Military Prep Help (:
RAEinterian
Posts: 20 Member
Hello all!
I'm currently prepping to join the navy or the airforce. I haven't decided which branch is right for me. I think it would be in my best interest to get fit in the mean time. The recruiter that I talked to said that I need to be at 33% body fat to join. I'm currently at 36.5%, according to an omron body fat calculator, but the military measures your neck, hips & waist. Their measurements say that I'm at 38% body fat, although they admit their method isn't 100% accurate. Any advice on how to drop weight the quickest & safest? I'm currently on a 2000 diet & burning about 1000+ calories a day w/ lifting & cardio combined. Thanks in advance! (:
I'm currently prepping to join the navy or the airforce. I haven't decided which branch is right for me. I think it would be in my best interest to get fit in the mean time. The recruiter that I talked to said that I need to be at 33% body fat to join. I'm currently at 36.5%, according to an omron body fat calculator, but the military measures your neck, hips & waist. Their measurements say that I'm at 38% body fat, although they admit their method isn't 100% accurate. Any advice on how to drop weight the quickest & safest? I'm currently on a 2000 diet & burning about 1000+ calories a day w/ lifting & cardio combined. Thanks in advance! (:
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Replies
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Do you want quickest, or do you want safest? The two are vastly different approaches.
Eating 2000, then burning off 1000 for a net of 1000 is not the safest.0 -
It sounds like you're doing it right. There is no good quick fix. Implement a clean whole food diet, includes aerobic exercise and weights. Give up alcohol for a month to get a jump start.
Good luck. Friend me if you want to provide mural support to reach our goals.
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I want the safest more. I don't want to wash out during boot camp. I'm only on this diet because this is what I was on when I had a personal trainer a few months ago. Although, I'm up for any suggestions. I read that a woman only needs 1000-1200 calories for normal bodily functions, but I'm willing to change my diet. I honestly just don't know how low is too low.0
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Let's start with the basics ... height, current weight, and goal weight.0
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5'6, 205 & I guess 165. Im looking more to get to at least 33% body fat, but 165 sounds pretty reasonable or no?0
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Every branch of service has a regulation that specifies not just a body fat percentage, but a weight that a recruit must meet to enlist. Do your homework and look up that information.
Once you know what you must meet just to join, accept the fact that losing in the neighborhood of 40 pounds safely is a time consuming effort. This puts enlistment months, not a few weeks, down the road. The 1200 calorie guideline for women is to meet minimum nutritional needs ... not to support an active lifestyle. Get accurate logging your intake now while things like weighing are an option. Calculate how many calories you need to maintain your weight (this will take some trial and error since all online calculators are based on averages as are the caloric burn for exercise numbers) ... then eat about 500 calories fewer than your maintenance level for around a 1 lb per week projected loss. Protein is your friend for maintaining lean mass ... so is resistance training.
Look at what you need to do to pass the physical fitness tests then find a structured program to work towards those goals. Get yourself into shape to run miles without stopping (you will be expected to run further than the fitness test distance during basic) and do pushups ... if you choose the Navy, be able to pass the swim test. Again, this is not a quick fix and will take time.
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I understand it will take time. I'm hoping it'll take me no more than a year.. The 165 weight is the max for my height for the military, but I wasn't sure about body fat. I couldn't find specific weights for each branch, just a general. I'll definitely be doing more research. I really appreciate all your advice. Thank you!
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Within a year is very doable. Take your time and do it right so you show up at MEPS ready to ship well within body composition standards and in good enough shape that it minimizes the suck of basic.
Just to make a recruiter's head explode, ask them to show you the regulations covering height and weight at procurement (aka, enlistment). For the Army, that is AR 40-501 which has a more lenient weight standard for enlistment than for avoiding the overweight program once in (AR 600-9) ... about a 5 pound difference for 66" tall females. There are branch specific regulations that cover things such as weight at enlistment. Either Google the hell out of it until you find the regulation or ask your recruiter to show it to you ... if they can't or won't, there are always other recruiters out there trying to meet their mission.
