Need some advice on nutrtion and sort-of-fast weight loss

winchestertbh
winchestertbh Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A little background, I am getting ready to leave for USCG boot camp in July, and have been sticking for the most part to an exercise plan, and for the most part, eating reasonably healthy. My one issue is that I work 28 hours a week in a Chinese restaurant, and am going to be working there for a few more weeks. Quite a bit of the time, I will grab a bowl of wonton soup or small dish of something on the menu, or just eat junk on my later shifts. Last night, I ate quite a bit and managed to gain five pounds overnight (I'm aware its water weight, it just still upsets me). Any advice on what I can do? If I keep going at this rate, I feel as if my entire level of fitness II have built will go away and that my process of enlistment could be slowed. Would protein bars and shakes brought to work as meals be a good idea? I want to eat enough to fuel, but just want to be as healthy as possible.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Why not just eat a little less?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Pack your lunch. Or eat at home. How long are your shifts? With working 28 hours you have 140 other hours during the week for eating.
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    July is not that far away; focus on your exercise and once boot camp is over you can step back and reevaluate. In boot camp you eat what they give you and you eat it quickly.
  • winchestertbh
    winchestertbh Posts: 2 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Pack your lunch. Or eat at home. How long are your shifts? With working 28 hours you have 140 other hours during the week for eating.

    I work about 6 hours on Monday, Thursday, and Friday nights, and 11:30 am-almost 10:00 pm on Saturday, and sometimes an extra shift, I'm finishing up my senior year so can't do full time, but that's a good point. Thank You :)
  • txteacake67
    txteacake67 Posts: 4 Member
    The thing about most restaurant food, even the soup is that it is loaded with sodium (salt), so I would pack a lunch, cut up some fruit or something with bulk that will make you fill more full, drink as much water as you can. If you must eat at the restaurant, can you have the chef to prepare you some type of protein and veggie dish? Good luck to you
  • 42firm03
    42firm03 Posts: 115 Member
    Upping your protein intake may help you resist temptation. It helps many people with hunger. It's certainly worth a try.

    When you do have food from the restaurant remember how high the sodium is and drink water to try to counteract the water retention.

    Good luck!
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
    Back in the day I worked at McDonald's it was a disaster for me because I ate that junk daily. I finally started packing my meals on the days I had to work and ended up loosing some weight as well. If I felt I wanted food while there instead I tried to make healthier choices a salad with vinegrette a cheeseburger no bun no Mayo and none of that salty season they sprinkle on! You can still eat at your restaurant just ask them to make a small more healthier portion
  • Rogstar
    Rogstar Posts: 216 Member
    edited May 2016
    I'd suggest not worrying about any extra weight gain. Too many factors go into scale weight to always know exactly what is causing it. Just make sure you're within regulation, and Boot Camp will do the rest in a couple of months.

    I assume you're on a pre-camp training regimen, I think they're often suggested by recruiters. I stuck to one for the year prior to AFROTC field camp. Due to a <ahem> life changing event I couldn't even go and ended up leaving the program before I had to commit and owe some of the scholarship money back. But my weight was always on the high end. I was 135-140 at 5'7" so I always had to get my body fat checked as well. I was within whatever range I needed to be because WOW was I muscular back then! This was all 15 years ago so I know things have changed regarding weight, especially in females. Not sure what your particular statistics are or what the USCG ranges are, but especially at only 2 months out, the most important thing is your fitness.

    Keep logging what you eat, bring your own food to work if you need to for your own peace of mind. As long as you stay within your calorie goals and keep those fitness goals in mind, you'll do fine!

    Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    Rogstar wrote: »
    I'd suggest not worrying about any extra weight gain. Too many factors go into scale weight to always know exactly what is causing it. Just make sure you're within regulation, and Boot Camp will do the rest in a couple of months.

