Red Tail Fitness: Sergeant runs more than 700 miles for weight loss

Courtesy Photo | Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Meier, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group Joint Intelligence Support Element Fusion Cell NCO in charge, stands in front of his Airman Battle Uniform pants that he fit into in April when he arrived at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Since then, Meier who is deployed from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and is a native of Edwall, Wash., has lost about 60 pounds by running and eating right.  

SALAH AD DIN, IRAQ

09.30.2011

Story by Senior Airman Amber Kelly-Herard 

332d Air Expeditionary Wing

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- An Air Force physical fitness test consists of one-and-a-half miles, marathons are 26.2 miles and for one person, losing almost 60 pounds equals 793 miles.

Since arriving at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, April 17, a 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group sergeant, has lost 58 pounds.

"I never had a specific number that I was looking to lose, but as my time at JBB comes to a close soon, I hope to lose 65 pounds, although I'd be pretty happy with just 60 pounds," said Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Meier, 332nd ESFG Joint Intelligence Support Element Fusion Cell NCO in charge. "I feel pretty good about the weight loss, although my original goal was to shed about 20 pounds, nearly 60 pounds later, I'm pretty stoked. I feel 100 percent better now that I did when I got to JBB in April."

Meier made his weight loss seem simple.

"Eat right and exercise, just like everyone says, is all it took," said the sergeant deployed from Minot Air Force Base, N.D.

In April, Meier's workout routine consisted of running six days a week. He could only run about 3 miles before he needed to stop. Five months later, he runs about 12 to 14 miles, four days a week.

"I started weaning myself from six days a week to 90-minute workouts four days a week in preparation of going home," said the Edwall, Wash., native. Being deployed affords you the opportunity to do things that you normally wouldn't do because you've got the time. Knowing that when I got home, I will be spending a lot of time with my family, I started working out to commensurate to how I will be working out when I get home."

To aid in his weight loss, Meier used a fitness website to track his workouts and food intake to have a daily, graphical representation of what he did or did not do.

To eat right, Meier's diet consisted of chicken, fish, vegetables, brown rice and most importantly, lots of water. Meier drinks five to seven bottles of water a day.

Meier's motivation to lose weight was for his wife and two children.

His other motivation was to get back into rodeo.

"At my pre-deployment weight, I was heavier than the standard bull rider which would have made it more dangerous for me," he said. "I really needed to get back in the shape that I think is the standard of a bull riding, rodeo cowboy."

"Out of everything I've done in my life, bull riding has been the most technically and physically challenging thing I've ever done," he continued. "Although a good bull ride only lasts for eight seconds, it feels like an eternity."

Throughout Meier's workouts he has worked on endurance, strength training and balance, which are all integral parts of bull riding.

"Now I'm healthy and have much more energy to spend with my family and I am physically prepared to jump back on the rodeo circuit," he said.

The last physical fitness test Meier took, he scored 86.5 points. He hopes to add 10 points to his score on his next test.

"I ran the mile-and-a-half in 11:51 minutes," he said. "Through self-assessments here, I have been able to shave four minutes of my mile-and-a-half run, with the quickest time so far being 7:42 minutes.

• Date Taken: 09.30.2011
• Date Posted: 09.30.2011 09:39
• Story ID: 77824
• Location: SALAH AD DIN, IQ