man loses 140 pounds to join the Marines

[C/CPT Hazard]

LEWISTON, Maine – Army and Navy recruiters took one look at 330-pound Ulysses Milana and told him to forget about joining. "'You've got to lose weight,'" Milana remembers them saying. But Marine recruiters were willing to work with him as he began his weight-loss journey in December 2007.

Now, 11 months later, Milana is 140 pounds lighter as he leaves Monday for Parris Island, S.C., to begin boot camp.

It wasn't easy, Milana said, but he managed to slim down through exercise, healthier eating habits and forgoing an occasional beer after work. The 23-year-old said he even refused a beer at his going-away party Saturday night.

Milana said he always wanted to follow in his family's footsteps by serving his country. His wife, Latoya, also comes from a military family.

Much of his weight-loss motivation came from Latoya, a nurse, who helped him reduce his calorie intake when he began his effort in earnest last December.

"It was really difficult for him at first. He always said, 'I'm gonna lose weight.' But I never took him seriously," Latoya told the Sun Journal newspaper. "Then, when he started to do it, I told him he needed to cut his portion sizes way down."

Marine recruiters also worked with him, helping to develop a workout regimen.

"You can sit there and preach and preach, but if you're not willing to help, then it doesn't lead you to success," Staff Sgt. George Monteith said. "If I say, 'Go lose weight and I'll see you in a year,' then what kind of help have I offered to make that happen?"

A former culinary student, Milana said it was a challenge to give up favorites like pizza and hot wings, but cracking open a cold beer after work was perhaps the toughest guilty pleasure to abandon.

"It was really hard. You see all your friends drinking beer, and you're like, 'Oh, man, I want one,'" he said. But his determination kept him on track, and he would head for the gym or don a head lamp and go out for a run.

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Information from: Sun-Journal, http://www.sunjournal.com

Now that's motivation.

[C/ZOOMIE]

Hell, I would do it, there's just NO hope for me of enlisting in the USMC with my lungs........

[Buffa1oso1di3r]

This has motivated me even more to get in shape... I mean, if this guy could, then I surely can.

[Airbourne Infantry]

You got to hand it to the guy, that's more than a lot of people today can do. Even though this seems like a big accomplishment and journey for him to have gone through, he's in for an even greater journey ahead. I bet when the recruiters saw him slim down they said, "Good job, not get ready to ship out to Parris Island. You haven't seen anything yet." Hopefully this guy makes it, it would be a shame to go through all of that if he didn't.

[SlightlyCatholic]

This guy gives a new definition to the Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. As Airborne stated, I also hope this guy makes it through...it would be a shame for him to do all that work just to fail out.

[CAPSmith]

He should be proud of his accomplishment, but even if he does "fail out" the life change that he has made has opened so many more doors for him. When you think about it, he lost an entire person off his body!

I don't think that he'll fail, he's already shown that he has the motivation and slef-discipline to accomplish what he sets out to do.

[Woody]

At 23 should not have got in that state in the first place .Well done though
Wonder how many days at boot camp till he thinks "why did I bother this is hell ".

[Drill for life]

Originally Posted by Buffa1oso1di3r

This has motivated me even more to get in shape... I mean, if this guy could, then I surely can.

Well we have differnt ways of motivaiton also. Me, I have always had a problem running so I run five miles a day every day no exception. It is great to see somebody changing because thy want to serve there country. I bet he has a great PFT score!!!