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Oh, good to know. They didn't mention anything like that when I met with them. I'll be sure to ask the next time. Thanks!0
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Hey, I was in the AF. Before you go to boot camp make sure you can run at a decent pace for a few miles, crank out push ups, sit ups, pull ups, ect. The better you are, the easier you'll blend in. You do not want to be the broad struggling in the back!! Add me if you like, good luck0
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Drop the weight doing some cardio and body weight stuff, as that is mostly what you'll do in boot camp most likely. Smart move by not wanting to lose it all too fast. Staying healthy is a much better route.
And don't let ANY recruiter BS you. With some research you can often find guarantees for fields, bonuses, some with advance promotion opportunities. When you have time on your side is the best time to negotiate for such things.0 -
How are you judging your calorie burns because I will almost bet you are not burning 1000 cals a day ....MFP database / machines cut them in half. Do not log weight training there's not much calorie burn there ...or log it as 1 cal
What is your calorie target? How are you logging food? Weighing everything?0 -
RAEinterian wrote: »5'6, 205 & I guess 165. Im looking more to get to at least 33% body fat, but 165 sounds pretty reasonable or no?
5'6 and 205, your BMI max is 155, I'd be looking at losing 1lb a week and. Looking at endurance and weight training
If you were lightly active that would mean you could eat around 1800 cals a day (at current weight)
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How are you judging your calorie burns because I will almost bet you are not burning 1000 cals a day ....MFP database / machines cut them in half. Do not log weight training there's not much calorie burn there ...or log it as 1 cal
What is your calorie target? How are you logging food? Weighing everything?
I use a polar heart rate monitor. It tells me how much I burn per session. I also use an omron body fat measuring tool. I started using both when I used to have a personal trainer & dropped my first 20 lbs. I weigh my foods & track them w/ MFP. A friend of mine suggested IIFYM so I used the calculator on the iifym.com website. It suggested that I consume 2000 calories & a certain amount of macros.0 -
robertw486 wrote: »Drop the weight doing some cardio and body weight stuff, as that is mostly what you'll do in boot camp most likely. Smart move by not wanting to lose it all too fast. Staying healthy is a much better route.
And don't let ANY recruiter BS you. With some research you can often find guarantees for fields, bonuses, some with advance promotion opportunities. When you have time on your side is the best time to negotiate for such things.
Great advice, thanks!0 -
RAEinterian wrote: »How are you judging your calorie burns because I will almost bet you are not burning 1000 cals a day ....MFP database / machines cut them in half. Do not log weight training there's not much calorie burn there ...or log it as 1 cal
What is your calorie target? How are you logging food? Weighing everything?
I use a polar heart rate monitor. It tells me how much I burn per session. I also use an omron body fat measuring tool. I started using both when I used to have a personal trainer & dropped my first 20 lbs. I weigh my foods & track them w/ MFP. A friend of mine suggested IIFYM so I used the calculator on the iifym.com website. It suggested that I consume 2000 calories & a certain amount of macros.
Depending on what exercises you're doing, that HRM may or may not come close. The Omron is inaccurate by any standard.0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »RAEinterian wrote: »How are you judging your calorie burns because I will almost bet you are not burning 1000 cals a day ....MFP database / machines cut them in half. Do not log weight training there's not much calorie burn there ...or log it as 1 cal
What is your calorie target? How are you logging food? Weighing everything?
I use a polar heart rate monitor. It tells me how much I burn per session. I also use an omron body fat measuring tool. I started using both when I used to have a personal trainer & dropped my first 20 lbs. I weigh my foods & track them w/ MFP. A friend of mine suggested IIFYM so I used the calculator on the iifym.com website. It suggested that I consume 2000 calories & a certain amount of macros.
Depending on what exercises you're doing, that HRM may or may not come close. The Omron is inaccurate by any standard.
I use the omron jut to get a general idea of my BF. But how will I know how many calories I burn? I mean, I'm moving constantly during my workouts, even during rest periods between sets & I have an moderately to highly elevated heart rate for at least 80 of my workout.0 -
RAEinterian wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »RAEinterian wrote: »How are you judging your calorie burns because I will almost bet you are not burning 1000 cals a day ....MFP database / machines cut them in half. Do not log weight training there's not much calorie burn there ...or log it as 1 cal
What is your calorie target? How are you logging food? Weighing everything?
