5' 8". I weigh about 218lbs, but I'm trying to get to 186lbs to join the United States Air Force

2

Replies

  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    I recently joined a bicycling club and we use meetup for scheduling club rides. There is a number of others groups in my area that shows up on it and might be a good place to get encouragement/group work out. Check for local fitness clubs (or Google search), running etc, and see if you can join up.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    kcjchang wrote: »
    I recently joined a bicycling club and we use meetup for scheduling club rides. There is a number of others groups in my area that shows up on it and might be a good place to get encouragement/group work out. Check for local fitness clubs (or Google search), running etc, and see if you can join up.

    Well, I've been shadowing into the Army's Early Delay PT program for a couple of days now to lose more weight. Then last Tuesday, I acidentally opened my mouth and told one of the female army recruits that I was thinking about joining the air force and then they told one of the Army recruiters about it. So now, I'm in a pickle. I had a discussion earlier with my parents about joining the Air Force to get my degree so I can get a career in Criminal Justice, but I need to meet the maximum weight requirement in order to get enlisted. But, the thing is, I've been showing up to the Army's PT program every Tuesdays and Thursdays and now they say I can't take advantage of their running program if I'm thinking about getting into the Air Force.

    Any Suggestions?!
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    Until you sign on the dotted line, you are not committed. Yes it's *kitten* but it's up to you how to handle it.
  • CapnVillainBLK
    CapnVillainBLK Posts: 157 Member
    I'm a Army vet, and even though I loved what the army has done for me, stuck with the air force no matter what. I believe the Air Force is much more suited to service members that want to transition to the civilian workplace after their first enlistment and getting a degree. That army program maybe off limits to you, but see if the air force has a program you can take advantage of.
  • JenniferLynWhatx
    JenniferLynWhatx Posts: 141 Member
    Honestly OP, you know what you need to do. Eat less, Move more. Do the exercises everyone on here has already said....You don't need PT or a fancy gym or equipment...just the will to do it. Weigh yourself no more than once a week, log everything, and you will reach your goal.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    lvillani81 wrote: »
    I'm a Army vet, and even though I loved what the army has done for me, stuck with the air force no matter what. I believe the Air Force is much more suited to service members that want to transition to the civilian workplace after their first enlistment and getting a degree. That army program maybe off limits to you, but see if the air force has a program you can take advantage of.

    Thank you.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    Guys, Earlier this week, I weighed myself at 211lbs. Now, I weighed myself to be at 214lbs. I'm about this close to my goal. Am I doing something wrong? Because I really need to meet that weight requirement to get enlisted into the military right now because my 28th birthday is coming up and I can not afford to keep living with my parents for a whole year. I have a life of my own to live.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Weight fluctuates all the time. It's normal to be plus or minus a few pounds.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    segacs wrote: »
    Weight fluctuates all the time. It's normal to be plus or minus a few pounds.

    Thank you.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    Hey guys. I've been weighing myself in the buff everyday when I work out? Is it normal for me to do that, or should I weigh myself with my clothes on?
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    Talk to your recruiter on how they are doing it now. I remember being partially clothed when I did my final MEPS weight in. Weight in after enlisting was always in PT gear without shoes.

    Do your own 8 week basic. Stop eating crap; get up at 5:00 am and do your exercise: run and build the distance to 3-4 miles a day, do situps and pushups and built it up to 60+ reps in two minutes ea; and walk everywhere. Think I lost over 20 pounds during basic. After basic, there was an addition 12 weeks with the same retinue during the advance training phase. The training duration depends on the service and your military specialty.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    kcjchang wrote: »
    Talk to your recruiter on how they are doing it now. I remember being partially clothed when I did my final MEPS weight in. Weight in after enlisting was always in PT gear without shoes.

    Do your own 8 week basic. Stop eating crap; get up at 5:00 am and do your exercise: run and build the distance to 3-4 miles a day, do situps and pushups and built it up to 60+ reps in two minutes ea; and walk everywhere. Think I lost over 20 pounds during basic. After basic, there was an addition 12 weeks with the same retinue during the advance training phase. The training duration depends on the service and your military specialty.

