Military Spouses

MLgarcia3

I am a four year Army wife and had packed on an extra 10 lbs since being married.. not including the two pregnancies! He has been deployed twice and I would lose weight while he was gone and gain A LOT when he came home on R&R! I went from a 5 to a 7 in 2 weeks in 2008 when we were in Vegas! Then he came home in 2009 and I got pregnancy with our second baby.. thanks to this site, I've lost all my baby weight plus a couple more!

missboriken

Navy here too!

lilmom1

My husband is deployed right now. We are almost at the 8 month mark of this 12 month deployment. 30 months total deployed and 25 months in Korea. AHHHH! I just want it over with already.

Been there mines AF so not as bad length of deployments... but it all hurts the same when we miss our loved ones! Thanks for the post.

lilmom1

I am so happy to hear from each one of you its nice to not feel alone in this.

John8188

Mines leaving for Korea.

Where in Korea? I just got back from there in January. I lived there for 8 years. I miss it. Its a wonderful place.

ShellyLee

AF wife here. Only been through one deployment, but we weren't married during that time. I lost a few pounds while he was gone, but have packed that and more back on since then. Of course hubby is the can eat anything and everything and not gain weight type people (grrr!). I've got it lucky compared to others, he doesn't deploy anywhere near as long as the other services.

leanmass24

I am a veteran and was a dual military family then military spouse when I got out.( now divorced) Y'all have access to some of the best gyms. Just have to keep the depression in check. Which the exercise will help with. Just try your best to stay motivated and be positive. I am trying to lose all the weight back that I gained so that I can go back and serve. I miss it. The grass is always greener on the othe side of the fence. I want to thank all the sevice members for serving and I hope to be back out there with y'all soon. For all the military spouses, I know it can be hard, just remember that they need you to be home and support them while they are away. It gives them reason to keep doing what they are doing. Join the on base support groups and start your own exercise club for more motivation and support.

rose1617

I don't know about the rest of y'all, but no depression here!
I love being a milspouse. Sure it has it's challenges, but what doesn't? Just makes me stronger!

StiringWendel

My husband of 20+ years is in the Air Force. I love being a military spouse, but it does come with some challenges. For me, the biggest hurdles are the constantly changing conditions in life. The constant coming and going of my husband does throw some challenges into my plans, especially when it comes to working out. I find that there are many days when I think it is better to spend time with my husband when he is home than work out. I will stand by that choice every day, but it doesn't always help my fitness levels.

The biggest challenge I've got going on is surviving the moves. My husband and I are currently living in Korea (at Osan Air Base) but are moving to Washington DC in a few weeks. This will be our eighth move in ten years....all but one of those moves being an international move. As an at-home exerciser, going without my household goods for two months a year (this year it will be four months since we haven't been in Korea for a year yet!) is tough. And, of course, there is the whole eating thing when we don't have a home. Not good.

But I have figured out a few ways of managing the situation. As stated above, the gyms on base are a great resource. I've just had to understand that just because my workout gear is on a boat somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean right now doesn't mean I don't have the ability to workout. We are also without a car (and have been for a month as it, too, travels across the ocean). I decided instead of eating out every night because its easier than buying and carrying groceries without a car and cooking food without household goods that I would make many healthy dishes BEFORE everything left. So now I shop only for fruits and veg and pull my healthy main dishes out of the freezer for dinner.

Managing the stress of military life is another issue, and I eat my fair share of chocolate when I'm experiencing alot of stress as a result of the military life. But I find I can manage my weight even then as long as I continue to workout and continue to eat relatively healthy meals. It's all about making the best choices that work both in coping AND in taking care of yourself.

I love the military life. Thank you to all who serve both in the military and at the side of those who are in the military.

Home6

Army wife here! I was also in the Army myself for 4 years, so I can kind of understand his frustrations at work (not so much now that he is higher up in rank, though I am good at the acronyms ) I know that our gym here at Fort Benning has a program for people with deployed spouses, if your spouse is down range, your child watch at the gym is free. Which is an AWESOME thing, especially since working out can ease your stress levels! It's win-win!

My biggest stressor right now, since The Man isn't deployed, is his funky hours. I go to bed fairly early (we're talking 9 p.m. at the latest) so I like to eat supper fairly early as well. I NEVER have an idea of when he is going to be home. He could get home at 5. Or he could not call til 6:30 and say he is going to be late. Or he could come home at 3, which is when he is supposed to get off of work on Thursdays, because that's family day. Ironically, that's usually the day when he comes home the latest!:mad: I just wind up saying "screw it", have supper ready to eat at 5:30 or so, feed myself and the kids, and he can eat whenever he comes home.

mrsyac2

I don't have the frustrations. I'm good I still workout when he is home (which helps me not gain the weight i work so hard to lose) I actually get to hit the gym because he picks up our kids and starts dinner so I can do my thing. He is super supportive of me working out (he likes having a hot wife to show off on his arm- plus he likes the attention he gets from it lol) Sometimes he will even come to the gym with me and spot me while I workout he isn't big on working out he mainly workouts overseas out of boredom but is in good shape so he just goes to hang out with me.
We have never moved he is always gone for training or deployments so we always stay and he goes.