I use a polar heart rate monitor. It tells me how much I burn per session. I also use an omron body fat measuring tool. I started using both when I used to have a personal trainer & dropped my first 20 lbs. I weigh my foods & track them w/ MFP. A friend of mine suggested IIFYM so I used the calculator on the iifym.com website. It suggested that I consume 2000 calories & a certain amount of macros.
Depending on what exercises you're doing, that HRM may or may not come close. The Omron is inaccurate by any standard.
I use the omron jut to get a general idea of my BF. But how will I know how many calories I burn? I mean, I'm moving constantly during my workouts, even during rest periods between sets & I have an moderately to highly elevated heart rate for at least 80 of my workout.
As I said, it depends what activity you're doing. A HRM cannot accurately estimate caloric burn from an elevated HR while you're not actively doing the exercise. The calculations are based upon using HR as a proxy for effort during an exercise ... and only steady state cardio at that. If you're using it for relatively steady effort running ... a HRM can come close. If you're using it for yoga or lifting ... it won't be close at all.0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »RAEinterian wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »RAEinterian wrote: »How are you judging your calorie burns because I will almost bet you are not burning 1000 cals a day ....MFP database / machines cut them in half. Do not log weight training there's not much calorie burn there ...or log it as 1 cal
What is your calorie target? How are you logging food? Weighing everything?
I use a polar heart rate monitor. It tells me how much I burn per session. I also use an omron body fat measuring tool. I started using both when I used to have a personal trainer & dropped my first 20 lbs. I weigh my foods & track them w/ MFP. A friend of mine suggested IIFYM so I used the calculator on the iifym.com website. It suggested that I consume 2000 calories & a certain amount of macros.
Depending on what exercises you're doing, that HRM may or may not come close. The Omron is inaccurate by any standard.
I use the omron jut to get a general idea of my BF. But how will I know how many calories I burn? I mean, I'm moving constantly during my workouts, even during rest periods between sets & I have an moderately to highly elevated heart rate for at least 80 of my workout.
As I said, it depends what activity you're doing. A HRM cannot accurately estimate caloric burn from an elevated HR while you're not actively doing the exercise. The calculations are based upon using HR as a proxy for effort during an exercise ... and only steady state cardio at that. If you're using it for relatively steady effort running ... a HRM can come close. If you're using it for yoga or lifting ... it won't be close at all.
Oh wow, I never knew. Thanks.0 -
Continue to eat good healthy whole foods, and just build up strength and endurance. I know went through we had may others who showed up unfot, and didnt take it seriously leading up to their boot campp, but even they made it through, and got in their best shape. So good luck on getting yourself preppared and good luck on your future carreer choice0
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Continue to eat good healthy whole foods, and just build up strength and endurance. I know went through we had may others who showed up unfot, and didnt take it seriously leading up to their boot campp, but even they made it through, and got in their best shape. So good luck on getting yourself preppared and good luck on your future carreer choice
Thank you!0 -
I am currently in the Air Force and have been for almost 23 years. You can ask me anything about joining and I will try to help you out. Start a running program and just work on push-ups and sit-ups and body weight exercises. No need to get crazy right now. You'll start shedding the weight quickly. And whoever told tou not to let a recruiter BS you was spot on. Lol. I work closely with them. (I am in education and training). Ours do their best to be frank and honest but sometimes I think there can be serious communication breakdowns. Lol. Good luck with your choice!0
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lesliebunny wrote: »I am currently in the Air Force and have been for almost 23 years. You can ask me anything about joining and I will try to help you out. Start a running program and just work on push-ups and sit-ups and body weight exercises. No need to get crazy right now. You'll start shedding the weight quickly. And whoever told tou not to let a recruiter BS you was spot on. Lol. I work closely with them. (I am in education and training). Ours do their best to be frank and honest but sometimes I think there can be serious communication breakdowns. Lol. Good luck with your choice!
Oh goodness, time for me to be the obnoxious lady playing 50,000 questions hah. Great advice, thank you!0
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