Trying to join the Army

Joining the military is a big decision, but it can be one that sets you up for future success. As far as working out just start working on pushups and situps and building up to a 2 mile run. That is what the Army tests you on so you don't have to join a gym. When I went to basic training there were people who were overweight and out of shape but by the time it is over you WILL be in better shape and able to pass an APFT, Basic Training is focused on ensuring everyone can pass the minimum requirements. Some people can do more than others but don't worry too much about being a PT stud before you join. Make sure to drink lots of water and watch your portion sizes if you don't have any way to track calories, no need to overthink it.

Also, my biggest advice is to really research what MOS (military job) you want to go into and speak to a recruiter when you are ready.

Good luck to you and let me know if you have any questions.

A good site for pushups and situps is : 300situps.com and alternative100pushups.com it works!

Joining the military is a big decision, but it can be one that sets you up for future success. As far as working out just start working on pushups and situps and building up to a 2 mile run. That is what the Army tests you on so you don't have to join a gym. When I went to basic training there were people who were overweight and out of shape but by the time it is over you WILL be in better shape and able to pass an APFT, Basic Training is focused on ensuring everyone can pass the minimum requirements. Some people can do more than others but don't worry too much about being a PT stud before you join. Make sure to drink lots of water and watch your portion sizes if you don't have any way to track calories, no need to overthink it.

Also, my biggest advice is to really research what MOS (military job) you want to go into and speak to a recruiter when you are ready.

Good luck to you and let me know if you have any questions.

A good site for pushups and situps is : 300situps.com and alternative100pushups.com it works!

Good advice.
I would suggest talking to more than one recruiter actually to get all the facts straight. Have 3-4 MOS's that you WANT to actually do and DO NOT allow them to talk you into one that you are not really fond of. I have seen alot of kids get swayed into positions they really didnt want.

As this person said, check out the standards. Yes there are people who are out of shape when they go...DO NOT BE ONE OF THEM.
There are enough stressers in BCT and worrying about the PT test shouldnt be one of them. I have never came close to failing one and even at that there is some aprehension on PT test day. Those who came in ill prepared had added stress. One of the ways to stay off the DS's radar is to come in physically prepared.

Hey Trey,

Best of luck with your goal. As a veteran, I am glad to here you have the desire to serve your country. Don't worry about counting the calories you have burned with exercise. There is no device that will give you an accurate number on this. My advice would be to enter your info here at MFP as a sedentary lifestyle, lose two pounds per week, and then track your food. You need to eat the number of calories it says per day and try to stay within +100 calories of that number. Weight loss is 80% food and 20% exercise.

When it comes to the physical fitness, you need to be able to complete the PT test before you enter. I know they don't require this, but if you meet their requirements for body fat percentage and are not physically fit entering basic training, you will get injured. I guarantee it. So, I also recommend the Couch-to-5k as a start, there is also an app for 100 pushups and 100 sit-ups. You won't need to do anywhere near that many when you do your PT test, but it won't hurt to be able to do it.

My last bit of advice. When you get to basic training, remember that it is mostly a head game. Do exactly what you are told, when you are told to do it. Don't do more than you need to, or less than expected. Do EXACTLY what you are told. If you do this, you will be fine. Expect to get singled out. Even with the weight loss before going in, you are still very likely to be heavier than most of the other privates, and the Drill Sergeants won't let you forget it. Good Luck!

i wasn't knocking the combat MOSs...my husband was an Airborne Ranger, and my father was a tanker. Still, the better you score, the better opportunities there are for special schools and such after you enlist.

I applaud your patriotism, and your determination to "defend the homeland", but truth be told, you'll probably spend more time training, working in the motorpool and pulling detail/duty. The methods of combat have been changing for years, an M-16 is a handy thing to have, and no one is saying these are phasing out any time soon, but gear is getting much more technical than it was in my day, and that was only 15 years ago.

And combat MOSs? You're looking at 80% percentile for the APFT, higher for the elite groups, like Rangers or SF. my husband was with the 2BN, 75th Rangers and he couldn't score below 95% and still expect to be able to leave post on the weekends. Many of those guys are on the extended scale...

My son lost nearly 70 lbs in 5 months by cutting carbs and eating as much unprocessed foods as possible. Our food bill actually went down by cooking from scratch instead of buying packaged food. We already were cooking at home because I was the only one employed. I have been supporting our family alone for over 10 years so I know what you are going through.

The secret to making flavorful meats (especially chicken) is to brine or marinate it. I put frozen meat in a Ziploc bag or container the night before with a simple brine or marinade and let it thaw & season at the same time.

My second recommendation is invest in a crock pot. You can use cheaper cuts of meat, trim the excess fat, and simmer it all day and it will be as tender as the more expensive cuts...which may also have a higher fat content.

My last suggestion is to look for recipes with 5 or fewer ingredients. It is very frustrating to try to come up with a variety of meals
when all the recipes have 20 ingredients or some spice you'll use once that costs $100 an ounce. Variety is very important to keep you satisfied. Satisfied = less cravings.

