U.S. Air Force member sends extra pounds flying

They go through years of training, climbing the great ziggurat of human strength and sacrifice. It's assumed, then, that these men and women of the U.S. Air Force are fit, and their bodies are ready for anything.

But what happens when love for food gets in the way of love for country? Ask Greg Brooks of Colorado Springs, Colo.

For most of his adult life, Greg's weight bounced up and down. Food was a central focus of his family gatherings, and he enjoyed indulging in high-calorie beers.

As a member of the U.S. Air Force, he frequently moved from country to country, and city to city. He ate out a lot, and usually didn't think twice about what was on his plate.

As a result, his exercise and fitness levels varied in each location. It seemed like in every new city, Greg was a new weight. By November 2006, Greg's 5-foot-10-inch frame was lugging 235 pounds.

When he failed his fitness test in Colorado Springs, Greg knew he was in trouble. He tried a few diets, but nothing worked. Greg lacked the motivation to count calories and cut back on greasy foods. But when he failed his second fitness test, Greg knew he had to drop the pounds, or risk losing his job.

Greg's wife recently had success losing weight on the L A Weight Loss program. So Greg decided to give the program a try, too. He joined his local L A Weight Loss center in April 2007, and worked closely with his one-on-one weight loss counselor to modify his diet and eating schedule.

Greg balanced his diet by cutting back on some proteins and starches and adding lots of fresh fruit and vegetables to his meals. He also ate L A Lite bars as a morning and afternoon snack.

Soon, Greg loved every salad combination he could create. And thanks to the lessons he learned in portion control, Greg could still eat his favorite foods -- such as desserts, pizza, and hot wings -- in moderation.

It's only been five months since Greg joined L A Weight Loss, and he's dropped 35 pounds! That means he reached his goal weight of 200 pounds.

He has lots of energy left over after work for walking and hiking. And everyone at the Air Force is proud of him. In fact, his success has inspired a number of his friends to join L A Weight Loss, too.

But the proudest person of all is Greg's wife. The best thing about losing weight for Greg is the look in her eyes when they are together. And of all the people Greg has impressed with his new looks, she is the most important!

With his success, Greg has proved he can pull his weight with his Air Force comrades ... or should we say, lose his weight? Anyway, it looks like he's flying high now!

Here's Greg at 235 pounds, a bit too heavy for the tough fitness tests:



And here he is now, at 200 pounds and ready for action! Way to go, Greg!



FAST FACTS

Name: Greg Brooks
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Age: 33
Height: 5'10"

Starting weight: 235 pounds
Goal weight: 200 pounds
Current weight: 200 pounds
Program start date: April 2007

Favorite food: BBQ.

Biggest temptation: Beer.

Biggest motivator: Getting constant support from his wife.

Biggest obstacle: Indulging in Sunday brunch without overdoing it.

Old eating philosophy: Eating anything he wants, anytime he wants.

New eating philosophy: Having everything in moderation.

Best thing about losing weight: Loving how proud his wife and coworkers are of him.

Best weight loss secret learned: Everything in moderation!