OCOEE, Fla. – A mother from Ocoee, working night shifts as an ICU nurse, has remarkably lost 185 pounds and is now preparing to travel to Texas to participate in a significant bodybuilding event.

Jwan Nguyen remembers exactly where she started.

“My heaviest known weight was probably about 311 pounds. I was living a very unhealthy lifestyle,” she said, shaking her head at the memory.

She is getting ready for her second attempt at the Summer Shredding competition set to take place in Houston next month. Previously, she secured fourth place in the Transformation Division, which caters to participants who have lost a minimum of 150 pounds.

The journey hasn’t been easy. As a night-shift ICU nurse and mom, Nguyen knew something had to give.

“I wasn’t the mom I wanted to be,” she admitted.

While gastric bypass surgery kicked off her transformation, Nguyen quickly realized she wanted more.

“I wanted to see what I could do. I wanted to challenge myself, I wanted to be more active,” she said.

That’s when she stumbled across the Summer Shredding competition’s Transformation Division and thought, “Hey I can do that.”

Her 11-year-old daughter, Elodie, an enthusiastic gymnast, is Nguyen’s greatest supporter. Witnessing her mother’s incredible transformation has deeply influenced the young athlete.

“It’s teaching me to persevere during difficult times and pursue activities even when I don’t feel like it,” Elodie expressed, becoming emotional as she reflected on her mother’s journey. “Seeing her healthier makes me happy. She’s happier now than she was before.”

You can often find Nguyen training hard at Planet Fitness in Ocoee, squeezing in rigorous workout sessions before heading to her hospital night shift. Her previous achievement of fourth place has only fueled her determination for this year’s contest.

Her message for anyone thinking about making a change?

“It’s never too late. It’s never too late to take that one first step,” she said with a smile.

Next month, she will return to Houston for the international Summer Shredding championship, with her daughter Elodie in the audience, supporting her mother as she aims for victory.

The Championship Show is scheduled for Sept. 13.

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