Military Spouses

2

Replies

  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    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
    vauleese Posts: 75
    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
    lilmom1 Posts: 69
    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
    lilmom1 Posts: 69
    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
    mykaar74 Posts: 253
    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
    lilmom1 Posts: 69
    Thanks you all ...soo glad to see you all on here! God Bless
  • mikkimomof3
    mikkimomof3 Posts: 224 Member
    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
    curlytop89 Posts: 163 Member
    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
    AmandaR910 Posts: 991
    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
    lkm111 Posts: 629 Member
    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!
  • curlytop89
    curlytop89 Posts: 163 Member
    I know what you mean, about the feeling like the island part. I guess I do a lot of the same stuff than when he is home, but when you live in a place where you have no family then your husband is gone, it makes things even worse. We are a guard family, my husband is full time guard and took a position in a different state 7 years ago. He went to iraq in 2005 and we had to deal with hurricane katrina on our own. Guess it teaches you to get things done no matter what. It is difficult not being able to share things with someone on a daily basis, and my husband and I are very close.

    Amanda, don't try to lose too much weight while you are still pregnant. Just eat normally. Have you been exercising before now? If not, I wouldn't try to add too much, like running at this point. It's only a couple more months, if that, and it's not worth it to risk your pregnancy. I know when you are this far along you feel like a huge oaf and just want your old self back, but be patient. When that baby comes, you can really get going on the weight loss. For some people breastfeeding helps the weight come off faster, (not me, ha ha, but some people) I hope you have help with your little ones. I suppose by now your are learning to juggle all there schedules. Kudos to you for just being able to keep up with them. Let me know how it goes. I had my last baby a year and a half ago and didn't really lose any weight until about 6 months later, then I really had to put an effort forth. I guess it's just my older body (38) that takes longer to recover. I feel a lot better now and have more energy. If I can just keep it off while my husband is away, that will be an accomplishment.
  • AmandaR910
    AmandaR910 Posts: 991
    Amanda, don't try to lose too much weight while you are still pregnant. Just eat normally. Have you been exercising before now? If not, I wouldn't try to add too much, like running at this point. It's only a couple more months, if that, and it's not worth it to risk your pregnancy. I know when you are this far along you feel like a huge oaf and just want your old self back, but be patient. When that baby comes, you can really get going on the weight loss. For some people breastfeeding helps the weight come off faster, (not me, ha ha, but some people) I hope you have help with your little ones. I suppose by now your are learning to juggle all there schedules. Kudos to you for just being able to keep up with them. Let me know how it goes. I had my last baby a year and a half ago and didn't really lose any weight until about 6 months later, then I really had to put an effort forth. I guess it's just my older body (38) that takes longer to recover. I feel a lot better now and have more energy. If I can just keep it off while my husband is away, that will be an accomplishment.

    My DR is closely monitoring my diet and exercise, don't worry. I cleared it all with her first. I had gained 22.5lbs in 6 weeks (mostly water, but the Mcdonald's wasn't helping lol). For exercise I'm doing brisk walking or the elliptical which my DR said was fine. I had an appointment today and she looked over my meals and exercise and weight loss and said it was great. :)
    I lost the weight with DD (40lbs) no issue and with DS I lost until I got pregnant again lost 30 of 52lbs) so I'm not too worried about losing it this time. I am not able to BF so I just depend on the food and exercise.
  • caejde
    caejde Posts: 29 Member
    My husband and I are both veteran's. I was a mil spouse while he was deployed though. Also, I was just working at a Marine Corps base as a contractor and I loved being back around the military!
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
    Hello!

    My husband is the Marine Corps. We've been married for *almost* 3 years and we have a 1 year old. We're at Quantico right now!
  • curlytop89
    curlytop89 Posts: 163 Member
    amanda, sounds like you are doing great, although I don't know what DD or DS stand for. Guess that's my age showing, ha ha. Keep up the good work. Will your husband get any leave to see the baby once you deliver?
  • semperfiwife
    semperfiwife Posts: 55
    Marine Corps wife here :) My husband is currently in Afghanistan, this is our second deployment. His first one I lost 30 pounds! Then the year he was at home...I gained about 20 of that back. So now I'm ready to lose it again. It's great to see so many other spouses and veterans here. I'd love to be friends with anyone going throug the same journey :)
  • curlytop89
    curlytop89 Posts: 163 Member
    Okay, I have been really down this week. Our church is doing some sort of big veteran's day thing next week, and I don't even know if I want to go. I guess I am just missing my other half. My kids keep me busy. I was training for a half marathon which I completed last weekend. I was in a great mood until that was done. Now I guess I need something else too work towards. Any ideas?
  • downtownstazi
    downtownstazi Posts: 143 Member
    I am also a young military wife. My husband has been in the Air Force for five years and we are stationed in Alaska. (brrr..)
    Since I've been married, I thought I could eat like my husband and be okay..well I was wrong..I want to lose fourty...I've lost ten so far.

    Feel free to add me and we can join a coalition of military wives! Woo! heehee.
  • Nailrep
    Nailrep Posts: 966 Member
    I'm not a spouse. But I am a Navy mom. THAT caused a 30 pound weight gain in the last 2 1/2 years!! LOL
  • jmyers1230
    jmyers1230 Posts: 67 Member
    I'm married to an Air Force man. Luckily he hasn't been deployed, but I know plenty of wives who have gone through deployments recently. I'm civilian, but I work on base. I take care of all the kids at the child development center. We know who has a deployed parent, who had a parent return recently, and a lot of inside information on all the parent's relationships. We have to know all of this just to take care of the kids the best we can. A lot of the kids we have at the cdc spend more time with us than with their own parents.