    I assume you're on a pre-camp training regimen, I think they're often suggested by recruiters. I stuck to one for the year prior to AFROTC field camp. Due to a <ahem> life changing event I couldn't even go and ended up leaving the program before I had to commit and owe some of the scholarship money back. But my weight was always on the high end. I was 135-140 at 5'7" so I always had to get my body fat checked as well. I was within whatever range I needed to be because WOW was I muscular back then! This was all 15 years ago so I know things have changed regarding weight, especially in females. Not sure what your particular statistics are or what the USCG ranges are, but especially at only 2 months out, the most important thing is your fitness.

    Keep logging what you eat, bring your own food to work if you need to for your own peace of mind. As long as you stay within your calorie goals and keep those fitness goals in mind, you'll do fine!

    Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you!

    Being on the high end at 135-140 and 5'7" is a typo. At 67 inches you can enlist at 175 pounds. What did you mean to say?

    http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/air-force-weight-rules.html

    1dcade577b534247841257f609585b8b.png
  • Rogstar
    Rogstar Posts: 216 Member
    edited May 2016
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Rogstar wrote: »
    I'd suggest not worrying about any extra weight gain. Too many factors go into scale weight to always know exactly what is causing it. Just make sure you're within regulation, and Boot Camp will do the rest in a couple of months.

    I assume you're on a pre-camp training regimen, I think they're often suggested by recruiters. I stuck to one for the year prior to AFROTC field camp. Due to a <ahem> life changing event I couldn't even go and ended up leaving the program before I had to commit and owe some of the scholarship money back. But my weight was always on the high end. I was 135-140 at 5'7" so I always had to get my body fat checked as well. I was within whatever range I needed to be because WOW was I muscular back then! This was all 15 years ago so I know things have changed regarding weight, especially in females. Not sure what your particular statistics are or what the USCG ranges are, but especially at only 2 months out, the most important thing is your fitness.

    Keep logging what you eat, bring your own food to work if you need to for your own peace of mind. As long as you stay within your calorie goals and keep those fitness goals in mind, you'll do fine!

    Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you!

    Being on the high end at 135-140 and 5'7" is a typo. At 67 inches you can enlist at 175 pounds. What did you mean to say?

    http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/air-force-weight-rules.html

    1dcade577b534247841257f609585b8b.png

    This was 15 years ago, in the ROTC program. The max weight for females was much lower back then, and the minimum fitness goals were much different. I hit 145 (I believe my official max was 147) on a casual weigh-in my freshman year, but it happened that one of the officers was in there and she recommended that I get a body fat check for every official weigh in. There were often individuals who were harder on cadets on the high end, so If I had my BF% next to the weight on the chart, usually there were no questions.

    Edited to add: Yep, looks like they changed in 2004. Basically the USAF goes by BMI now, so men and women have the same weight requirements for height. I went through all this in 1999-2000, so different times! Looks like USCG has similar max weight, so I'm sure the OP will be just fine!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    edited May 2016
    Rogstar wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Rogstar wrote: »
    I'd suggest not worrying about any extra weight gain. Too many factors go into scale weight to always know exactly what is causing it. Just make sure you're within regulation, and Boot Camp will do the rest in a couple of months.

    I assume you're on a pre-camp training regimen, I think they're often suggested by recruiters. I stuck to one for the year prior to AFROTC field camp. Due to a <ahem> life changing event I couldn't even go and ended up leaving the program before I had to commit and owe some of the scholarship money back. But my weight was always on the high end. I was 135-140 at 5'7" so I always had to get my body fat checked as well. I was within whatever range I needed to be because WOW was I muscular back then! This was all 15 years ago so I know things have changed regarding weight, especially in females. Not sure what your particular statistics are or what the USCG ranges are, but especially at only 2 months out, the most important thing is your fitness.

    Keep logging what you eat, bring your own food to work if you need to for your own peace of mind. As long as you stay within your calorie goals and keep those fitness goals in mind, you'll do fine!

    Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you!

