How did you do it, ex-fat guys?

[Indy317]

P.S. What???!!! You got something against the Air Force? Our training is done at the finest resorts with Oceanside rooms, valet service, gourmet dining, and free laundry pickup.

Experience: 110 pounds lost in 11 months.

Dang. That is the way to do it, you looked like a totally different person.

That being said, join the air force. They live much better than any other branch and get paid extra for having to live in army conditions (even in the states). Plus you will deply for like 4-6 months. Our companys last deployment was 15 months, this one will be at least 12.

I was never in the service, but a few years ago, I was lucky enough to go out West on a vacation I wanted to take for 10 years. We put 3,000 miles on a mini-van driving from Denver through Wyoming, S. Dakota, Montana, and eventually back to Denver. There are Air Force bases in all those areas. If I didn't have anything for me here, I would be living out there, even if it would mean joining the Air Force. If I were you, I would use this time of getting into shape to decide exactly what you want to do in life. If your life consist of delivering pizzas for the next 30 years, why not instead focus on a 20 year military career instead? Are you ready to start using logic and apply yourself in school, so maybe you can get paid more? I also wouldn't count out the Coast Guard either. Think about where you want to live, see if there are bases in those areas, and what skills you would need to get a job (eventually) on that base. I would start PMing members here who are in the military or have been in recent years, and get their thoughts. Good luck.

 

[photoshooter]

What not to try

Speaking from experience, the Panera Bread Coffee and Cinnamon roll diet followed by a steady diet of staring at the computer screen all morning will help you lose -25 pounds.

(Yes, the minus sign is there for a reason).

Anyone want to start a healthy train thread? I'm not ambitious enough to get one started.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

To help you decide which to join check out the "daughter wants to join service " thread in the womens section .

 

[Jack Ryan]

Ok, I've made the decision to enlist. Its between the Army and the Navy right now....neither one will talk to me until I drop about 35-40 pounds.

I know some of you have done it...certainly there's been some fat guys who dropped the weight to make enlistment standards....I need your technique. What did you do?

I'm at ~250...I need to get to 217 or lower. I'm cutting out the beer and the smokes , but beer makes you fat and I can't smoke in basic anyway. What else should I do? I'm terribly outta shape, so getting up at 0400 and running a mile would likely kill me if I tried it tomorrow. What did you do?

Get with a diabetic or diaticion and start eating what diabetics are SUPPOSE to eat.

It's a "diet" you can live with. It won't feel like it's killing you. It will feel like you are eating like the "normal" people instead of getting your money's worth at the buttet. Been there, done it. The hardest part is junk food is so easy to get and cheap, but normal good food is still cheaper than infomercials and food delivered by the mail man.

Get one of those heart rate watches at Walmart, $29, and you won't have to keep repeating the same frigging exercise routine every day. Just keep your heart rate up in the target range and do what ever entertains you, working your time and heart rate up a little about every 3 days. I can explore a different trail, forrest, or road everyday and get the exact same work out if I want.

My old legs, feet and knees won't do the running thing any more, I bicycle, walk and lift weights.

 

[Jack Ryan]

But Navy is in my blood...my dad was a Nuclear Engineer, and when I talked to a recruiter years back, I was eligible for that program....and I'm kind of hoping I still am.

Go Navy. 3 hots and a flop. Get on a carrier and everything a medium size city has, they have. The place is one huge job training program and as long as the country has electricy, water, and utilities to produce those you will have a place your skills make you valuable.

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

Thanks all for the suggestions, and especially Fletch for the gift of exercise!

I'll admit I hadn't really thought beyond just getting in under the weight requirement...I'm definitely going to need to concentrate on being in shape as well.

Oh, and I sent the local Air Force recruiter an email, too....their cut off age is 28, so I've got about 8 months if I want to make it in there! I'm still leaning pretty hard towards the Navy....but the AF has got some interesting programs that I wouldn't mind talking about with the recruiter. A lot of what I'm looking to get out of serving is technical training, and they look like they've got that in spades.

 

[nalees]

i'm 2 weeks into the p90x workout routine with some older guys at our church, and i've already lost 5.5 lbs. (i was 180 going into it)

 

[Indecision]

Deleted.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

No soda for one. Deffently lay of the beer. Sounds weird, but eat alot of turkey sandwiches. Do weight training three days a week. High reps with low weight. Then cardio three/four days a week. Alot of pushups, and situps. Also pull ups, and chin ups. I want to go back in, but my back is screwed. Good luck, and hope all works out for you.

 

[mettle]

LOTS of water so your body can start getting rid of toxins;
go on a protein only diet;
start w/ 1 mile a day--walk until you can run it--- then add miles as ability allows; create a workout that maximizes effort,
pushups---start in 5's then move along to 15 a set--- do 200 a day (get the 'perfect pushup');
situps a couple times a week; pullups will work you abs so do as many as you can a day, or every other day
I've done a little more; but, I've lost 43 -45 lbs. over a 1 year period and I can now wear my wedding suit again, eight years later.

LOTS OF WATER! And ALWAYS drink WATER. Add a good dose of daily vitamins, and a NON sugar energy drink.
NO sugar.
NO sugar.
NO sugar.

