Originally published November 17, 2008 at 3:20 PM | Page modified November 17, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Man drops 140 pounds in 11 months to join Marines
Army and Navy recruiters took one look at 330-pound Ulysses Milana and told him to forget about joining. "'You've got to lose weight,'" Milana remembers them saying.
Army and Navy recruiters took one look at 330-pound Ulysses Milana and told him to forget about joining. "'You've got to lose weight,'" Milana remembers them saying.
But Marine recruiters were willing to work with him as he began his weight-loss journey in December 2007.
Now, 11 months later, Milana is 140 pounds lighter as he leaves Monday for Parris Island, S.C., to begin boot camp.
It wasn't easy, Milana said, but he managed to slim down through exercise, healthier eating habits and forgoing an occasional beer after work. The 23-year-old said he even refused a beer at his going-away party Saturday night.
Milana said he always wanted to follow in his family's footsteps by serving his country. His wife, Latoya, also comes from a military family.
Much of his weight-loss motivation came from Latoya, a nurse, who helped him reduce his calorie intake when he began his effort in earnest last December.
"It was really difficult for him at first. He always said, 'I'm gonna lose weight.' But I never took him seriously," Latoya told the Sun Journal newspaper. "Then, when he started to do it, I told him he needed to cut his portion sizes way down."
Marine recruiters also worked with him, helping to develop a workout regimen.
"You can sit there and preach and preach, but if you're not willing to help, then it doesn't lead you to success," Staff Sgt. George Monteith said. "If I say, 'Go lose weight and I'll see you in a year,' then what kind of help have I offered to make that happen?"
A former culinary student, Milana said it was a challenge to give up favorites like pizza and hot wings, but cracking open a cold beer after work was perhaps the toughest guilty pleasure to abandon.
"It was really hard. You see all your friends drinking beer, and you're like, 'Oh, man, I want one,'" he said. But his determination kept him on track, and he would head for the gym or don a head lamp and go out for a run.
---
Information from: Sun-Journal, http://www.sunjournal.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 12:45 PM
CEO vows better performance as GM exits bankruptcy
UPDATE - 11:33 AM
Obama plane emergency could have been a disaster
UPDATE - 12:50 PM
Pope presses Obama on abortion, stem cells
UPDATE - 12:43 PM
Cemetery workers made $300K in gravedigging scheme
Up to 22 Taliban killed in central Afghanistan

Gen. David Petraeus: Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Watch highlights of General David Petraeus discussing the Iraq and Afghanistan War at the Global Leadership Series sponsored by the World Affairs Council.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
Follow seattletimes.com on Twitter
Get the top stories on-the-go by following seattletimes.com on Twitter. We'll tweet the news and information you need around the clock and keep you up-to-date no matter where you are. Go to www.twitter.com/seattletimes to sign up now.
nwjobs


Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
What not to wear to work this summer
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new compact car? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
nwhomes

Find a new home or condo that fits your lifestyle.
Search New Developments
Builder Directory
- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- Cocoa plant where worked died didn't have license
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- World's largest solar plant may be built in Cle Elum
- Chase won't pay for Seattle's Lake Union fireworks next year
- The end of the light-line line, for now: Tukwila's "Taj Mahal" station
- Lawmaker says CIA director ended secret program
- Mariners Blog | Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik again declines to quell Yuniesky Betancourt trade rumors
- Driver killed, deputy and prisoner injured in head-on crash near Monroe
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
577 - Texas Rangers at Seattle Mariners: 07/09 game thread
243 - Chase won't pay for next year's Lake Union fireworks
186 - Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik again declines to quell Yuniesky Betancourt trade rumors
183 - World's largest solar plant may be built in Cle Elum
129 - Deals involving Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez not automatically related
105 - The end of the line, for now: Tukwila is the jewel in the crown of Link
89 - Yuniesky Betancourt traded to Royals for two minor league pitchers
86 - Franklin Gutierrez bails Mariners out in a 3-1 win
77 - Group hopes to build 75-megawatt solar park near Cle Elum
60
- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- World's largest solar plant may be built in Cle Elum
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- Group hopes to build 75-megawatt solar park near Cle Elum
- Cocoa plant where worked died didn't have license
- Grab the kids and hop on Amtrak for a stress-free getaway to Portland
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- During financial crisis, the business of college sports is complicated by Title IX
- Local Smith & Hawken garden stores to close
- Lavender tour on Vashon Island leads round of festivals








