The Stunning Transformation Of 90 Day Fiance Star Liz Woods
Over the years, the "90 Day Fiancé" franchise has gifted viewers with plenty of memorable couples, but one man's love life garners more attention than most. Edward Allen Brown, aka "Big Ed," may have first made waves thanks to his relationship with Rosemarie Vega, a woman nearly half his age from the Philippines. Though their tryst made for some of the most awkward TLC moments caught on camera, it was soon over ... but Big Ed's quest to find his soulmate had just begun. Enter single mom Liz Woods.
Cameras were able to capture the conception of Big Ed and Liz's relationship on "90 Day Fiancé: The Single Life" and many were dubious about whether they would be in it for the long haul (they reportedly broke up at least 11 times during their first few years of dating). At the time of writing, it looks like this couple is no longer together, putting an end to one of the wildest rides the franchise has ever seen. Whether it's a permanent separation is up for debate, but one thing is for sure — we've seen Liz change dramatically throughout her relationship with Big Ed.
From working a humble job to overhauling her image, Liz hasn't let the limelight get to her head, instead using her platform to share her personal progress with others. Whether she ends up with Big Ed in the future is neither here nor there, because Liz has always proved she can take care of herself, no matter the circumstances.
Liz Woods was a restaurant manager when she met Big Ed
It's no secret that dating in the real world can be tricky, but if you're a well-known reality TV personality like "90 Day Fiancé" star Edward "Big Ed" Brown, something tells us it's even harder. Despite all of Big Ed's shortcomings being widely available for potential dates to literally watch on TV, he still managed to snag a date with Liz Woods after meeting her at his favorite local eatery, Encontro North Park in San Diego. At the time they met, Liz was working as a manager there and was seemingly a little taken aback when Big Ed (followed by a camera crew filming for "90 Day Fiancé: The Single Life") asked her to go out on a date.
In the footage from the episode, Liz can be seen wearing her long ombre chestnut tresses in a ponytail as styles out a black face mask and protective gloves, as was largely required at the time due to the pandemic. As Big Ed starts to talk to her, she appears quite nervous, crossing her arms in front of her as Big Ed pops the question. Considering her lack of TV experience up until this point, it's natural that Liz might have felt uneasy and put on the spot.
Little did she know then that this chance encounter with Big Ed at work would go on to shape the next few years of her life — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
In 2022, she started a fitness journey and lost 20 pounds
Tons of celebrities end up making changes to their physique throughout their careers, and Liz Woods is no different. In 2022, she proved that exercise is a healthy way to lose weight without dieting. Though she has always looked trim since her first appearance on "90 Day Fiancé: The Single Life," Liz unveiled a leaner build thanks to a more active lifestyle. In an episode of the show broadcast the same year, Liz explained that she was battling with low self-esteem as Edward "Big Ed" Brown would often show her old photos of herself and ask if she would lose weight. "It's kind of insulting," she said. "I would hope that Ed would love me no matter what. I've loved him at his heaviest and his smallest since I've been with him. Never thought I'd feel so insecure about myself."
Liz did go on to lose a considerable amount of weight thanks to signing up for fitness classes and getting into running. Per ScreenRant, she committed to at least three workout sessions each week and was thoughtful about her dietary choices. A quick look at Woods' Instagram shows that she's an avid runner and loves to compete in races, which is likely contributing to her healthier lifestyle a considerable amount.
She took a big step in her career in 2022
2022 was a big year for Liz Woods. Not only did she totally overhaul her lifestyle, but she was making big moves in her career, too. As we previously touched upon, Liz was a manager at a San Diego restaurant when she first met Ed Brown. As a single mother to her daughter, Liz was keen to provide but she also had aspirations when it came to her career that Big Ed may not have been overly supportive of. In an episode of "90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After" (via InTouch) Liz's desire to continue working was a bone of contention for Big Ed, who didn't like his partner's late-night shifts and friendships with her much younger coworkers.
Ed only got more annoyed when a big chance came Liz's way. Her boss reportedly offered her the chance to become a partner in the business, which is a giant step for anyone in the hospitality industry. On the show, Liz explained how excited she was, despite Big Ed's concerns that it would impact their quality time together. "But at the same time, I have to make this decision on my own because I need to start thinking about myself and also what's best for my daughter," she explained.
Liz ultimately accepted the promotion, saying she would be crazy if she passed it over. So, while Ed may not have been a huge fan of his partner's money moves, he had no choice but to accept it.
Liz Woods gained more confidence with burlesque dancing
For many people out there struggling with self-esteem issues, it can be a long and difficult road to self-acceptance and confidence. While there are a lot of ways people work on this aspect of their lives, it's not going to look the same for everyone. For Liz Woods, part of her fitness journey included a foray into burlesque dancing — and by all accounts, she unlocked a hidden talent that had jaws firmly on the floor. In mid-2022, Liz shared several videos of herself performing in high heels and colorful lighting to songs like "React" by The Pussycat Dolls.