    Okay, thank you.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    Great news, everyone! I'm about 201lbs and I only have 15 more pounds to lose before I meet my target weight goal.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Way to go! You're halfway there! Keep doing what you're doing!
  • airborne18th
    airborne18th Posts: 57 Member
    xgray213 wrote: »
    I just weighed myself today, and it said that I gain one pound. I figured that it's because I ate a pack of Dr. Pepper flavored Hubba Bubba chewing gum. Guys, I really need some help because I tried to show up for PT yesterday, but the Army recruiter heard from one of the female participants that I talked to them about enlisting into the Air Force and he said that I can't run with them if I'm thinking about joining the Air Force while shadowing the PT program that's only reserved for the Army recruits and people trying to get into the Army.

    Any more suggestions?

    you can run on your own. fitness is your goal since we are talking the military. You should start with the goal of being able to run 2 miles per day. do it at the school track.. or around the block. start by jogging then taking walk breaks.. but you must motivate yourself. if you are completely out of shape it will be frustrating, but a large part of it is mental. so you should push yourself to take fewer walk breaks every time.


  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    airborne18th wrote: »
    you can run on your own. fitness is your goal since we are talking the military. You should start with the goal of being able to run 2 miles per day. do it at the school track..or around the block. start by jogging then taking walk breaks...but you must motivate yourself. if you are completely out of shape it will be frustrating, but a large part of it is mental. so you should push yourself to take fewer walk breaks every time.

    Well, I did call an old friend of mine that I met at high school and we did started to jog all around Food-4-Less to a small park by a junior high and it actually worked. Tomorrow, I'll be meeting with him to start weight training.

    I hope I do get better results.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    edited March 2015
    If you want to drop weight, nutrition is really where it is at. Yes you obviously need to do start conditioning....but focusing on the kitchen will get you to weight faster. I'm 5'8 and last fall I dropped 15 pounds (202 to 187) in 10 weeks by busting my butt and measuring every single thing that went into my mouth. It was a friendly weight loss competition at my gym....but I tend to thrive on competition lol. Have kept that weight and a few pounds off since!

    Props for wanting to serve! Best of luck :)
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    esjones12 wrote: »
    If you want to drop weight, nutrition is really where it is at. Yes you obviously need to do start conditioning....but focusing on the kitchen will get you to weight faster. I'm 5'8 and last fall I dropped 15 pounds (202 to 187) in 10 weeks by busting my butt and measuring every single thing that went into my mouth. It was a friendly weight loss competition at my gym....but I tend to thrive on competition lol. Have kept that weight and a few pounds off since!

    Props for wanting to serve! Best of luck :)

    Thanks.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    Good news everyone!

    I've reached 190lbs. Only 4 more pounds to go.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    I feel like an idiot because I blew my chance into enlisting into the Army all because I told them that I have Aspergers' Syndrome. My stepfather's been constantly nagging about me slacking off and not meeting the maximum weight requirement for my height to join the Air Force, when he knows that I've been trying my best and actually putting in effort into meeting that goal. But now, the Air Force are using my current weight and my blood pressure issue as excuses to not help me. Just now, I have to talk to the Navy next Tuesday to see if they can help me, because I really need to get into the military right now!!!!

    Pray for me that I do get in.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    I have officially made it to 186lbs. But now, I'm planning on making it to 175lbs or less in order to get to MEPS.
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    edited April 2015
    What have you heard from the Navy? I'm also trying to enlist in a branch of the military [too old for the USAF], but I have much more weight to drop than you.

    So... have you talked to them, yet?
  • ReeseG4350
    ReeseG4350 Posts: 146 Member
    First of all... GOOD FOR YOU! And GOOD LUCK. I have faith you can do it, now all you need is that same kind of faith and the rest will be easy. Well, in your head it will be easy. The physical part? It's going to take some work.

