Getting in shape for the military- Day 45

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Tab

Lifer
Sep 15, 2002
12,145
0
76
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Day 6:

I followed the Couch Potato-to-5K guide that Amused gave me again.

This is off topic but you want to send me that? I am 130 skins and bones. Anyone have any recommendations on how I can get some actuall meat on me? I am a toothpick. Its getting very cold outside, so indoor activites are good :D
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
34,784
1,965
126
Couch Potato-5K

I have no idea how you can gain weight correctly Tabb. I'm a big southern boy. :)

I bought James Taylor-Greatest Hits and The Beatles-One incase anyone cares.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Chaotic42,

You're doing fine. The raw lungs and windpipe will fade over time. Give it a week or two.

Again, do not do your cardio more than once a day, and no more than 4-5 times a week. Try to give yourself 24-48 hours between cardio workouts, and 48 hours minimum between muscle group weight training. Your muscles need at least this much time to repair. The gains in weight and resistance training are not made while doing them, they are made during recovery. Screw up that recovery time by over-training, and you gain nothing but injuries and burnout.

If you do pushups/bench presses today, don't do them again for another 48 hours. While you let one muscle group recover, you can do another group the next day. Say like pushups today, and pull ups tomorrow. You should be doing a balanced weight training program at a gym and working all major muscle groups.

:)

 

Lucky

Lifer
Nov 26, 2000
13,126
1
0
Is there a scientific way to measure muscle mass? I know my body fat is dropping but my weight loss is stagntating right now, and I'd like to track my muscle mass.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Originally posted by: Lucky
Is there a scientific way to measure muscle mass? I know my body fat is dropping but my weight loss is stagntating right now, and I'd like to track my muscle mass.

I know there is... I just haven't done it, and don't know much about it. Fausto would probably know more about that.

I eyeballed my body to see where I was at. The more vascular my arms and legs looked when resting, the more I knew I had lost. Also, the smaller my gut and spare tire got, along with the smaller my waist size got, I knew I was making progress.

And then there is the "jiggle test:" Get naked and stand in front of a mirror. Flex all your muscles and jump up and down. What wiggles and jiggles is fat you need to lose. :D If the jiggles are going away or becoming fewer, you know you're making progress. :)

I seldom watched the scale. I just looked at myself, and realized I had obtained what I wanted when I no longer disgusted myself by looking in the mirror while naked. :)
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
34,784
1,965
126
Originally posted by: Amused
Chaotic42,

You're doing fine. The raw lungs and windpipe will fade over time. Give it a week or two.

Again, do not do your cardio more than once a day, and no more than 4-5 times a week. Try to give yourself 24-48 hours between cardio workouts, and 48 hours minimum between muscle group weight training. Your muscles need at least this much time to repair. The gains in weight and resistance training are not made while doing them, they are made during recovery. Screw up that recovery time by over-training, and you gain nothing but injuries and burnout.

If you do pushups/bench presses today, don't do them again for another 48 hours. While you let one muscle group recover, you can do another group the next day. Say like pushups today, and pull ups tomorrow. You should be doing a balanced weight training program at a gym and working all major muscle groups.

:)

Ah, they build up when they rest? I didn't know that. I thought it was when they were stressed. Well, I'll lay off the running today then. I'll do situps today, pushups Monday, running Tuesday, then repeat.

I'm glad I'm not going through basic now. Are there really people who go there completely out of shape? That would suck so much... Man, having to run 3 miles after being a couch potato all of your life, then when you can't do it, you have to do pushups then do it anyway.

I want to be able to complete the final test *before* I ship out, making the physical part easy. It will still take time to adjust myself mentally. I'm a very private person, it will be hard to live with all of those guys. My saving grace will be that they'll all feel the same way.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Originally posted by: Amused
Chaotic42,

You're doing fine. The raw lungs and windpipe will fade over time. Give it a week or two.

