Team Mildenhall members compete to be fit

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jonathan Light
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  According to the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, the number one New Year resolution in 2015 is to lose weight - but for some that isn't always an easy task.

Luckily for Team Mildenhall Members, the 100th Force Support Squadron is hosting the Biggest Loser competition.

Staff Sgt. Michael Thiessen, 100th FSS fitness supervisor from Crescent, California, said the Biggest Loser is a group competition designed to promote a healthy lifestyle. It's a way to motivate and help people who may not like to work out "get their foot in the door."

The Biggest Loser competition is a recurring program for the last four years on RAF Mildenhall. Last year, the 100th FSS overhauled the program from an individual focus into a team activity.

"We have done the [Biggest Loser] for the last four years," said Thiessen. "Due to last year's successful group competition, we kept the program basically the same."

Although the competition was a hit last year, the 100th FSS has aimed to make it better this year by adding an additional group competition and paired each team with two fitness specialists.

The specialists work with the team through the workouts and motivate them throughout the six-week program. They help push the teams toward their goal of losing weight and achieving a healthier lifestyle.

"Having goals like this is a long term endeavor, there has to be consistency," said Airman 1st Class Jose Belizario, 100th FSS fitness specialist from Eastvale, California. "People may get demotivated because the results aren't instant but time flies - six months goes by a lot faster than they realize."

Participants aren't the only ones who get something out of the competition. The program gives the fitness specialists a chance to connect with their community and be a leader.

"It's motivating to see people who don't have to work out or need to stay in shape go out of their way to do so," said Belizario. "Being part of this program as a team leader, you tend to realize that everyone has their own problems yet they still push forward."

The 100th FSS host the Biggest Loser competition to help get people in shape, but by doing so they gave Airmen an opportunity to grow as leaders and people. A simple effort to get healthier has turned into a program where people not only change physically, but get to fine tune their character as well.

For more information, contact the fitness center at DSN 238-3749 or commercial at 01638 543749.