    The life of the military family is tough and it's something you don't realize until you are a part of it. But, we're strong enough for it.

    Good luck to everyone on their weight loss goals!
  • canaussie
    canaussie Posts: 168 Member
    My BF was just deployed in January, this is the firs time we have been apart. I think I am coping pretty well right now, I am doing my best to use this time while he is gone to lose weight and concentrate on me. I miss him like crazy, but think that this time apart will only make us stronger.
  • curlytop89
    curlytop89 Posts: 163 Member
    I am getting a bit worn out lately, mentally more than anything. Guess it's the sick baby and pressure from work to dump my kids with a stranger so I can work all hours of the night. Anyway, it is hard not being on a base, and being away from any family. Phone calls and internet aren't the same, and they cant keep your kids for a few hours, ha ha. Anyway, I haven't been eating right lately. Just feeling pulled in many directions and feeling like I am not doing well in any of them. Seems like after awhile I just stop feeling things in order to keep from feeling too much and then I just get in a funk. Hopefully it will pass.
  • JAG1224
    JAG1224 Posts: 191 Member
    My husband is deployed right now and we just had our first baby. My goal while he's gone is to get back into pre-baby, or actually pre-marriage weight. HAHA. Best wishes to you in your weight loss journey and thank you to you and your husband for your service to our country. :)
  • curlytop89
    curlytop89 Posts: 163 Member
    Going to try to get back into the swing of things. Just gotta keep on keepin on right!
  • boomstick13s
    boomstick13s Posts: 70
    Married 8 years to an awesome man who just happens to be in the army. He is doing a drill sgt. assignment right now, and we can't wait for that to be over!
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    im a military spouse too, for almost 5 yrs. on top of that im a military brat too!
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    I'm married to an Air Force man. Luckily he hasn't been deployed, but I know plenty of wives who have gone through deployments recently. I'm civilian, but I work on base. I take care of all the kids at the child development center. We know who has a deployed parent, who had a parent return recently, and a lot of inside information on all the parent's relationships. We have to know all of this just to take care of the kids the best we can. A lot of the kids we have at the cdc spend more time with us than with their own parents.

    The life of the military family is tough and it's something you don't realize until you are a part of it. But, we're strong enough for it.

    Good luck to everyone on their weight loss goals!
    do the air force base child care centers do operation hearts apart, where you get so many free hours of daycare, like army does? just curious.
  • Mkleder
    Mkleder Posts: 289
    My boyfriend was deployed to Afghanistan in January. I'm using the time before he returns on R&R to get back to the shape I was when we met. Then, I hope to continue so that when he redeploys at the end of the year, an even better version of me will be waiting for him.

    Right now I'm going through one of those heart-in-throat times when I know he's outside the wire and we are out of contact. It's tougher than I imagined and I don't know how you wives do it. ---And Marine wives, OMG! For you all, this is routine! -- I'll be doing fine, then go to start the laundry and none of his stuff is in the mix and I have to work to keep from coming unhinged. Talk about a set-up for emotional eating!

    On another note, since 2003 I've been sending care packages to the troops at the front - which is how I met my BF. I saw an earlier 2010 post from someone here who was about to deploy and was concerned about food options. If any MFP members are in that boat, I would love to provide support -- sending boxes with "clean eating" options to help them along. Just send me a message.

    Thank you to all the spouses out there for keeping the wheels from falling off back at home. I have seen, as an outside observer, how hard it can be on the deployed member to know of things going wrong and being completely helpless to do anything about it, It requires a lot of communication skills to balance the "keeping them in the loop" with not distracting them from their missions. Now, I'm just getting the sample platter of what it's like on the spouse's side. *Respect*
  • crazymgpilot
    crazymgpilot Posts: 26 Member
    You know I think the military wives have it harder than the spouses who deploy. i'm currently deployed and am finally almost done with 15 months of deployment with the AF. It's hard to be away, but the big thing is that we're busy, we're working and we have a mission that keeps us occupied and often worn out. Our wives on the other hand are at home, struggling with the kids, being a single mom even though they're not single moms. I want my wife to know that I appreciate her and all she's sacrificed. After all this is my 8th + deployment since joining and it never gets any easier for either of us, but it's harder on the family at home in my opinion.

    I agree though that military kids have a completely different set of circumstances than many of the children they go to school with and if my kids are a good example, they adjust to the changes and it can be very good for them, but it can also cause emotional problems if the military member is gone a lot. All in all, I salute all you military spouses that keep the fight going at home, keep the kids in line, survive the weather, the house problems, the nosy neighbors, the local incidents, whatever, all while your spouse is in harms way. Thank you for YOUR service because joining the military does NOT just affect the military member...it's a family thing.
  • tinalina81
    tinalina81 Posts: 81
    I am a proud Army Wife and stay at home mom. I know it is hard sometimes to balance it all but for the first time i am really putting some real effort into it.
    I thought just last night about making a military group on MFP so we can all support each other since we move so frequently.
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