EDIT: YOU DON'T want to hit the waits, you are going for stamina, and overall strength if you are going into basic. Some of the guys think it's impressive to bench 300, but they couldn't run a mile to save their life. You want BALANCE.

 

[bigus_D]

Simple math. Intake fewer calories than you expend.

40 lbs over 12 weeks = 3 1/3 lbs per week

1 lbs = ~ 3500 calories.

Each week you need to intake 3 * 3500 = 10,500 fewer calories than you expend

Now figure your daily caloric requirements (use this site for the answer Daily Calorie Calculator For Males)... then back out the 10,500 from above to figure your daily diet allowance. Any exercise increases your daily allowance.

I have lost 2 lbs a week for the last eight weeks using this simple method. Eat a little less, exercise a little more.

 

[lowriderjim]

Forty years ago I lost 75 pounds to join the Army.

First you have to want to do it.

I have always said that the magic is eat less and exercise more any way that it works for you.

Keep moving. I found that any exercised when hungry would help. It worked for me. After the increased exercise I found that the army was physically easy.

Good luck, you can do it as soon as you convince yourseld that that you can. Keep us posted I'm sure there are many on this web site that will be will including to encourage, including me.

 

[VUPDblue]

First you have to want to do it.

This and only this.

Whatever your reasons are, you have to WANT it. There are myriad ways to get in shape or simply shed pounds, but none are *easy*. You have to have the mental desire to do it. Do it for yourself, your lady, your kids, your future...whatever. Just be hard-core in your desire and you'll get it done. I started wanting a better life for my family about a year ago. I knew what I had to do to get that done to my satisfaction and I've been doing it ever since. On Jan. 1, 2009, I weighed 262 lbs. I was fat, lazy, apathetic...you name it. I stepped on that scale and dam near fainted, to this day I don't know what posessed me to get on the scale (I hadn't done it in years) but I did. Today I weigh-in at 205 lbs. (my lowest being in the low 190's) I hit the gym every single day, I eat right (no fast food except Subway) I drink lots of water, and I don't drink sodas, well maybe the occasional Diet Mtn. Dew. The bottom line is that I had a goal and a desire, and now I'm almost there because I WANTED it. You can do it, I know you can.

 

[Fletch]

I agree with Vupd, except for one point: don't do it for anyone but yourself. If you do it for someone else, and they don't appreciate it like they should, it'll suck the enthusiasm right out of you. I know this empirically.

 

[nalees]

Here's some equations from Men's Health for determining how much to eat:

Step 1: Your weight in pounds x 11 = Your basic calorie needs (the caloric cost of being you)
Step 2: Your basic calorie needs x caloric cost of your activity level** = Your metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn in a typical day)
Step 3: Your basic calorie needs + your metabolic rate = Your maintenance total (the amount of calories you need to maintain your current body composition)
Step 4: Your maintenance total + 500 = Total calories to gain muscle
Step 5: Your maintenance total - 500 = Total calories to lose fat

**- To determine your activity level, find where you fit in these categories:
-------------Age - <30 | Age - 30-40 | Age - >40
Mostly sedentary - 30% | 25% | 20%
Moderately active - 40% | 35% | 30%
Dedicated exerciser or athlete - 50% | 45% | 40%

Insert the % that represents you into that equation. (40% = 0.4)

 

[Dr Falken]

I was thinking real heavy on joining the Army Reserves, as it is, I am going full time driving at UPS, long and the short of it, about 3 months ago I was at my heaviest, 6' 208lbs. I started working out using a book called "The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook" by Michael Volkin. anyhow I lost 20 pounds and got my numbers where they needed to be for the APFT. So, push-ups, sit-ups, one day, then long runs and intervals the other days. Make sure you take in protein after your work outs! Additionally I watched my diet, which was easy(ier) to do as my wife works out and is health conscious. But lots more protein (to build, feed muscle) a mix of carbs, less fat, more water, and less snacking (seemed to occur naturally), and more fresh veggies. That was basically it. It's not just a matter of losing the weight, but since you want to join up, look at your numbers so you can lose the weight and kick *ss on your Fitness Test.

 

[Bear1023]

P90X is not infomercial crap. There are plenty of us on this board who are doing it and can verify that it works. In fact, I believe in it enough that if he's serious and wants to PM me his address, I'll order it for him.

if you are in the giving mood i will take one i quit smoking 2 months ago and have gained 30lbs.. On a more serious note weight lifting will help make those lbs come off quickly.

 

[warangelcometh]

Two sure fire ways

1. Eat less
2. Cancer

Don't forget AIDS...... or take up smokin' crack - that's good for losing everything (including the pounds)

 

[Beau]

I havn't done it. I keep starting and stopping P90X. I have a real problem with motivation.

 

[Adrenaline]

from a formerly ummm not so thin one, to a fairly decent shaped one, lots of working out less intake (think moderation in all things). Very proud of my military man, just make sure you make a well informed decision and know exactly what you want out of the military.

P90x is amazing, if you really dedicate to do it. For me the gym is much more effective, as long as I do it religiously. Lifting will help immensely with the weight loss as building up muscle will burn fat more effectively, just make sure you have a lifting buddy!