder why your 'diet' isn't working and you have diabetes and gastric issues.