By the way, I'm a 59 year old woman and I lost 21 lbs while my 24 year old son was losing his 70. So stay determined. Our country needs good soldiers.

I dont have anything to track the calories i burn, also it's really hard to count calories for me. Like let me give you an example if I cook a baked chicken breast what can I put on it for flavor that isn't gonna completly ruin the calorie count, and how many calories is just a chicken breast without adding anything. another sucky thing is i don't have a gym to go to just the home DVD.

Salsa gives a lot of flavor for around 20 calories for 1-2 tablespoons (less is more). Or brush with BBQ sauce or cajun seasoning or lime & cilantro & cumin for a Mexican twist. Chicken's not my favorite, but it is usually the cheapest option, so I just put it in recipes (even if it's just Hamburger Helper) in place of hamburger or fattier meats.

Hi Trey,

I am also trying to lose weight to join the military in the last two months I've lost 40 pounds and have about 60 more pounds to go. You can do this and you don't have to spend a lot of money to do it. Although my job has always been more physically demanding then most I also have changed my lifestyle. I walk to my library on my days off instead of driving and around my neighborhood . I always park further away from the store now. And as far as eating cheaper there is nothing cheaper than an can of vegetables which will be your best friend. Don't drink any soda either just buy plenty jugs of water they are under a dollar buy maybe 2-3 a week and challenge yourself to Finish them. As far as a gym I don't belong to one either because of the cost. So I do planks, crunches, leg raises and a bunch of mixes I've found on the internet while watching tv. As far as the branch your joining I'm not trying to tell you which one to join but I've heard that the Air Force is better for people with families. Even so whichever one good luck we can do this !!! Also make sure your family is ready to diet with you that always helps. Good luck

Good luck Trey!!

if working out leaves you short of breath, why not start with walking at a pace that makes you warm up but not pant. see if you can go 30 minutes a day, then add 5 minutes every few days. if you can't go 30 minutes to start, start at 20 or even 15, and try adding 5 minutes a week if possible. you can add your walks here on MFP, and it will figure out the calories for you. once you build your cardio, you'll be able to do other working out without breathlessness.

Nice for making the decision to join.

I did Basic in 2009, as a reservist in a non-combat MOS, and then had a ELS so I'm not a veteran. During Basic and AIT, or for you OST, you train with reservists, guardsmen and active duty. I was similar to you. I was 230lbs and over the weight limit, I'm in the 5'8-5'9... got a big neck, and the recruiters back then were more into getting recruits in. So I did luck by, and got help from the measurers at MEPS. At your weight though, I'd say you don't have a shot of a recruiter accepting you unless you shed some pounds. At 21, you're in the toughest test zone. I was in my mid-20s so I was more laxed.

I was at Fort Jackson, relaxing jackson and manage to lose 30lbs at graduation. Pretty intense. I scored pretty high on ASVABs as well, 97th percentile.. should done have active duty... but as a reservist with a split-option (all my training was in summer to meet with my school schedule) I was extremely limited to MOS that had opened slots in my city.Spring 2009 was the last spurge of big bonus and recruitment. I was still in school, so had the points to go in as E3. It's okay to be a POG. Some people join for the action of combat arms, I known others who went cuz the education, nursing cert, cisco network certs, etc. Others went for school benefits (i was in this group). Everyone goes in with the goal to serve the country, but at picking job time you decide what you want to do out of it. For me, I knew I would graduate college so I wouldn't need to pick an MOS that would prepare me for civilian world, and that helped me in my decision (alas reservists is limited in choices). My buddy is using army to help him become an IT professional once he gets out.

Trying to join, you will definitely need to pick up the fitness. The fitness test is always the same. If you can pass it, wonderful. My take away from basic is that it's not physically challenging if you're in shape. All the athletes and fit people made it fine through any smokin' session or PT. It's just a mentally taxing challenge but all and all my best 'summer camp adventure' ever. I'd do it again. I mean physically it's taxing on the body, but drill sgts won't kill you... and nothing you or destroy you. You will be sore a few days. It's still nothing to those who are used to pushing their bodies daily. For me it was tough, I made it through. Others didn't. I got lucky, i had good buddies and I ran 2 miles like my life depended on it.

If the working out is rough at the moment, the best now is to start slow and steady. walking on the incline, or something of the sort. After two weeks of cardio for me, i'm not dropping huge pounds, but my body is ready for me to up the resistance. Eating 'well' isn't too expensive. Ingredients to make a simple chicken salad is about $10, and can last you a week for lunch. You may need to spend more if it's gonna be dinner too. you can try those soy meal replacement shake mixes to help fill you up too. Diet will help a lot.

the demand isn't as high for recruits as it was in 2009. My buddy worked as a recruiter before returning to an infantry unit. They won't offer as many waivers like they did. So it will be tough, but good luck.