Pete Hegseth Fired Up After Learning Obesity Rate Among Reserve Troops: ‘FIT, not FAT’

2025-04-26T04:11:01Z

President Donald Trump’s administration has declared war on those who declared war on American citizens. After all, among other things, the Trump administration values freedom, security, merit, and health. And those who declared war on American citizens did s…

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Pete Hegseth Fired Up After Learning Obesity Rate Among Reserve Troops: ‘FIT, not FAT’

Gateway Pundit ^ | 4-25-25 | Michael Schwarz

Posted on by bimboeruption

President Donald Trump’s administration has declared war on those who declared war on American citizens.

After all, among other things, the Trump administration values freedom, security, merit, and health. And those who declared war on American citizens did so in part by attacking all of those things.

Friday morning on the social media platform X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to an alarming new report about the incidence of obesity among National Guard and Reserve troops by calling the situation “completely unacceptable” and pledging a new military made up of “FIT, not FAT” service members.

“This is what happens when standards are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing. REAL fitness & weight standards are here,” Hegseth wrote.

Completely unacceptable.

This is what happens when standards are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing. REAL fitness & weight standards are here.

We will be FIT, not FAT. pic.twitter.com/KWMlFbS1c8

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 25, 2025

American Security Project research analyst Katherine Yusko authored the new study.

“As operational demands on the U.S. Armed Forces’ reserve component increase, rising rates of weight-related illnesses in the National Guard and reserves present a growing threat to manpower, mission readiness, and service member well-being,” Yusko wrote.

She added that problems stemming from obesity “hamper reserve component readiness to respond to threats both overseas and at home.”

Thus, getting “FIT, not FAT” qualifies as a national-security imperative.

Moreover, one could scarcely exaggerate the scope of the problem.

“In order to respond quickly, safely, and effectively to a wide array of threats both at home and abroad, the reserve component must ensure that its service members are fit and healthy,” Yusko wrote. “As of 2018, however, more than 65 percent of reserve personnel have either clinical overweight or obesity. If reserve component rates have tracked active component trends in recent years, as they have done in the past, this figure has now climbed to nearly 68 percent.”

In other words, regardless of the precise figure, approximately two-thirds of reservists do not qualify as fit.

Of course, a story of this kind calls to mind problems that go beyond the military. And the solutions to those problems require coordination across the Trump administration.

For instance, reservists qualify as overweight or obese because many Americans do. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to end that chronic health problem.

Likewise, a military consisting of unfit reservists reflects a broader assault on merit, exemplified by diversity, equity, and inclusion. Fit individuals, no matter how they look or what identity-related characteristics they might have, belong in positions requiring fitness. Unfit individuals, no matter how many identity-related boxes they check, do not belong in those positions. That is literally the entire conservative objection to DEI, and it is the driving force behind Trump’s war on that ugly, Marxist-inspired ideology.

Furthermore, what better way to make war on American citizens than to throw open the nation’s borders? Coupled with an unfit military, an open border makes a mockery of national security. Trump has made remarkable progress toward ending that crisis, too.

In short, the problem of fitness among military reservists exists in a much larger context. Thankfully, Trump and his most capable officials, including Hegseth, have already taken steps to reverse the damage done by those in former President Joe Biden’s administration and elsewhere who, out of disdain for the country and its people, made war on American citizens.

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FAT, not FIT…

To: bimboeruption

I wonder if they are using the outdated BMI.

Hershel walker at 6’1” and 230 would be considered obese. BMI is generally used but doesn’t really take into account anyone who has ever touched a weight.

To: bimboeruption

The obesity problem can be taken care of easily enough, now that Semaglutide (Ozempic, etc.) is now available in pill form, like Rybelsus. By 2022, it was the 48th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 13 million prescriptions. Basically, it slows down digestion a lot. So much so that feelings of hunger are uncommon. As such, even with a sedentary lifestyle, a large amount of fat weigh is dropped. With ordinary exercise even more is dropped. If a prospective trainee is overweight, they should be prescribed Rybelsus six months to a year out before induction. If they get side effects, then they are ‘washed out’ and need a different program.

by 3 posted onby yefragetuwrabrumuy (If you see “Acheta” protein in a product, know that it has been adulterated with insect protein)

To: bimboeruption

Let’s remember that Guard and Reserve troops aren’t getting paid to do physical training daily, as the Active Component is. They’re busy holding down a job (or two, or more) that pays the bills (along with the spouse). Drill weekend PT once a month isn’t near enough to maintain, much less improve, physical conditioning. Especially with all the other required training to maintain proficiency & readiness. As advertised, “2X the Citizen”.

by 4 posted onby castlebrew (Gun Control means hitting here you’re aiming!))

