Whats to join the infantry (reserve) but fat

[TheAstronomer19]

Hi all,

A brief introduction:
I am a 30 year old currently doing my Ph.D but, have always wanted to join the Army (infantry) so, going to take the plunge and do just that. Sorted out my application with the online thing.

Just one problem:
I am quite a fat bastard (BMI of 32) and wondering what can I do to lose the weight gradually?

Regards,
The Astronomer 19

 

[Harry Skinters]

Eat less, move more.

 

[Old Stab]

First off, don't run.
Sounds odd but will your knees and ankles take the punishment at the moment.

Long walks and swimming, burns calories and builds up your cardiovascular, also what's your diet like?

Bin the takeaways and junk food. Eat healthily and get good sleep in, bin the booze as well. You will be surprised how much weight will drop off purely from chinning off the drink.

If you do too much too soon you'll only injure yourself.
Enrol in a gym or boxing club if you can.

 

[CptDanjou]

Hi all,

A brief introduction:
I am a 30 year old currently doing my Ph.D but, have always wanted to join the Army (infantry) so, going to take the plunge and do just that. Sorted out my application with the online thing.

Just one problem:
I am quite a fat bastard (BMI of 32) and wondering what can I do to lose the weight gradually?

Regards,
The Astronomer 19

If you are doing a PhD it takes dedication , use the same dedication and self control to eat healthy and get fit.

 

[Spec-op1989]

First off, don't run.
Sounds odd but will your knees and ankles take the punishment at the moment.

Long walks and swimming, burns calories and builds up your cardiovascular, also what's your diet like?

Bin the takeaways and junk food. Eat healthily and get good sleep in, bin the booze as well. You will be surprised how much weight will drop off purely from chinning off the drink.

If you do too much too soon you'll only injure yourself.
Enrol in a gym or boxing club if you can.

Reserves means getting fit your way.

Most of us on Arrse joined in our late teens and immediately put on hard soled boots, webbing, picked up a rifle and commenced to run several hours a week on concrete or tarmac.

Our knees, collectively, are now buggered.

Bear in mind you'll have tests to prove your fitness based on running, and as an infantryman running in kit comes in to the job. Your training needs to support those future activities but not all your training has to be running.

 

[retread2]

Reserves means getting fit your way.

Most of us on Arrse joined in our late teens and immediately put on hard soled boots, webbing, picked up a the rifle and commenced to run several hours a week on concrete or tarmac.

Our knees, collectively, are now buggered.

Bear in mind you'll have tests to prove your fitness based on running, and as an infantryman running in kit comes in to the job. Your training needs to support those future activities but not all your training has to be running.

Attention to detail there!

 

[Spec-op1989]

Attention to detail there!

That. Or, to be Arrsey, that rifle.

Thanks for highlighting.


@TheAstronomer19 , sorry for the old geezers' in joke on your thread.

 

[morsk]

Cut down on your Pork life, get some exercise

 

[Bob65]

First off, don't run.
Sounds odd but will your knees and ankles take the punishment at the moment.

Long walks and swimming, burns calories and builds up your cardiovascular, also what's your diet like?

Bin the takeaways and junk food. Eat healthily and get good sleep in, bin the booze as well. You will be surprised how much weight will drop off purely from chinning off the drink.

If you do too much too soon you'll only injure yourself.
Enrol in a gym or boxing club if you can.

If your gym has assault bikes you can get some good training in that is very transferrable to running, and won't damage your joints. But I will caution you that a lot of what you can do in the gym doesn't transfer to the kinds of fitness the Army wants. Don't waste any time on the bench press for example, or doing bicep curls. Focus on core strength and cardio endurance.

 

[bob_the_bomb]

Hi all,

A brief introduction:
I am a 30 year old currently doing my Ph.D but, have always wanted to join the Army (infantry) so, going to take the plunge and do just that. Sorted out my application with the online thing.

Just one problem:
I am quite a fat bastard (BMI of 32) and wondering what can I do to lose the weight gradually?

Regards,
The Astronomer 19

A PhD is a potential disaster for health and fitness as I found to my own cost.

I bought a dog as a way of forcing me to get away from the computer screen...but you need to come up with a better plan to divide your time between research and fitness training.