    Being on the high end at 135-140 and 5'7" is a typo. At 67 inches you can enlist at 175 pounds. What did you mean to say?

    http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/air-force-weight-rules.html

    1dcade577b534247841257f609585b8b.png

    This was 15 years ago, in the ROTC program. The max weight for females was much lower back then, and the minimum fitness goals were much different. I hit 145 (I believe my official max was 147) on a casual weigh-in my freshman year, but it happened that one of the officers was in there and she recommended that I get a body fat check for every official weigh in. There were often individuals who were harder on cadets on the high end, so If I had my BF% next to the weight on the chart, usually there were no questions.

    The weight standards were different for officers back then? The max weight for enlisting females was in the 160s when I joined in the 80s. Unless there were different standards for officers, I can't see the weights fluctuating so dramatically.

    At this point in time, ROTC is the same as regular: https://www.afrotc.com/program-requirements/physical
  • Rogstar
    Rogstar Posts: 216 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Rogstar wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Rogstar wrote: »
    I'd suggest not worrying about any extra weight gain. Too many factors go into scale weight to always know exactly what is causing it. Just make sure you're within regulation, and Boot Camp will do the rest in a couple of months.

    I assume you're on a pre-camp training regimen, I think they're often suggested by recruiters. I stuck to one for the year prior to AFROTC field camp. Due to a <ahem> life changing event I couldn't even go and ended up leaving the program before I had to commit and owe some of the scholarship money back. But my weight was always on the high end. I was 135-140 at 5'7" so I always had to get my body fat checked as well. I was within whatever range I needed to be because WOW was I muscular back then! This was all 15 years ago so I know things have changed regarding weight, especially in females. Not sure what your particular statistics are or what the USCG ranges are, but especially at only 2 months out, the most important thing is your fitness.

    Keep logging what you eat, bring your own food to work if you need to for your own peace of mind. As long as you stay within your calorie goals and keep those fitness goals in mind, you'll do fine!

    Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you!

    Being on the high end at 135-140 and 5'7" is a typo. At 67 inches you can enlist at 175 pounds. What did you mean to say?

    http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/air-force-weight-rules.html

    1dcade577b534247841257f609585b8b.png

    This was 15 years ago, in the ROTC program. The max weight for females was much lower back then, and the minimum fitness goals were much different. I hit 145 (I believe my official max was 147) on a casual weigh-in my freshman year, but it happened that one of the officers was in there and she recommended that I get a body fat check for every official weigh in. There were often individuals who were harder on cadets on the high end, so If I had my BF% next to the weight on the chart, usually there were no questions.

    The weight standards are different for officers? The max weight for enlisting females was in the 160s when I joined in the 80s. Unless there are different standards for officers, I can't see the weights fluctuating so dramatically.

    At this point in time, ROTC is the same as regular: https://www.afrotc.com/program-requirements/physical

    I have no idea if they were different then, I do know they're the same now as my brother has been looking into the possiblity of going to OTS. I was only involved in the program for my Freshman & Sophmore year, and I never looked into the enlisted requirements at the time. I was told my max and i had to stay under it. The 147lbs max was a guess, and honestly I'm 5'-6.5" now :smile: so maybe I was measured at 66 inches back then. The body fat check was a precaution. I know I always came in at least 5% less than needed.

    You know, they don't even have weight requirements once you're in anymore! That's got to be a change...I remember so much emphasis on ways to maintain weight!
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
    I was in AF Basic Training in the 80's. We did a lot of running and PT and there wasn't much time to eat. We walked in formation everywhere we went. We awoke at 5 am. Before breakfast, we got ready in 5 minutes for PT then got showers (10 shower heads in a shower room for 50 women) and dressed for the day, made our beds, and got the bay ready for inspection. Before eating we had to each drink 2 glasses of water. So you can maybe you can get up early and start focusing on exercise and eat healthy fast meals! And drink your water.

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