Interview with Veteran, Jeremy Harrell, for the MY JOURNEY Story Series
LAC: When did you decide to start making your health a priority (what or whom inspired this decision) and what were your goals?
Jeremy: I decided to make my health a priority after I was going through some photos of when I was in the military (especially Iraq) and saw how fit I was. It really opened my eyes to how I had let myself go. My goal in the beginning was to lose 30 lbs then finally get to my goal weight of 210.
LAC: How did you get started and what did you do to improve your health?
Jeremy: I got started by picking the brains of friends who were into fitness and researching the internet. I began working out 4-5 times a week and I changed my diet by prepping my own meals.
LAC: How did you stay motivated and what was the biggest challenge?
Jeremy: I stay motivated by telling myself the same things I told my soldiers. If you’re going through hell, keep going; your body will do what the mind tells it to do. The biggest challenge is diet. I love food, especially the unhealthy kind, but I knew it was poisoning my body. I know you can’t out-train your diet.
LAC: What positive changes did you see in your life and what did you learn throughout this process?
Jeremy: One of the most significant changes is my ability to accomplish more in a day. I now have more energy to be more productive no matter what it is. Another change has been my level of confidence has dramatically increased with regular exercise as I see results.
LAC: Final Thoughts? Is there anything else you would like share about your story?
Jeremy: My story is nowhere near complete. This is a life-long journey to get better and reach goals. I have to have goals in order to put in the necessary work. Having the military mindset has been instrumental to meeting goals and bench marks.
