Get healthy: Biggest Loser Competition personal stories

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda Dick
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Editor's note: This is part two of a three-part series on the Biggest Loser Competition and the Kaiserslautern Military Community members who are working to achieve a better lifestyle while losing weight.

Swimming laps, dancing to music, attending fitness classes, running ... these are all ways to maintain fitness and health.

For four participants in the Biggest Loser Competition, it's part of their weekly routine and a way to start down the path to a more healthful lifestyle.

Team Ramstein met a participant in article one of this series. Now, get to know the other three.

Capt. Eric Bailey, 86th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility

The CASF nurse said he has always had problems maintaining the Air Force waist measurement standard; so, he entered the competition to get the motivation and accountability to reach his goal.

"I max push-ups, sit-ups and do very well on my run, but the waist standard is what I'm having trouble with," the 28-year veteran said. "When I came into the military, I was a [37-inch waist]. Now, the standard is 39, and if you're above that, you're in bad shape and fail the PT test."

So far, Captain Bailey has lost about 13 pounds and said his driving factor is the way he feels after working out.

"I feel so much better," he said. "I want to work out. I hate missing a workout, because when you get on the scale the morning after a missed workout, you think, 'man, I'm going back up.' So, it's a fear thing; you don't want to get back to where you were."

During the week, the captain completes a rigorous workout, consisting of swimming about a mile, followed by 45 minutes to an hour of aerobics on the elliptical.

"I have to break a sweat every day ... that's my intent," he said.

Most participants have goals, and Captain Bailey is no stranger to setting them. He said his short-term goal is to relearn what food is.

"I want food to be a fuel and not a crutch, not something to fall on when I'm tired," he said.

As for long-term goals, the nurse said he just wants to get to and maintain a healthy weight and meet the Air Force expectation for his waist measurement. But, he also has an added goal.

"My really long-term goal is to look nice when I take my little girl down the aisle to get married one day," he said.

So far in the competition, Captain Bailey has had a noticeable benefit ... losing a jean size. As he reflects on getting to that point, he offers this piece of advice.

"When I look back, I've seen a lot of people, including myself, make a lot of excuses for why they can't or don't lose weight," he said. "I think the biggest excuse lies within themselves. I would advise people to count the calories, to be honest with themselves, to get up when they don't feel like it, to exercise when they don't feel like it and to make it part of their lifestyle and not just something they have to do."

Jessica Andreasen, Air Force spouse

The mother of three said her motivation to participate was to get healthier, so she could keep up with her children and look good for her family's move to Guam this summer.

"Also, because my 7-year old already says, 'mommy, do these jeans make me look fat?' I know it's because she hears me asking her daddy that," she said. "I want to have a better self image, so that my children will have good self esteem as well."

Mrs. Andreasen said her driving force to get through each week is when she gets on the scale and sees she has lost that one or two pounds. To do that, she doesn't leave the gym until she's met her goal.

"I push myself when I go to the gym, and I don't allow myself to leave unless I've burned at least 1,000 calories doing cardio," she said.

She also tries to run for 30 minutes at least three times a week and attends the Zumba class at the Southside Fitness Center at least twice a week.

As far as short-term goals, Mrs. Andreasen has almost reached hers -- losing two thirds of her 30-pound goal. In the long term, she said she would like to get healthier and get back to the weight she was at when she moved to Ramstein three years ago.

According to Mrs. Andreasen, her biggest benefit has been her relationship with her husband and having the complements and support he gives her.

Jia Elliott, Air Force spouse

The mother of two said she chose to participate in the competition as a result of the Nintendo Wii.

"My kids got a Wii for Christmas, and it kind of does a body-mass index measurement, like obese or overweight," she said. "I always just thought I was a little chunky, but then it popped up with obese, and I was at the very tippy, top of obese. After that, I thought it was about time to do something."

Her driving force is being held accountable at the weekly weigh-ins and having to turn in her measurements. She said that helps her to not gain any weight. To maintain her fitness, she tries to hit the gym every day.

"I like doing the hardcore classes at noon each day, and also cardio, cardio, cardio," Mrs. Elliott said. "For cardio, I do the pre-core machine and the treadmill."

One of her short-term goals is to not be obese anymore, along with more endurance, she said. And, she's already worked her way down from that, having lost a little more than 20 pounds.

Her long-term goal? To just be at healthy standards, something which she's already starting to attain.

"I'm healthy enough now, I can go out and play with my kids since it's getting warmer," she said. "I can actually play tag with them, and I have more movement, more ability to get around."

As the competition nears the end, only one participant will be crowned the biggest loser, but all will be winners, gaining healthier lifestyles and habits.