Him and I are the bestest of friends and our family is super close. We have survived all the divorces that are around us cause we make it work.
So if it's not broke don't fix it. When he is in the states he is either on nights or days that being said he is home for dinner if he is on days and if he is on nights he takes his lunch at our dinner time so he can have dinner with the family. the only time he misses stuff is if he is flying can't exactly land the bird and say gotta go home for dinner.

Everyone is different and handles things differently.

How is everyones workouts going? I'm starting my 2nd week of P90x today. At the end of my 13 weeks I will have 2 days before my 5k.
My guy has about 2 months in this tour so it's the norm for me, Work, kids, kids sports, their homework, my school+ my homework, housework, yardwork, and working out.

vauleese

Hey Guys, another Army wife here. Were stationed up in Ft. Drum at the moment and DH is getting ready to go on his 3rd deployment with this unit which means HOPEFULLY after this one we will be packing up to move again. The thing I hate most about this post is the winter's are so long that you can't really get out much to exercise or get moving. I have to schedule my youngest for a CDC physical so I can take advantage of the daycare center they put in one of the on post gyms here so I can go work out after my older 2 get on the bus to go to school. Which will be good for the both of us...she get's to be around children her own age and I get to sweat while listening to music.

I try to do about an hour of cardio 3x a week and an hour of strength training as well. This week has been thrown off though because the hubby is working longer hours in preperation for his departure so I've just been going up and down the stairs here more often and walking around the house chasing my 2 year old.

lilmom1

AF wife here. Only been through one deployment, but we weren't married during that time. I lost a few pounds while he was gone, but have packed that and more back on since then. Of course hubby is the can eat anything and everything and not gain weight type people (grrr!). I've got it lucky compared to others, he doesn't deploy anywhere near as long as the other services.

I am in the same boat so glad to hear from you!!!!

lilmom1

My husband of 20+ years is in the Air Force. I love being a military spouse, but it does come with some challenges. For me, the biggest hurdles are the constantly changing conditions in life. The constant coming and going of my husband does throw some challenges into my plans, especially when it comes to working out. I find that there are many days when I think it is better to spend time with my husband when he is home than work out. I will stand by that choice every day, but it doesn't always help my fitness levels.

The biggest challenge I've got going on is surviving the moves. My husband and I are currently living in Korea (at Osan Air Base) but are moving to Washington DC in a few weeks. This will be our eighth move in ten years....all but one of those moves being an international move. As an at-home exerciser, going without my household goods for two months a year (this year it will be four months since we haven't been in Korea for a year yet!) is tough. And, of course, there is the whole eating thing when we don't have a home. Not good.

But I have figured out a few ways of managing the situation. As stated above, the gyms on base are a great resource. I've just had to understand that just because my workout gear is on a boat somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean right now doesn't mean I don't have the ability to workout. We are also without a car (and have been for a month as it, too, travels across the ocean). I decided instead of eating out every night because its easier than buying and carrying groceries without a car and cooking food without household goods that I would make many healthy dishes BEFORE everything left. So now I shop only for fruits and veg and pull my healthy main dishes out of the freezer for dinner.

Managing the stress of military life is another issue, and I eat my fair share of chocolate when I'm experiencing alot of stress as a result of the military life. But I find I can manage my weight even then as long as I continue to workout and continue to eat relatively healthy meals. It's all about making the best choices that work both in coping AND in taking care of yourself.

I love the military life. Thank you to all who serve both in the military and at the side of those who are in the military.

mykaar74

definitely, I'm Navy WIfe and it's stressful, like now my husband is out to sea for 7 months, so I have to rely on myself & my kids (whom are luckily teenagers, but that has its challenges too) and I live in Japan. Stay strong and best of luck on our journeys both weight, and military

lilmom1

Thanks you all ...soo glad to see you all on here! God Bless

mikkimomof3

Army wife here...we've been through multiple deployments over the years and are facing another one very soon. I always found it easier to lose while he was gone too, but now we have three kiddos and I am not sure how easy it will be with such little 'me time'. Even when they are home, the crazy hours make it hard to have any time to work out. He's up and gone super early and often comes home only for dinner (he's in flight school right now)...I would LOVE to be able to take an hour for myself and hit the gym. Guess I'll have to wait till they are all school-aged-haha.

curlytop89

My husband is deployed right now to Afghanistan. It has only been 6 weeks and I am already depressed. I do good most days, but I can feel it sneaking in more and more lately. I have three kids, one is only 1 1/2 yrs old so they keep me busy. I do manage to get a workout in either when the baby is napping, or with the baby in the stroller, or before everyone gets up in the mornings. I also work 2 to 3 days a week which is what keeps me sane. I was training for a half marathon which I am doing this weekend in New Orleans, but after that I am not sure what to do. I have lost about 35 pounds since the beginning of this year and am hoping to keep it off, but I tend to eat when I get down in the dumps. Anyone got any ideas? I would like to change things up a little so I don't get bored.

AmandaR910

My husband is also gone right now. It's been just over 3 months and we're looking at another 6-8 months. I'm 32 weeks pregnant and hoping that I can drop all the baby weight plus about 42lbs more before he gets back.

lkm111

I'm a National Guard wife. My husband did an 18 month deployment to Iraq. What most people don't realize about National Guard families is that the family of the soldier has all of the sacrifice but none of the support. The whole time he was in Iraq I may as well have been living on an island. Not looking too forward to doing that again.

Glad to see so many others on this site!