How a Backyard Pool Helped One Pool Salesman Lose 150 Pounds — and Completely Change His Life

When James Votraw, Southeast Business Development Manager for Latham Pools, steps onto a jobsite or into a dealer’s office today, he carries a story that has now reached millions. Once weighing over 300 pounds and battling exhaustion, stress, and creeping health issues, Votraw has since become the face of one of the most inspiring transformations the pool industry has ever seen. Featured in Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, and across national media, he lost nearly 150 pounds—not with fad diets, not with a punishing gym routine, but by stepping into the very thing that defines his industry: a backyard pool.

Before his transformation, Votraw was the picture of a hardworking industry veteran—managing more than 100 dealer accounts, traveling across Florida nonstop, and raising three children with his wife Jamie. “I’m in business development for Latham Pools and my main job is helping our dealers grow their businesses,” he explained. “Most of my days are part coaching, part problem-solving, and part road warrior.”

And while he always appreciated the joy pools brought to families, he never imagined the kind of personal transformation one could bring into his own life. “The funny thing is, I was helping everyone else build their dream lifestyle,” he said. “I wasn’t living mine. I was literally surrounded by pools, but not stepping into one.”

The shift began after a series of health scares—including weeks-long bouts of hiccups, a hospital visit, and dangerously high blood pressure—that forced him to confront the reality of where his health was heading. “I saw photos of myself and didn’t even recognize the person I’d become,” he said. “I was great at my job but terrible at taking care of myself.” With no medical solution in sight, he decided it was time to rebuild from the ground up.

Discovering the Power of a Pool

A Lifeline Just Ten Feet Away

What came next was as unexpected as it was life-changing. Votraw didn’t join a gym or hire a trainer. Instead, he made a connection that was hiding in plain sight. “I’ve been surrounded by pools my whole career,” he said. “I always knew they brought happiness to other people. But I never looked at one as a tool for transformation. One day it just clicked: I don’t need a gym membership. I have a world-class training tool sitting in my backyard.”

From that moment, everything changed. “Once I started swimming, the pool stopped being something I sold,” he said. “It became my therapy. My gym. My sanctuary.”

At 5:00 or 6:00 a.m., before his family woke up and before the dealer calls began, he slipped into the water and let the world fall away. Swimming became the space where he reset, recalibrated, and slowly reclaimed control of his health.

The Humbling Start

Even with a lifetime of recreational swimming behind him, the physical reality of swimming for exercise hit hard. “I thought I was just gonna glide across the pool like Michael Phelps,” he joked. “But those first few sessions were rough. Ten minutes felt like an hour. My lungs were on fire.”

But he kept showing up. Every day. No excuses. “I wasn’t chasing a six-pack. I was chasing consistency,” he said.

The First Major Shift

Around the one-month mark, everything began to click into place. “My body was changing, yes,” he recalled. “But the real shift was mental. I started craving that feeling of calm after a swim. That mental reset.”

Water forced him to be present. “Swimming forces you to breathe differently. You can’t check your phone. You can’t check your emails. It’s just you and your rhythm.”

His internal clock changed, too. “When I was heavy, I was forcing myself to get up at 7:00 a.m. Suddenly my body was waking me up at 5:00 a.m.—energized, ready.”

Rebuilding Life One Lap at a Time

A Routine That Became a Lifestyle

More than 500 consecutive swims later, Votraw no longer counts days. Swimming has become as ingrained as drinking his morning coffee. “Sometimes it’s 30 minutes. Sometimes it’s an hour. Sometimes I lose myself in the water and go way over,” he said.

There’s no playlist, no noise, no distraction. “It’s my alone time. It’s my quiet time,” he said. “It’s just me in my head.”

And he’s quick to emphasize that anyone can start small. “Don’t make it a mountain,” he said. “Ten minutes. That’s how I started. Ten minutes twice a day. Just get in the pool and be consistent.”

A Diet Built to Last

Unlike many weight-loss stories, Votraw didn’t rely on strict fad diets. “I wanted something I could do forever,” he said. “Nothing was off limits. I used an 80/20 approach. If I really wanted a McDonald’s cheeseburger, I’d work it into my calories.”

His philosophy is simple: sustainability beats intensity. “Everyone can lose weight,” he said. “The real challenge is keeping it off.”

By focusing on protein, fiber, whole foods—and yes, the occasional processed treat—he created a way of eating that supported his training without feeling restrictive. Today, in maintenance mode, he’s stronger, leaner, and more confident than he’s been in decades.

The Emotional Impact

Weight loss didn’t just improve his health; it changed how he saw himself. “It made me a better father, a better husband, a better employee,” he said. “I think I was good at all those things before… but this gave me confidence.”

One admission was particularly raw. “I used to hide behind black clothes,” he said. “Everything I wore was black. You don’t know your style when you’re hiding behind your weight.”

He also noticed a painful truth about society. “People treat you differently when you’re not obese,” he said. “People open doors. They talk to you differently. It does something for your confidence.”

What His Journey Means for the Pool Industry

A New Way to Talk About Pools

The pool industry is filled with messaging about fun, family, and lifestyle — but Votraw believes we’re underplaying one of the most powerful elements: wellness. “You don’t need a huge pool to make a huge impact,” he said. “Length for laps, consistent depth, integrated steps for recovery, automation, temperature control… that’s what matters.”

His own fiberglass pool is a testament to what a wellness-first design looks like. “I’m fortunate,” he said. “I have an auto cover, a heater and chiller, a freshwater system. It’s like swimming in a natural spring every day.”

Builders and designers, he believes, should rethink how they present pools during the sales process. “The narrative needs to shift,” he said. “The pool isn’t just a place to host barbecues or float with a beer. It’s a place to build better human beings.”

A Message the Industry Needs to Hear

People invest thousands in gym equipment, trainers, recovery tools, and fitness subscriptions. Meanwhile, the pool—often seen only as a luxury—is an all-in-one wellness platform hiding in plain sight. “The pool does it all,” Votraw said. “Cardio, strength, rehab, mindfulness.”

His transformation proves it.

And his message to the rest of the pool industry is simple: “What we build literally changes people’s lives.”

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with James Votraw on the Pool Magazine Podcast.