    So what, exactly, is your idea of "fast"? You're looking at 32 pounds to lose? You should be able to drop it in maybe 3.5 to 4 months on a fast pace and 5 or 6 months on a more sane schedule. But, bear in mind, if you lose too much weight too quickly, it can diminish your overall health. And, you really want to be aware that, while you are losing weight, you want to be toning your body. This is going to be an issue if you are just looking at the weight number because, if you are building muscle, you are going to be losing weight more slowly but it will be 'the right' weight - body fat as opposed to body muscle.

    So... maybe you will be back in that recruiter's office in four months. Or it might take an extra five weeks. Either way, it'll be worth it... and, by September, you'll be in the Air Force!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Hey, you figured out how to lose weight! That's a big deal! I'm cheering you on that you will get recruited.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    llUndecidedll wrote: »
    What have you heard from the Navy? I'm also trying to enlist in a branch of the military [too old for the USAF], but I have much more weight to drop than you.

    So... have you talked to them, yet?
    I think you may need to contact them and see what are their requirements to enlist into the Navy.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    xgray213 wrote: »
    I have officially made it to 186lbs. But now, I'm planning on making it to 175lbs or less in order to get to MEPS.

    Congratulations! You did it! :)
  • klsana00
    klsana00 Posts: 21 Member
    Congratulations on your commitment to getting healthy! Your diagnosis however may bar you from enlistment in any of the services. Failure to divulge your medical issues during recruitment is punishable under UCMJ. Does it happen? Of course, but know what you face. The Air Force isn't willing to help you out because honestly they make their quotas and don't have to work too hard to put bodies in. Also all the services from your area go to one MEPs station. If the Army recruiter ran your diagnosis past medical there then they already know about you. What you need to do is see if you can obtain a medical waiver.
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    klsana00 wrote: »
    Congratulations on your commitment to getting healthy! Your diagnosis however may bar you from enlistment in any of the services. Failure to divulge your medical issues during recruitment is punishable under UCMJ. Does it happen? Of course, but know what you face. The Air Force isn't willing to help you out because honestly they make their quotas and don't have to work too hard to put bodies in. Also all the services from your area go to one MEPs station. If the Army recruiter ran your diagnosis past medical there then they already know about you. What you need to do is see if you can obtain a medical waiver.

    All of this.

    The Air Force does not have a problem recruiting and retaining personnel, so they are disinclined to bend over backwards to get someone in. The Marine Corps has a lengthy waiting list to even attend basic after enlistment, so they will not be apt to help you either.

    The Army or the Navy may be more likely to issue you a medical waiver, I'm not sure.
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    xgray213 wrote: »
    llUndecidedll wrote: »
    What have you heard from the Navy? I'm also trying to enlist in a branch of the military [too old for the USAF], but I have much more weight to drop than you.

    So... have you talked to them, yet?
    I think you may need to contact them and see what are their requirements to enlist into the Navy.

    I know the requirements for all branches. I have four aunts and uncles who started their careers by enlisting in the military.

    Also At one time when I actually qualified, I was *this close* to enlisting in the USAF (as an air traffic controller- stressful job but decent pay after separation), Navy (as a Navy nuke), and Marines (can't remember my chosen MOS but I actually passed the body fat percentage test).

    Each time I changed my mind--- clearly I'm not very bright. Now here I am aiming for my dream at 30. Because I hate my life.

    I was just being supportive. I hope you get to where you want to be.
  • xgray213
    xgray213 Posts: 39 Member
    edited April 2015
    Everyone, I wasn't being very good at being honest with everyone lately. Not even to my own parents. I've been in contact with both the Army and the Army National Guard recruiters and for the National Guard recruiter, he's been trying to get in touch with MEPS to get a medical waiver for me after I told him about my blood pressure issues and for the Army recruiter, I didn't tell him anything. What do you guys think? Have I made the right choice by not telling the Army recruiter about that dilemma? Or should I have just kept my mouth shut and just wait until I head to MEPS?
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