Mar 10, 2018
When I
swore to defend the constitution of the United States against
all enemies both foreign and domestic I had no idea that I
would one day use that oath to take on the fight against
obesity.
For more
than 20 of my 26 year career - I was one of the statistics that you
read about about as it relates to obesity in the
military. Yet -
I was a
Good Airman, well decorated with many accolades that hung from
a very snug 46R mess dress. I made the assumption that I
was fit (enough) to fight and I had the medals to prove
it.
In all
aspects of my career I wanted to be the best I could be.
I've
received
two national honors because I was driven internally to excel -
yet I neglected my health at times with the excuse that I
could 'still do my job' and I thought I was doing it
well. The truth was, I was just getting by and did so
with fitness for a long time. As my age and my weight
both continued to climb I found myself on the failing end of a
PT test. It was completely embarrassing but it
took two more failures for me to realize that I was just one
test away from losing it all. I wanted nothing more than
to serve, so I had to change my lifestyle.
I had been successful with Weight Watchers in the
past so I gave it one more shot to see if I could save my
career. This time however was different. For once in for
all, I wanted to do my absolute best. I was going all
in and not looking back. I enlisted the help of some key
people in my life who kept me focused on my goals.
Through daily communication, I never drifted too far away from
the course to fitness. I kept one simple thought at
the top of my mind and daily I asked myself, "How bad do you
want it?" It's a question I easily knew the answer to,
but without a constant reminder of what it was I was working
towards I had failed previously. This time, I kept the
focus on the prize - An Excellent Score on my Fitness Test.
The PT test that haunted me for years, was my nemesis, and I
wanted to defeat it. It was the only blemish on an otherwise
stellar career. I wanted to be able to excel on this test, no
matter what conditions I faced it in.
There is no secret weapon when it comes to losing
weight - "Burn more Calories than you Consume" it's simple
math and on paper works out perfectly. However our
society makes it very easy to give in to temptations and
suddenly the numbers game alone isn't motivating enough. I
had to figure out "WHY" I wanted to be fit. It took me some
time - but the articles helped drive that point home for
me. I did not want to be represented in those
article. Even though they didn't call me out by name,
I knew they were writing about me. I shamefully feared
that others would read what was being reported and immediately
identify ME as the subject.
Knowing
what I went through to lose 91 pounds and reach an 18% body
fat measurement - I'm often reminded that I didn't do anything
special. I just wanted this goal more than anything
else. I needed to remain focused on my new lifestyle
until I no longer recognized the old one. Today - I work
hard to reach out to anyone who is struggling the way I used
to internally. A few times a year I have the honor to
speak to those who need the motivation to win this
battle. As someone who has lived this life for too long -
yet found a way to turn it around - I want them to know they
have a Wingman that will walk this journey with them.
Through
the course of my transformation of both mind and body I
accepted healthy eating and moderate exercise as a new way of
life. I started slow in both areas and built on the
foundation that I knew to be true. Today - when I put on
the Air Force uniform, a complete sense of pride
resonates inside of me. It's a feeling that reminds me
of the days when I first wore the uniform during basic
training. This is what I've been called to do and I
almost gave it all away. When I eventually retire, I will
know that I did the best I could, in all aspects of my
career. I'll know that I retired on my terms and that
it's time to pass the torch to the next generation.
As the greatest nation in the world our way of life is worth
defending. Those who serve well into the future need to be
fit - that's what the job requires.