Again, do not do your cardio more than once a day, and no more than 4-5 times a week. Try to give yourself 24-48 hours between cardio workouts, and 48 hours minimum between muscle group weight training. Your muscles need at least this much time to repair. The gains in weight and resistance training are not made while doing them, they are made during recovery. Screw up that recovery time by over-training, and you gain nothing but injuries and burnout.

If you do pushups/bench presses today, don't do them again for another 48 hours. While you let one muscle group recover, you can do another group the next day. Say like pushups today, and pull ups tomorrow. You should be doing a balanced weight training program at a gym and working all major muscle groups.

:)

Ah, they build up when they rest? I didn't know that. I thought it was when they were stressed. Well, I'll lay off the running today then. I'll do situps today, pushups Monday, running Tuesday, then repeat.

With cardio, you get the results immediately (except for muscle mass). With weight training, your muscles grow in response to the stresses put on them... which means they grow while recovering. The first 24 hours after lifting weights are critical. In this time you want to make sure you have plenty of protein to build the muscle, and carbs to motabolize the protein. But you are also trying to lose weight, so don't over do it.

I'm glad I'm not going through basic now. Are there really people who go there completely out of shape? That would suck so much... Man, having to run 3 miles after being a couch potato all of your life, then when you can't do it, you have to do pushups then do it anyway.

Yeah, it hurts. But a lot of guys go in there not even able to run a mile. Trust me, in 9 weeks they are running 5 miles, marching 10 miles, doing at least 60 situps and 50 pushups. I had a hell of a time, but you'd be surprised what your body can do when forced.

I want to be able to complete the final test *before* I ship out, making the physical part easy. It will still take time to adjust myself mentally. I'm a very private person, it will be hard to live with all of those guys. My saving grace will be that they'll all feel the same way.

That's a good goal. :) But make sure you don't injure yourself by trying too hard and over-training. An injury will knock you out of training for a week minimum, and more likely two to three weeks. Push it when you train, but not to the point of pain. Fatigue=good. Pain=bad.
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
34,784
1,965
126
Here are the PT requirements for the Air Force

Males must meet the following PC assessment requirements to graduate BMT:
Two Mile Run -- 18:00
Sit -Ups -- 45 (in 2 minutes)
Push -Ups -- 32 (in 2 minutes)

Females must meet the following PC assessment requirements to graduate BMT:
Two Mile Run -- 21:00
Sit -Ups -- 45 (in 2 minutes)
Push -Ups -- 14 (in 2 minutes)

I get ripped off!

Anyway, that's much lighter that I thought it would be. Still, I want to at least beat it by 25%.
 

mcveigh

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2000
6,457
6
81
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Here are the PT requirements for the Air Force

Males must meet the following PC assessment requirements to graduate BMT:
Two Mile Run -- 18:00
Sit -Ups -- 45 (in 2 minutes)
Push -Ups -- 32 (in 2 minutes)

Females must meet the following PC assessment requirements to graduate BMT:
Two Mile Run -- 21:00
Sit -Ups -- 45 (in 2 minutes)
Push -Ups -- 14 (in 2 minutes)

I get ripped off!

Anyway, that's much lighter that I thought it would be. Still, I want to at least beat it by 25%.



beat it by 100% you can do it.

from Winston Churchill,
" Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.''
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
34,784
1,965
126
Originally posted by: mcveigh
beat it by 100% you can do it.

from Winston Churchill,
" Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.''

I was actually going to say 100%, but I thought I'd get the rolling eyes pulled on me.

I'm reading the USAF Basic Training FAQ found

here. My TI sounds like a warm and wonderful person. I think I'll draw a picture on the plane and bring it to him....

Yeah. I'm going to be the dude getting hit with the soap-in-a-sock because I didn't make my bed right.
:)
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Here are the PT requirements for the Air Force

Males must meet the following PC assessment requirements to graduate BMT:
Two Mile Run -- 18:00
Sit -Ups -- 45 (in 2 minutes)
Push -Ups -- 32 (in 2 minutes)

Females must meet the following PC assessment requirements to graduate BMT:
Two Mile Run -- 21:00
Sit -Ups -- 45 (in 2 minutes)
Push -Ups -- 14 (in 2 minutes)

I get ripped off!

