Joining Air Force Reserves. Need to drop 80lbs!!!

Are you still growing taller? If you've not stopped growing taller, then I wouldn't try this. You can't cut calories down far enough to make it in time without harming your growth.

If you have stopped growing taller -- I'm not saying not to try and give it your all -- it couldn't hurt, but you need a Plan B. You should plan on 40 weeks to lose 80 lbs, and that's if you're decently tall and can withstand a deficit of over 1000 calories a day.

I have lost 65 lbs. in 113 days, and that's incredible. But the first two months were very fast and this latest month has been only 1.5 lbs. a week. I'm 5'11" and started at 298.

Over 30 years ago, I crashed dieted to get into the USAF, at 5'11" I had to be below 205 at the time. Just made it, but then I gained weight in Basic Training and ended up in trouble. Things are different now, weight program wise. But be well informed.

StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach wrote: »

Totally doable! I've seen it with my own eyes.

No, not doable. 80lbs in 4 months is totally unrealistic. That's a 2300 calorie DEFICIT per day for the next 4 months.

40lbs in 4 months would be pushing it, but possible. Anything more is extremely dangerous and will result in you losing a whole bunch of muscle along with fat.

That would be a loss of 5 pounds per week.... I'm going to go with that's far too much to expect. You might lose quickly at first, perhaps right at that 5 pounds per week for a few weeks even, but you will slow down the more you lose.

I mean yeah I'm sure you *could* do it, but it's not going to be done in a healthy fashion, and you're going to feel like crap going into basic.

Like everybody else has said, it is not something you should do as it won't be healthy.

if you go on a 500 Calorie deficit with your food and also do around 300 cals worth of Exercise on top, (meaning a net deficit of around 800 cals) you could lose it within around a year. I wouldn't recommend anything more extreme else you may lose muscle.

During this time as well as cardio, do strength training to keep the muscle, and take in lots of protein for recovery.

Air Force guy here... lots of desks in the Air Force. Desks don't make you fat - eating too much and not moving around enough makes you fat. Lots of people who do crash diets to get in, and lots who get fat again once they make the initial cut. The ones who do the crash diets eventually have their impulsive/undisciplined ways catch up with them, and I've had the pleasure of kicking some of them out.

As far as the body fat % to get in, well, that's a very small minority. Odds are if you can't make the abdominal circumference, you ain't passing the other three components of the test. Unless you're Brock Lesnar. And you don't look like him.

You can do this either healthy or fast, but not both. 80lbs in 4mos ain't gonna happen, so you might as well come clean to your buddy and recruiter now rather than annoy everyone 3 weeks out.

brianhenderson74 wrote: »

Myrmilt wrote: »

Just a bit off topic, but have you met with a recruiter at all? To discuss with them your plans - and to see if you are even qualified if you did indeed lose weight?

Also weight isn't the end all be all in the military, body fat can be used, and is used in many instances for military members that do not meet the general height and weight guidelines.

This...I am active duty Navy and have seen this first hand. Talk with a physician after the recruiter and you know where you stand. Feel free to add me as a friend for encouragement if you like. I wish you the best as you consider this career move.

My experience stems from active duty Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, and ARNG.

That was very kind of Brian to offer his advice and experience - I would recommend taking him up on it.

I wasn't too sure about using body fat to get in - and I know the Air Force used to be a popular branch and could be quite picky about who they took for their quotas.

My experience is from quite a few years ago, and I don't know what the recruiting scene looks like now. But I do know that the Army has been actively engaged in getting rid of unsat members as their quotas are down.

SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »

You can do this either healthy or fast, but not both. 80lbs in 4mos ain't gonna happen, so you might as well come clean to your buddy and recruiter now rather than annoy everyone 3 weeks out.

Quoted for truth. Set a more realistic time frame, and think of this not as dieting to achieve a goal but making a lifestyle change. I recommend reading Dr. Yoni Freedhoff's recently published book The Diet Fix.

Myrmilt wrote: »

SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »

Air Force guy here... lots of desks in the Air Force. Desks don't make you fat - eating too much and not moving around enough makes you fat. Lots of people who do crash diets to get in, and lots who get fat again once they make the initial cut. The ones who do the crash diets eventually have their impulsive/undisciplined ways catch up with them, and I've had the pleasure of kicking some of them out.

As far as the body fat % to get in, well, that's a very small minority. Odds are if you can't make the abdominal circumference, you ain't passing the other three components of the test. Unless you're Brock Lesnar. And you don't look like him.

You can do this either healthy or fast, but not both. 80lbs in 4mos ain't gonna happen, so you might as well come clean to your buddy and recruiter now rather than annoy everyone 3 weeks out.

Will keep all comments about desks and Air Force to myself and play very nicely with the other branches. But I got a good chuckle.

It's true! My rear-end is parked in a headquarters building desk all day.