There's no denying that this bold move ushered in a new era for Liz, who appeared to be completely owning her body, celebrating her weight loss, and frankly, being a total boss. The moody, sultry dancing videos went down a storm with many of her followers, with some leaving comments like "Omg my god your great can I have this dance" and "Oh my goodness!" In one video, Liz gave fans further insight into this element of her fitness routine, with the caption which read, "Ladies Night This Month = Burlesque Night! Two hours of cardio! Always A Sold Out Class."
Despite the largely positive reaction, sharing this element of her life on a public platform must have been a little nerve-wracking for Liz, but it speaks volumes about how far she's come.
She got extra long and dark hair extensions in 2023
Raising a daughter, navigating an on-off relationship, and being in the reality TV sphere is a lot for any one person to handle, so it's understandable that Liz Wood's hair may have needed some TLC (pardon the pun) by the time 2023 rolled around. There are some "90 Day Fiancé" stars who are unrecognizable today, but Liz opted for a sleek and subtle change when she went to a hairdresser for extensions. Long gone is the ombre we remember from meeting Liz the first time, and in its place are shiny, flowing deep-brown locks that cascade around her shoulders in pretty waves.
The stylist, Kristina Ziebell, known as @beautybykristinaz on Instagram, posted a before and after pic of Liz's hair transformation, explaining that the before photo was actually taken mid-way through the treatment. By that stage, it had already been clarified, toned, and detangled, so Liz was clearly in need of a little hair makeover by the time she ventured into the salon. Though it sounds like a lot of work and a long time in the chair, the end result was an absolutely stunning and surprisingly natural look for the reality TV star.
Liz has always been a natural beauty, appearing on the various "90 Day Fiancé" shows wearing relatively minimal make-up. The hair might be fake, but Liz has still managed to retain that girl-next-door vibe that viewers love and know her for.
She kicked off 2024 with yet another marathon
There have been some intense "90 Day Fiancé" moments involving Edward "Big Ed" Brown and Liz Woods, so it's not a giant leap to suggest that Liz's venture into fitness is also a good stress reliever for her. If some people thought her physical transformation was just another fad, they've been proven drastically wrong. Since starting her health journey, Liz has shared photos of herself running at several different events. She even started 2024 off on the right foot by putting on her sneakers and taking part in a grueling 10k half marathon. For those of us who would struggle sprinting from the coach to the fridge, that seems pretty impressive.
Liz shared a photo of herself from the Resolution Run event on January 16 to her Instagram profile, dressed in running gear and proudly holding a medal up as she smiled at the camera. The caption read, "[2024] Resolution Run!!! 1/2 Marathon #halfmarathon #resolutionrun running very far away from 2023 like it never existed." While she didn't elaborate on what was so terrible about the previous year, the fans who have followed her for years were quick to point the finger at Big Ed. One comment read, "I've followed you from your first appearance on the show and this is the happiest I've seen you .. like a dark cloud ( name Ed) has been lifted !! So beautiful ms Liz." Sometimes, a smile speaks for itself.
She unveiled a brand new hair style in 2024
If there's one thing that TV stars know better than anyone else, it's that it's important to feel good about your look when filming commences. The public and the media alike are the first ones to pick a celebrity's appearance apart, so showing yourself some love before the cameras start rolling is just part of the game. In February 2024, Liz Woods proved that she knows the rules better than anyone when she unveiled another hair transformation. This time, she ditched the long, dark extensions in favor of a much lighter and more natural look that's reminiscent of her style when she first appeared on our screens a few years ago.
Returning to the same stylist who put her previous extensions in, Kristina Ziebell, Liz went in looking a little drab and left looking fab. Taking to Instagram once more, the hairdresser unveiled Liz's new hair in a cut that fell just below her shoulders in loose curls. Caramel-colored highlights were peppered in to give the style more dimension, which complimented Liz's skin tone beautifully. Perhaps Ziebell put it best when she declared in the caption, "SHE'S BAAACK & READY FOR TV."
Regardless of what was going down in Liz's personal life at the time, at least she could face another round of "90 Day Fiancé" knowing that she looked like a million bucks, which always goes a long way to feeling like you can take on the world — and an ex.
In 2024 Liz Woods teased her final chapter with Big Ed
Liz Woods may not have been in the public eye for very long, but that doesn't mean fans aren't wholly invested in her. We've seen her come a long way over a few short years, from a single working mom with no public platform to a business partner, a fiancé, a fitness fanatic, and a burlesque dancer. We've looked on in both horror and amazement through her best and worst times with Edward "Big Ed" Brown, but in early 2024 it seemed that the end of that roller-coaster relationship had finally reared its head.
In a series of Instagram Story posts in February, Liz could be seen hugging a man — though exactly who he is wasn't shown. The captions were telling, with Liz writing (via People), "Happy birthday bebe. I hope his mom knows that her son is taking good care of someone's daughter." Though one fan pointed out in an Instagram comment that Big Ed is adamant they're still together, Liz simply replied, "Must be something in his wine."
Around the same time, Liz shared a promo image of herself and Big Ed for "90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?" with the caption, "March 17th – Our Final Chapter & The Biggest Drama Yet." It could be that while the couple have split, they're saving the juicy details for their (potentially last) TV appearance together. Whatever the future holds, Liz has proven that she can roll with the punches.