Texas Round Up - Previous Fit Texans

2008 Norman Langwell: Fit Texan Ruth Gonzales-Paul and Caleb Paul: Fit Family Kolton Allen: Fit Kid 2007 Betty Davis: Fit Texan Salvador Gonzales: Fit Texan

2008 Fit Texan: Norman Langwell In March 2006 Norman Langwell looked in the mirror and did not recognize the person in the reflection. At 379 pounds, Norman knew something had to change. He started changing his diet from high fat, high calorie meals to basic foods including vegetables, lean meats and fruits. He also began walking after work. After losing more than 80 pounds, Norman incorporated some light jogging to his walking. Once he began running outdoors, the weight fell off. After losing 178 pounds, Norman has run several 10K races and will be competing in the Texas Round-Up 10K race with thousands of other Texans. “Anyone can do what I did,” said Langwell. “There is no magic pill or perfect system. You just have to make up your mind that you are going to change your life and do it. This is my story and I hope it inspires others to get fit and live a long life.” Norman Langwell Before	Norman Langwell After photo by David Warner

2008 Fit Family: Ruth Gonzales-Paul and Caleb Paul Ruth Gonzales-Paul and her son, Caleb Paul are our Fit Family for 2008. Ruth and Caleb help keep each other motivated to continue exercising and being healthy. When she weighed 275 pounds, Ruth decided to start walking for exercise. By walking regularly, she lost about 35 to 40 pounds, but she struggled with the urge to over eat, saying "I deserve it, because after all, I'm walking." Ruth realized that to really achieve her goals, she needed to change her eating habits as well as exercise. Ruth Gonzales-Paul Before "I have learned about portion control, and I now eat less. I also make better food choices. I have continued to work out at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and I have lost an additional 40 pounds. I can now run and play with my four children and my husband." Ruth's son Caleb Paul is an outgoing 10 year old who enjoys all kinds of sports and activities. Some of his favorites include basketball, roller hockey, soccer football, baseball, riding bikes, and jumping on the trampoline. Caleb is also active in his church choir, Royal Ambassadors, and Bible drill, in addition to being an avid reader and a straight "A" student.	Ruth Gonzales-Paul and Caleb Paul at the 2008 Texas Round-Up Fitness Festival

2008 Fit Kid: Kolton Allen Kolton Allen of Lexington, Texas was named Texas Round-Up’s 2008 Fit Kid. Born premature, Kolton struggled for the first few months of his life. Among other issues, Kolton’s lungs were not strong, but even as an infant, Kolton did not give up. Now at age 9, Kolton is quite an athlete. Not only is he a dedicated runner, but he spends lots of time practicing push-ups and pull-ups. He loves to ride horses, and in his spare time, Kolton creates workouts for his classmates. "Running and exercising has definitely helped me gain self-confidence in myself," says Kolton. "It also keeps me in good health and an overall fit kid. I am always looking forward to competing in road races and helping other people and my classmates with fitness plans."

	Betty Davis, Arlington At a top weight of 300 pounds, Betty Davis of Arlington spent the last year moderating her eating and exercising after suffering a number of health problems. Among high blood pressure and high cholesterol, Betty suffered through knee degeneration, followed by a total knee replacement. She was confined to using a scooter when grocery shopping or walking long distances. Betty soon became serious about changing her eating habits and she engaged her husband to start working out with her for moral support. “At the beginning of November 2005, I was a size 22 and now I’m wearing a size 12,” she says. “I’ve lost a total of 71 pounds and my cholesterol has dropped from 270 to 153. My energy is exceptional and I’m enjoying things I never thought possible.”

	Salvador Gonzales, Midland Salvador Gonzalez participated in the Texas Round-Up through the City of Midland Wellness Program. After undergoing a health screening, Salvador found out he had unhealthy sugar and cholesterol levels. To remedy this, he changed his diet and began walking. In 2006, the City of Midland rewarded Salvador with the most improved employee award and sent him to the Texas Round-Up race weekend in Austin. Excited by the trip, Salvador entered the competitive race and took home third place in the Clydesdale division. “Since this was my first race of this kind, it meant a lot to me and was very special,” he says. “I can’t even explain the way I felt that day. It was like a dream come true. I came back proud to have won a medal.”

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