 

[Rod924]

Cut down on your Pork life, get some exercise

And in a Blur, you're slimjim

 

[Fishbulb]

Fewer calories is the only way to do it. You can exercise as much as you want but that'll only really make you fitter. Cut back on carbs, and drink plenty of water

 

[javaguzzisti]

This may sound strange but cut bread of all kinds right out.
I retired 27 months ago having always had a small pot belly even when in the Army.
Having retired I stopped making two rounds of sandwiches for my lunch and lost 2'' off my waist and 4 Kilos in 4 weeks. I have always been able to touch my toes but now don't have to stretch first.
And it has never come back.
Agree with the above about not running till you have the weight down.
When you do start running go cross country as it is less damaging to your body and the constant change of ground is better exercise.
For the above bear in mind I last went running in 1994 and now go for 5 mile walks around my village.
Best of luck.

 

[morsk]

 

[Cold_Collation]

Our knees, collectively, are now buggered.

This.

I was talking with a physio mate yesterday. He and I were talking about fitness in middle age (I hit 50 last year, he's in his 40s).

He was saying that of his patients the people he sees with knee problems are all long-term runners. He doesn't see cyclists or swimmers.

If you're at the bottom of the fitness curve, don't run, as @Spec-op1989 says. Start with walking excessively fast - you'll get as much gain as with a slow jog but without the impact. You'll also help with bone density.

Think about it: if you're two stone overweight and you go running, you're effectively running with almost the equivalent of a 30lb pack on. A lot of fit people would struggle with that.

The point is, there will be times as an infanteer that you're going to have to pound the streets/climb hills with weight. You will still need roadwork and hillwork; conditioning to a type of activity is important and the only way get used to humping a bergen is humping a bergen. You also need to build/maintain bone density. I've mentioned this above but it's hugely important. Shin splints will end your career.

There's nothing you can do about that but you can maintain your fitness in other ways at other times.

OP, get in the pool, get on a bike, get a grip of your diet. Especially at the beginning.

 

[Cold_Collation]

Paras. As you are fat you will get to ground quicker when you jump and take out the enemy before the rest of the Toms land.

it’s a good idea. Have a think about it.

First into action.

 

[SONAR-BENDER]

This may sound strange but cut bread of all kinds right out.

Interesting. I only have a couple of slices a day, but I DO like bread and we have some lovely ones here.

What, if anything, did you replace bread with? (in terms of butties, with soup etc?)

 

[Harry Clampers]

Some of us on Arrse joined in our late teens etc...

 

[javaguzzisti]

Interesting. I only have a couple of slices a day, but I DO like bread and we have some lovely ones here.

What, if anything, did you replace bread with? (in terms of butties, with soup etc?)

I didn't replace it.
Instead of eating the sandwiches at work and cooking a meal when I got home I now have a cooked meal at about 3pm. With cornflakes for breakfast and Dry Roasted nut with my beer and whisky at night that is it.
I mostly eat fresh food, chicken and pork with plenty of veg. I have no problem with pasta, rice or spuds.
It was Hovis Brown bread btw so should have been healthier than white.
I mostly miss egg banjos and Marmite on toast but the ridiculous amount fitter I feel as a result of accidentally cutting out bread is worth it.
I am also lucky in that I was REME not PBI and have no issues from my time in the Army, just memories and a pension.

 

[Simmerit]

Fewer calories is the only way to do it. You can exercise as much as you want but that'll only really make you fitter. Cut back on carbs, and drink plenty of water

it’s basic stuff. Eat less and exercise more and the beef will move.

If the lad is carrying too many lbs (imperial measure now with BREXIT) then I’d advise jumping on a bike for 90 minutes 4-5 times a week. He will see a noticeable change in 6 weeks then a second big leap 6 weeks later.

For core I’d go to the local gym and enrol in body pump classes. It’s weights to music and full of fanny but it’s excellent. 45 minute full work out covering tri’s, bi’s and shoulders, chest, back and abs and glutes, quads and calves. 3-4 sessions a week combined with the bike and in 13 weeks you will be on your way to looking like a god.

don’t dismiss the body pump thing. It’s worth a very serious look.