Fit to fight: 74th ARS pilot makes the cut Published Dec. 4, 2011 By Senior Airman Jami K. Lancette 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Losing extra pounds can be challenging, rewarding and necessary, and for one Grissom pilot it was everything. "About three to four years ago I failed Fit to Fight," said Lt. Col. Todd Moody, 74 Air Refueling Squadron operations officer. "The big motivator for me to lose weight was that I weighed ten pounds heavier than I had originally thought." Fit to Fight is the Air Force's fitness program that encourages combat readiness by means of personal fitness. "When I deployed last year, I went on a real strict diet," said Moody. "I was taking in about 1,200-1,600 calories a day and I tried to avoid high starch foods." Moody followed up his strict diet with a rigorous exercise program. "I also worked out a lot, lifting, running and (participating in a muscle confusion based exercise program)," he said. "I was burning about 1,000 calories a day." Being deployed gave Moody the push he needed to improve and change his diet and exercise habits. "Before (deploying) I couldn't even run a half mile," he said. "(During my deployment) I was getting up at 5 a.m. to run. "By the end of my deployment I could run a loop around our base which is eight miles non-stop," Moody added. Proper nutrition in correlation with exercise was what he said was his key to melting the fat. "Keep in mind to limit your intake of breads and sugar to the bare minimum," he said. "Try not to eat heavily processed foods. "I ate a lot of grilled chicken, salad, eggs, and lean protein," he added. With his regimented diet and exercise schedule Moody shed the pounds. "I lost about 15 pounds while during my deployment," he said. And, the weight kept coming off. "When I got back home I went ahead and did my physical training test early, and I scored a 97," he exclaimed. Moody set a goal for himself to achieve, and it was something that he took to heart. "You really have to take it seriously to make your goal," he said. "My goal was to get below 170 pounds; I actually got to 165 pounds." The 74th ARS is a part of the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Twitter and Facebook. (Editor's note: This is the fourth in a four-part series detailing the fitness journey of four Grissom Airmen in their quest to be fit to fight.)