Anyway, that's much lighter that I thought it would be. Still, I want to at least beat it by 25%.

That's MINIMUM. They grade you on a scale. Your grade follows you and is a factor in promotions. The numbers I gave you would score you 100 for the army PT test. What numbers score 100 for the AF PT test?

Here: Details of the Air Force Physical Fitness Test

You'll want to max this as much as possible.
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
34,784
1,965
126
Originally posted by: Amused

That's MINIMUM. They grade you on a scale. Your grade follows you and is a factor in promotions. The numbers I gave you would score you 100 for the army PT test. What numbers score 100 for the AF PT test?

Here: Details of the Air Force Physical Fitness Test

You'll want to max this as much as possible.

Ah, interesting. Don't worry, I won't leave until I can max that out.

My problem now is slipping in unnoticed. I just hope that I can get a waiver.

I also haven't decided on a job. I'd like to do Crypto, but that won't get me a job outside of the military. My backup choice is network admin, which has the benefit of having it's tech school in my home town at Keesler AFB.
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
34,784
1,965
126
Hey, I'm also curious as to how long it will be before my life returns to "normal" as in I can have a car, my stuff, my own apartment (or will I have a roomate?).
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Hey, I'm also curious as to how long it will be before my life returns to "normal" as in I can have a car, my stuff, my own apartment (or will I have a roomate?).

About three months. I would live on base housing in the barricks for your first year or two. You'll have a roomie, and it will be like living in a dorm... but it's free. It also keeps you out of trouble.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Day 9:

Current temperature: 41F
Current conditions: rain, wind
Current sidewalks: slippery

No one was out today. The sidewalks were mine. I was alone, except for the friendly mail lady doing her rounds today. It was cold. Very, very cold. Slippery, wet sidewalks covered in fall leaves.

Yet I ran.

Today was the last installment of week 1 of the Couch Potato-5K program. Thursday begins weeks 2. I was much less winded today. It was still pretty rough, but nothing like last week. I think that my lungs are starting to build capacity. I feel pretty good, but I'm tired. My legs are getting bigger. My diet getting more normal. Lots of protein and some fruit. Soups and salads are mainstays now.

I think I'm addicted.


Anyone else want to join me?

Chris

PS I took this picture before I ran. Careful, it's 1800x1200. Enjoy.

Beautiful day for a run :) Conditions here in flat-ass Illinois are about the same. The rain stopped around 11 and I went running about 1:00. The wind was a pain in the butt, though. My entire return leg of my route was against 30+ MPH gusts.

Your lungs will get better still. Each new week will challenge you and your body. I kinda miss that now that I'm just doing 4 miles straight through.

But yeah, this is addicting. Just keep that addiction even after you get out of the military and you'll have a much healthier life. Once you hit your thirties, you really start to notice your body go down hill if you haven't kept up with your cardio and weight training. From 20 years old, you lose 1% of your muscle and gain 1% of fat every year if you don't exercise regularly. By 35 that's a 15% change ... compounded yearly, and it shows. Keep up with this plan and you'll avoid all that.

Remember to get some fresh/steamed/grilled veggies in your diet every chance you get. And instead of soups (most of them have sodium levels that would kill a cow) go for the turkey/chicken/tuna/ lean ham sandwich. :)
 

jteef

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2001
1,355
0
76
I too need to lose some weight to see whether or not the military is going to be something I want to do. Sort of a preliminary self discipline thing. 20 lbs of fat in 2 months, a boatload of endurance, and I need to add as much muscle as possible to my upper body. I plan on a whole lot of exercise, but I don't know how to adjust my diet accordingly.

7 days after tomorrow I want to be in the routine of doing the following:
1: 100 pushups, 100-150 situps and 2 runs/jogs/walks around the block (~2.3 miles) One in the morning, one evening.
2: 200 pushups, 200 situps, bench press, military press, dips, curls, and one lap around the block.
3: one lap around the block.
repeat.

