I am looking for anyone who has had to cut or drop bodyfat while deployed. I am in Afghanistan and have access to an OK gym (mostly DB’s and a couple BB’s) but plenty of weights. My cardio options are tredmil, eliptical, exercise bike and stair stepper.
I know diet is a huge part and I know I am not getting enough calories in, but I am more afraid of putting junk in my body than not putting anything in at all. Below are my current stats/activities, any advice/tips are appreciated.
Male
70inches tall 258lbs (very soft)(down from 300lbs in june)
Lifts
Bench - 325
Deads - 475
Squat - 385
I usually lift 3-4 days a week and do cardio 2-3 days a week.
Currently doing a full body lift routine.
current food intake is usually
protein drink or protein bar within an hour of waking up
salad topped with chicken mid-day
and a protein drink after working out.
I cant cook food and I can only have what the dfac provides. I also work nights so i dont have access to the usual morning breakfast foods from the dfac. Most of my options come from a very limited sandwhich bar.
secondly… If you want to drop the bodyfat you are going to have to be serious. Be serious about your training (weight lifting specifically) and be serious about your diet. You’re lifting numbers are good so you should have a pretty good amount of muscle to have those lifts so you have that going for you. It should be easier for you to drop bodyfat when you are able to lift some serious weight and push your body.
Get on a program. If you really want to do the full body thing then go ahead. On my last deployment I was on a 5 day BP split but to each his own. You’re going to need to push yourself during your workouts. Keep your rest periods relatively short. I’m sure you have to do your own unit PT’s as well? What do those consist of?
As far as food goes you’re right… You’re not getting enough calories. Start a food log (seriously a good idea) and that will let you know how much fuel you’re putting in your body. Do that for the next few days and let us know what your macro breakdown is per day. As far as the sandwhich bar goes… that can be a good thing. You can load up on turkey and other meats to get really quick easy protein in your diet which is a plus.
I didnt do much “cardio” on deployment but did start doing fasted morning cardio for the last month or so? I would get up and run 3 miles every morning, come back shower and then have my breakfast. I dropped down much leaner than I am now and was single digit bodyfat im pretty sure.
Ok so let us know what you’re food intake cals, protien, carbs and fat are per day?
What your work PT schedule is?
What your current program is?
My last deployment I usually stuck to the sandwich bar and some of the FOBs I drove through had a nice selection of healthy foods (read Air Force). Get to-go plates of turkey from the sandwich bar and get whatever you can from the salad bar. Most of the weekly food rotation is actually pretty good other than the midnight chow. I don’t know what your mission is like but use your head. If you know you have a 2 day op then bring more protein shakes for your MRAP or whatever it is you’re in. Remember, stay hydrated if you’re going low carbs.