To: oldernittany

Have you seen some of the troops these days? Used to be the military was physically fit, now it looks like Walmart in Mississippi. BMI may be off, but there definitely needs to be standards. If you can’t see your feet, you probably aren’t going to last in a crisis.

To: bimboeruption

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

It gets rid of muscle more than fat and once you stop the medication you’re left with a higher fat density and lower lean muscle to expend calories…. and you get fatter. Because your basic caloric balance is lower due to less muscle.

by 7 posted onby Dick Vomer ( (2 Timothy 4:7 “deo duce ferro comitantes” )

To: All

This video is from last year. It’s about a fat camp for prospective Army recruits: https://youtu.be/LTO91t4ZV1E?si=OD9vWg0fDBv4kmPY

To: bimboeruption

General Milley should have been a clue.

To: bimboeruption

General Milley should have been a clue.

To: bimboeruption

We’ll see how this goes, but he’ll find what virtually every overweight person has found, which is that exercise-alone is has virtually no-chance of getting people back to their ideal weight – it has to be done with diet (either forcibly limiting calories, or eliminating carbs, at least until RFK fixes the food supply). Hopefully, Pete’s aware of that.

To: bimboeruption

Ol’ puddin’ face Vindman. Shameful POS.

by 12 posted onby MayflowerMadam (It’s hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. – Bongino)

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Ozempic can cost between $935 and $1,000 per month.

The cost for Rybelsus is around $1,075 per month. Wouldn’t it be smarter and cheaper to go on a diet? Besides NOT spending $1,000/mo. on meds, trips to the grocery store would be cheaper.

by 13 posted onby MayflowerMadam (It’s hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. – Bongino)

To: castlebrew

That’s an excuse…if you’re in the reserves you need to stay or your out.

by 14 posted onby maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left’s hatred of it!)

No simple carbs, complex carbs in moderation, no beans or peanuts. Protein and steamed veggies and leafy greens… Basically a diabetic type of diet. Regular PT and alcohol is a no-no. It works.

by 15 posted onby Clutch Martin (“The dawn cracks hard like a bull whip and it ain’t taking no lip from the night before” Tom Waits)

To: Clutch Martin

A relative of mine has been seriously diabetic since early childhood and takes care of himself so well! He eats a lot of peanut butter. I assumed that peanuts weren’t a problem if on a keto-type diet.

by 16 posted onby MayflowerMadam (It’s hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. – Bongino)

To: oldernittany

Even as far back as the late 70s, they would add a “float test” to those who had a lot of muscle and couldn’t pass the BMI “standards”. They really messed up with the bike test instead of the run – my body was always ready to jump and when I first started pedaling, my heart would get ready for some real work – it evidently went a few beats too high early on and then slowed as i worked harder as they increased the tension – I failed it even though I could still run 100 yards in under 11 seconds and do a mile in under 5 minutes (at age 40). I had to take the test again 2 weeks later so I went out and ran 2 6-minute miles 20 minutes before the retest to get my system “warmed up” – that time I maxed it out -— that showed how bad the test was at determining fitness….

by 17 posted onby trebb (So many fools – so little time…)

To: castlebrew

Back when my folks were parents, even with a bad job—my dad was editor of a Catholic diocesan newspaper—my mom couldn’t even drive and didn’t have a paying gig—we had a four bedroom house, one car garage in a stable neighborhood. What happened to our country? Now my daughter is a teacher at a Christian school, my son in law works for a huge corporation with a finance degree and they don’t have a house, live in a teensy apartment with thier baby, drive old cars…………wtf?

by 18 posted onby yldstrk (Nothing like the truth)

To: bimboeruption

Since I became an AF JROTC instructor in early 2011, I knew of several of my fellows at other schools being forced out for failing weight/body fat standards. I would hope that the Guard and Reserve, who are expected to be “Combat Ready” would be held to AT LEAST the same standard!

To: Dick Vomer

How long until we see commercials asking “Did you or a loved one take Ozempic and experience strokes, heart attacks, bone loss or death? Call now to speak to a legal representative…”

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