I am giving myself a week to ramp into this. I don't know how that will go. I know that in the past whenever i've started a workout routine after 6months+ off i've been fairly incapacitated for most of the next day. Hoping my CellTech and diet will help that more this time than in the past.

What would be a good breakdown as far as calories/fat/carb/protein go?

Today I ate 2050 calories. 100g fat, 185g carb, 95g protein. Today's fat content was a little higher than normal as I ate 2 burgers and some macaroni for dinner. I've lived a relatively sedentary lifestyle since my seadoo broke in may and don't really know whether I should cut back or add more. Clearly the fat intake needs to drop down to at most 30-40g. I weigh 210 lbs right now and have been there for about 6 months now, consuming I would say about 15-16k calories / week.

Comments/Ideas?

jt
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Originally posted by: jteef
I too need to lose some weight to see whether or not the military is going to be something I want to do. Sort of a preliminary self discipline thing. 20 lbs of fat in 2 months, a boatload of endurance, and I need to add as much muscle as possible to my upper body. I plan on a whole lot of exercise, but I don't know how to adjust my diet accordingly.

7 days after tomorrow I want to be in the routine of doing the following:
1: 100 pushups, 100-150 situps and 2 runs/jogs/walks around the block (~2.3 miles) One in the morning, one evening.
2: 200 pushups, 200 situps, bench press, military press, dips, curls, and one lap around the block.
3: one lap around the block.
repeat.

I am giving myself a week to ramp into this. I don't know how that will go. I know that in the past whenever i've started a workout routine after 6months+ off i've been fairly incapacitated for most of the next day. Hoping my CellTech and diet will help that more this time than in the past.

What would be a good breakdown as far as calories/fat/carb/protein go?

Today I ate 2050 calories. 100g fat, 185g carb, 95g protein. Today's fat content was a little higher than normal as I ate 2 burgers and some macaroni for dinner. I've lived a relatively sedentary lifestyle since my seadoo broke in may and don't really know whether I should cut back or add more. Clearly the fat intake needs to drop down to at most 30-40g. I weigh 210 lbs right now and have been there for about 6 months now, consuming I would say about 15-16k calories / week.

Comments/Ideas?

jt

Your plan, while commendable for it's optimism, is not feasable, or healthy. It's an injury just waiting to happen, and you'll quickly burn out.

Don't do more than one cardio workout per day. Instead of two run/walks around the block a day, do it once, and work your way up to two laps. 2.5 miles is not enough. You'll need to work your way up to 4 or more miles in one workout to effectivly burn fat. Your body does not begin to burn fat until after 20-30 minutes of cardio training.

As for you pushups and situps. Do them every other day. When building muscle, your gains are not made while doing the lifting, but while the muscle repairs itself and grows. This requires 48 hours between working any one muscle group. Working the same muscle group two days in a row is counter productive.

If you remember anything, remember this: Over training is as bad as not training at all. All it will do is cause injury and burn you out.

Do your cardio 4-5 days a week, and your weight training 4 days a week alternating muscle groups.

And it is unhealthy, not to mention damn near impossible to lose 20 Lbs of fat in only two months. The healthy goal is one to two lbs of fat a week, max.

Your diet is way too high in fat. If you're going to be weight training, you'll want to increase the lean protein and cut the fat. Your calorie intake is fine at it's present level if you start exercising.


 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,355
19,535
146
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Day 10:

Sit-ups and push-ups kill me. I can't do 1 pushup. I can only do like 15 situps at one time. Think I should lose the weight before I get serious into the pushups? I'd rather just run ;)

Oh well, that's tomorrow.

Anyone else want to join me?

Chris

Keep trying. You need to do the resistance training while you lose weight to keep your muscle mass. Otherwise your body uses the muscle before it uses the fat.

You can't even do one pushup? Has this always been the case, or is it because you've been doing a lot of them on previous days?