thedrifter
02-01-05, 09:57 AM
New Marine loses more than 150 pounds to achieve goal
Submitted by: 8th Marine Corps District
Story Identification #: 200513117392
Story by Sgt. Rob Henderson
RECRUITING STATION FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 15, 2005) -- Unfortunately, there's no magic pill for weight loss, but there is a formula. For one new Marine, following the formula of eating right and exercising led him, 155 pounds lighter, to the healthiest point in his life.
Although Pfc. Jeremy W. Helton's lifestyle before joining the Marine Corps was no laughing matter, he can now look back and smile.
"The first time I ran, I couldn't even use a watch to keep time," joked Helton, now serving as a recruiter's assistant, Recruiting Sub-station Lewisville, Texas. "I had to use a calendar."
At his heaviest point during high school, Helton, a native of Little Elm, Texas., weighed 340 pounds. He admits students at school picked on him because of his girth, and while the teasing bothered him, it was a personal desire to be a Marine that made Helton take action.
"I always felt different because I was fat," said Helton. "I decided to join the Marine Corps, but I knew I needed to lose weight first."
Before darkening the local recruiter's door, Helton committed himself to a low-calorie diet program and started running and lifting weights. He shed nearly 50 pounds before January when he met Sgt. Steve Flores, a local recruiter in Lewisville.
"I picked the [benefit] tag for Physical Fitness as my first choice when Sergeant Flores was interviewing me," said Helton. "All of them were good choices, but physical fitness was my first priority."
At the time Helton entered the Delayed Entry Program he weighed roughly 290 pounds. Once he took that first step to becoming a Marine, Flores stepped in to help. "I came up here every single morning, and one of the recruiters, usually Sgt. Flores, would go running with me," said Helton. "It really showed me how Marines take care of each other."
In July, Helton shipped out to Marine recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Calif. When he boarded the plane, his weight had plummeted to 225 pounds. From there, the drill instructors took over.
Assigned as a "diet recruit" upon arrival at recruit training, Helton's caloric intake was closely monitored by Marines aboard MCRD. Diet recruits are given the same portions of food as other recruits, but they are not allowed any sweet or fatty foods.
"It was hard being a diet recruit in bootcamp," said Helton. "Sometimes your body just wants a piece of cake."
Although the lack of sugar was a big challenge for him, the small sacrifice was worth the reward on graduation day. At 185 pounds, Helton was unidentifiable to even those who know him best.
"My own mother didn't even recognize me at graduation," said Helton. "She walked right past me. She's proud, and she thinks it's awesome I have lost this weight. I'll tell you, I couldn't have done it without Sgt. Flores though."
For his part, Flores refuses any of Helton's praises. The day he met Helton, Flores saw a determined young man who wanted something more from life and was willing to work for it.
"I believe anyone can become a Marine and deserves a chance to try," said Flores, a native of Brooklyn, NY. "(Helton) was really overweight, but there was something different about him. He had the drive, a real determination, to accomplish his goals, and he did by his own hard work."
Helton will soon leave Texas for Marine Combat Training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. Afterwards, he will attend the Basic Cannon Crewman Course at Fort Sill, Okla., to become a Field Artillery Cannoneer.
It took a lot of hard work for Helton to get down to his target weight, and he's confident he will stay there.
"I've changed my lifestyle, so I don't think the weight will come back as long as I maintain," said Helton. "This chapter, the weight-loss chapter, of my life is closed now, and I'm just ready to get in the field and do what Marines do."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200513118737/$file/Helton3low.jpg
Private First Class Jeremy W. Helton, recruiter's assistant, Recruiting Sub-
Station Lewisville scans the sidewalks in front of his recruiting office for potential
applicants Nov. 15, 2004. Helton lost more than 150 pounds through dieting and exercising to become a Marine.
Photo by: Sgt. Rob Henderson
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie
Submitted by: 8th Marine Corps District
Story Identification #: 200513117392
Story by Sgt. Rob Henderson
RECRUITING STATION FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 15, 2005) -- Unfortunately, there's no magic pill for weight loss, but there is a formula. For one new Marine, following the formula of eating right and exercising led him, 155 pounds lighter, to the healthiest point in his life.
Although Pfc. Jeremy W. Helton's lifestyle before joining the Marine Corps was no laughing matter, he can now look back and smile.
"The first time I ran, I couldn't even use a watch to keep time," joked Helton, now serving as a recruiter's assistant, Recruiting Sub-station Lewisville, Texas. "I had to use a calendar."
At his heaviest point during high school, Helton, a native of Little Elm, Texas., weighed 340 pounds. He admits students at school picked on him because of his girth, and while the teasing bothered him, it was a personal desire to be a Marine that made Helton take action.
"I always felt different because I was fat," said Helton. "I decided to join the Marine Corps, but I knew I needed to lose weight first."
Before darkening the local recruiter's door, Helton committed himself to a low-calorie diet program and started running and lifting weights. He shed nearly 50 pounds before January when he met Sgt. Steve Flores, a local recruiter in Lewisville.
"I picked the [benefit] tag for Physical Fitness as my first choice when Sergeant Flores was interviewing me," said Helton. "All of them were good choices, but physical fitness was my first priority."
At the time Helton entered the Delayed Entry Program he weighed roughly 290 pounds. Once he took that first step to becoming a Marine, Flores stepped in to help. "I came up here every single morning, and one of the recruiters, usually Sgt. Flores, would go running with me," said Helton. "It really showed me how Marines take care of each other."
In July, Helton shipped out to Marine recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Calif. When he boarded the plane, his weight had plummeted to 225 pounds. From there, the drill instructors took over.
Assigned as a "diet recruit" upon arrival at recruit training, Helton's caloric intake was closely monitored by Marines aboard MCRD. Diet recruits are given the same portions of food as other recruits, but they are not allowed any sweet or fatty foods.
"It was hard being a diet recruit in bootcamp," said Helton. "Sometimes your body just wants a piece of cake."
Although the lack of sugar was a big challenge for him, the small sacrifice was worth the reward on graduation day. At 185 pounds, Helton was unidentifiable to even those who know him best.
"My own mother didn't even recognize me at graduation," said Helton. "She walked right past me. She's proud, and she thinks it's awesome I have lost this weight. I'll tell you, I couldn't have done it without Sgt. Flores though."
For his part, Flores refuses any of Helton's praises. The day he met Helton, Flores saw a determined young man who wanted something more from life and was willing to work for it.
"I believe anyone can become a Marine and deserves a chance to try," said Flores, a native of Brooklyn, NY. "(Helton) was really overweight, but there was something different about him. He had the drive, a real determination, to accomplish his goals, and he did by his own hard work."
Helton will soon leave Texas for Marine Combat Training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. Afterwards, he will attend the Basic Cannon Crewman Course at Fort Sill, Okla., to become a Field Artillery Cannoneer.
It took a lot of hard work for Helton to get down to his target weight, and he's confident he will stay there.
"I've changed my lifestyle, so I don't think the weight will come back as long as I maintain," said Helton. "This chapter, the weight-loss chapter, of my life is closed now, and I'm just ready to get in the field and do what Marines do."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200513118737/$file/Helton3low.jpg
Private First Class Jeremy W. Helton, recruiter's assistant, Recruiting Sub-
Station Lewisville scans the sidewalks in front of his recruiting office for potential
applicants Nov. 15, 2004. Helton lost more than 150 pounds through dieting and exercising to become a Marine.
Photo by: Sgt. Rob Henderson
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie