need the support.. Gotta lose to join the ARMY

ChefJenn

hey all. So never have I been open about my weight to a bunch of strangers but here it goes.
Im Jenn.. I had gastric bypass in Jan 05 I went from 288 to 168 in under 2 yrs. I stayed fit till I lost my job and WOW it fit me and here I am going back up the scale at 225. Since I have not found work I have decided to give my life to the ARMY. I know it will be hard but first I have to get in.
They need me to weigh around 175 or measure 15 inches in my neck, 34 inches in my waist, and 42 inches in my hips.
Currently I am at: 222 lbs. 14.5 neck, 41 waist, 47 hips. Im not far from it but then I know Im far off from being able to pass boot camp, I cant even do a sit up. I had a full tummy tuck done after I lost all the weight and Ive not used them new repaired muscles. ouch is what I can say.
I need good support. I dont want anyone to down me for wanting to join the ARMY ( I get enough of that from my family) , nor what Im eating b/c Im staying within my calorie count and remember I cant eat regular stuff like the normal person & money is really tight in my home So Im having to make due with what I have and still be able to feed my family. I know I sound rude but really Im not trying to be honest! I really just need to get the inches off so I can enlist and get an income and health insurance for myself and family.

kmm7309

I think the army is an admirable career choice, and if I was closer to my goal, I would make it a priority for me too. There's just so much it can give you that any other career can't. Good on you for making that decision! How does your family/friends think they have the freedom to put down your decision, without people like you deciding to protect us! Thank you!

Larry7995

I think the gastric bypass is a disqualification. Check out this post.
http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/78192862/m/2910022931001

MelissaL582

Proud that you want to serve our country. I'm an Army brat myself- my Dad served 20 years, my husband served..my brother and brother in law are currently serving.

Trying to eat healthy is so darn expensive. We're a family of 5, so I completely understand about being on a budget. I'm not sure if you have an Aldi in your town, but that's where I go when I can only spend so much on groceries (minus the personal hygiene). They have a brand called Fit & Active there and the prices are pretty good. Some of their items taste better than what you would buy at Walmart. Write out a list of what you plan to eat for 2 weeks, that has worked really well for me. Try to eat more protein to help you feel full longer. Definitely drink lots of water.

And, of course exercise, go for a long walk, workout in your home..

Good luck to ya!

MelissaL582

I think the gastric bypass is a disqualification. Check out this post.
http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/78192862/m/2910022931001

Wow..really?

Megthatgirl

Im in almost the same boat you are! Im trying to lose enough weight to enlist but Im doing it all natural! Its a struggle, but I know itll be worth it! good luck to you!

cc_campbell81

I am in the Air Force. I think it's great that you are willing to defend your country. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for that. For losing weight I would recommend a mix of cardio and strength training. You didn't say how long you have but you could try changing up your workouts often so you always keep your body challenged. You will do a lot of running, sit ups, and pushups in basic training. I would include some pushups and situps each day. Start with how many you can do even if it is only one or two and do them each day and keep increasing them. Focus on quality especially for pushups because that is something that will be important in basic. I would recommend running at least a couple of days each week if not more. There is a program called Couch to 5k or C25K which is great for helping people to go from walking to running a 5k. Don't worry about speed at first just focus on endurance and being able to do the runs. As you continue to run you will get stronger and faster. There's a work out video called six week 6 pack by Jillian Michaels at Walmart for $9. It may help shrink your waist. As far as food make sure you eat enough and don't go under 1200. You can do it. If you need help or more tips feel free to message or friend me.

http://www.c25k.com/

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

utah_angel1971

I tried to go into the Army myself. I started gaining weight and at first my recruiter said they'd work it off in bootcamp. Dr's couldnt figure out why i was gaining. But i just kept gaining. It kept me out of the Army. I have since been diagnosed with low thyroid and PCOS. My regret is never have been able to serve. So i admire you for wanting to join the Army. I think its admireable and i appreciate your willingness to serve. Your family are probably just scared about everything going on. I too know what its like trying to eat on a budget but healthy. its hard. But i'm here for ya

tesspren

I gained a lot of weigh as well after losing my job 2 yrs ago. I just started this site and hope to become more fit as well on a budget. If you have a Costco card or Sams, this may help. We buy the boneless chicken breast and slice one in half. They can feed two people if you add a bunch of veggies in. We buy the veggies in bulk as well and put them into smaller packages. We have started to buy the corn and green beans in bulks as well. The are really healthy if $ is tight and the fresh veggies cost more. We also have been eating a lot of rice, cheap and filling when mixed in with a meat.

My mom raised 8 kids back in the 70's and she would find a way to make a dollar stretch and I never felt like I was missing out. Now I look back and wonder how she did it.

If you buy a large pkg of ground meat at Walmart, buy the 80/20 it goes a lot further, it cost a little more but feeds more because it shrinks less. Add potatoes to it and even canned green beans, if you like spicey, add a can of mild rotel.

How are you fitting in exercise?
I wish you the best and you seem very focused and I know you can do it! Keep focused and keep up the good work!

kmm7309

I tried to go into the Army myself. I started gaining weight and at first my recruiter said they'd work it off in bootcamp. Dr's couldnt figure out why i was gaining. But i just kept gaining. It kept me out of the Army. I have since been diagnosed with low thyroid and PCOS. My regret is never have been able to serve. So i admire you for wanting to join the Army. I think its admireable and i appreciate your willingness to serve. Your family are probably just scared about everything going on. I too know what its like trying to eat on a budget but healthy. its hard. But i'm here for ya

I have PCOS and low thyroid. It's a real struggle to even get out of bed sometimes. I'm still trying to figure out the right dosage for my medicine, so it's a crap shoot on how I feel every day. I didn't know these were disqualifiers for the army- I thought about enlisting one day myself. How upsetting!

ChefJenn

thanks for the info, but My recruiter has not told me that my gastric bypass is stop me. I even called before I wanted to do this and spoke to another officer at another location and she too told me that it would not be a problem just to have all my medical records ready. So, what can it hurt to do it. but thanks