Fitness matters: physical fitness changes a Hickam Airman's life

by Staff Sgt. Terri Paden
15th Wing Public Affairs

10/10/2013 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Tech. Sgt. Andrea Conn, a 515^th Air Mobility Operations Wing budget analyst, was an average Airman when it came to physical fitness. Her PT scores weren't terrible, but she was 50 pounds overweight and unhappy with what she saw in the mirror, so she decided to turn her life around. That was just one year ago.      

"I was running the minimum three times per week for squadron PT but I was 4" 11' and overweight and didn't like what I saw in the mirror," said Conn. "I was always the slowest one in the group, my husband was deployed and I was very stressed out and felt like I really needed an outlet."

After trying a number of fad diets unsuccessfully, Conn enlisted the help of a personal trainer and turned her attention to a healthier lifestyle via dieting and exercise to lose weight.

"I really didn't have a goal weight in mind when I started," she said. "I just wanted someone to help me figure out what I needed to do as far as my diet and exercise regimen and I couldn't do it on my own; I needed one-on-one attention."

According to Conn, it was during this time she fell in love with fitness. After losing 30 pounds her trainer convinced her to take on an even bigger challenge: a body building competition.

Between 2012 and 2013 Conn placed second in two separate competitions proving she'd not only reached her fitness goal of being more physically fit, but she'd also exceeded it.

"The competitions helped me reach a good point in my life. I felt like I had finally done something great for me," she said.

Armed with this new found confidence she decided to find a way to share it with others.

"Since PCS'ing I've started working on a personal training certification," she said. "I want to pay it forward. I want to give people what my trainer gave me."

Conn said she wants to be a positive example for those who may be struggling with physical fitness like she was.

"I see a lot of frustration with PT and the test especially," she said. "People are discouraged, but they can make a change if that's what they want. If they are willing to put forth effort and adjust their way of living they can make the changes they want to see. You just have to work for it."

Conn said though she wasn't failing her PT test at the time she decided to get serious about working out, she wasn't where she needed to be physically.

"Passing a PT test doesn't mean you're physically fit," she said. "There are 364 other days a year you need to work at it. Don't wait until the last minute, identify problem areas ahead of time and start working on them early. Work to be in an overall better physical condition and being prepared for a PT test won't be an issue."

In addition to enhanced health and PT scores, Conn said getting in shape improved her overall well-being and emotional health.

"As I went through the process of getting in shape I noticed a big change in myself," she said. "I started enjoying the gym ... I was working out a lot and the more I worked out the less I felt stressed and the more energy I had. It helped me cope with my husband's deployment; I just felt great all around."

However, Conn said it took more than just exercising to help her achieve her fitness goals.

"My diet was a big problem for me before. I would eat if I was bored even if I wasn't hungry and I drank alcohol a lot," she said. "Now I choose healthier alternatives. I don't restrict myself. I have my guilty pleasures, but I work hard and I have a lot more self-control than I did before."

Conn advises any Airmen currently struggling with their PT test or overall fitness level to prepare to do a major overhaul in all areas of their life.

"Being in shape is a lifestyle change," she said. "You have to be prepared to change everything and understand it won't be easy. You might find that you're different than others around but you have to find what empowers you to want to be better. Everyone has the power to change the things they don't like about themselves and once you make the physical changes you will see the emotional and mental changes too."