Hitch Fit Living Magazine Volume 5 - March/April 2016 | Page 28

Rick's Story:
I had been heavy since the 4th grade, mostly due to my love of peanut butter & jelly
sandwiches. Then, at the young age of 12, I discovered pizza. Game, set, match.
My parents always described me as “husky”- I’m barrel chested like my dad, but
inherited my height from my mom….she was about 5’2”. So, when I graduated from
high school, I was weighing about 210 lbs at 5’9”.
In 1978, I enlisted in the Marine Corps right out of high school. This was the beginning
of my fitness roller coaster. Part of the reason I joined the Marines was that they had
the toughest boot camp of all the services. I wanted to prove to everyone, as well as
myself, that I could do it. And I did it. I lost 25 lbs and 6” off my waistline in 12 weeks.
However, part of that weight reappeared over time, because I hadn’t learned how to
eat properly. I never thought of food as fuel; I ate what I wanted when I wanted.

My enlistment w