overweight while running for basic training

[Empyre]

I started Atkins last year and it went so well that I lost enough weight to qualify to enlist for the Air Force reserves which is huge to me since I got the contract deal where they will fully pay for a 4 year college.

In order to enlist I had to go to MEPS where they test/poke/prod you and I had to make the weight of 167lbs or be sent home. I showed up at MEPS at exactly 167lbs. Now I'm running in order to get ready for boot camp.

For boot camp I must weigh a max of 167lbs and also run 1.5 miles in under 12 mins. I know to most people 1.5miles isn't much, but to me its huge. Running is the last type of exercise you would see me doing.
Currently I'm running at least 1 mile every other day and increasing the mile a little each time.

Problem is since I started running, my weight went from 170 to 180 and I noticed that when I tried to lower my calories, my running suffered. I have to get the 1.5 mile run to at least 13mins before I leave but I'm worried about my weight. Some of the weight gain is water weight I think and some is muscle growth in my legs.
Excess weight because of muscle is ok. They test your body fat to access this but I don't know what my body fat is.

I'm clueless and hopeless when it comes to food and what/when I eat which is why Keto is so amazing. I know that if I introduce carbs back into my diet I'll get those familiar cravings again and it makes life miserable. I do have the will power to not cheat, but once I introduce carbs at all the cravings come back and my mind starts to think about food 24/7.

It seems as though I've always had low energy and it hasn't been an issue but now I need to run and need to keep my weight in check and don't know what to do.

[2big4mysize]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

did you starve off the weight to make your goal for the weigh in? if so then you need to go back to induction eating and shed some pounds you added back when you started eating again.

if you didn't starve off the weight did you add more food when you started running? if not them your running new weight is fluid weigt and should drop.

Have you added any different foods while running that you could be having an intolerance too? that can cause fluid weight increase too.

Are you doing anything other then just the running that is a new to you workout? that too could add fluid weight until your body learns the new load is the normal load now.

I hope you are doing more cardio then just running a mile and building cause that isn't going to get you the mandatory atkins exercise amounts. Have you tried walking quickly before and after your run to get more time and distance work done? that will help you burn more body fat and shed excess pounds.

[Empyre]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

For my physical at MEPS, I had to be within my target weight or they would send me home until I met my weight guideline. My body naturally wants to sit at 170 pounds and so for 2 weeks before my physical I ate tuna/egg whites and water to lose those few extra pounds. I weighed in at 167lbs which is the max I am allowed. I wasn't running then because my focus was only losing weight.

After I passed my physical, I went back to my usual keto foods and my body went to 170lbs.

I have been sitting at 170-175lbs since my physical.

I noticed when I started running my thigh muscles were aching so I made sure to eat plenty of protein. My diet right now is eggs(I remove the yolks from most of the eggs) and chicken breasts/ water and multivitamin. Everybody is different but I prefer to eat the same thing everyday as it makes things easy for me.

The physical test for boot camp is pushups/situps and a 1.5mile run. My body type is thicker so pushups and situps are a breeze for me. I don't have a runners body at all. Running is very awkard for my body type.

I need to get my body fat tested because as long as I'm under 20percent body fat or 167lbs and below I'm ok. I doubt I'm under 20percent body fat but you never know I guess. I'm going to call some clinics and ask if they can do it for me cause I don't trust doing it myself.

[2big4mysize]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

I noticed when I started running my thigh muscles were aching so I made sure to eat plenty of protein. My diet right now is eggs(I remove the yolks from most of the eggs) and chicken breasts/ water and multivitamin. Everybody is different but I prefer to eat the same thing everyday as it makes things easy for me.

you do know that isn't atkins at all as atkins is high fat moderate protein and low carb.

so you crash dieted to met weigh and then your body recovered back up and now you need to shed body fat and increase your running speed and duration.

Atkins would be great for that if you seriously want to trim some fat as you build your running muscles up.

[Dryunderwater]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

@ 2Big: Can you recommend an outline for him that would get him in a good place with the Atkins plan (healthy) that allows for all the exercise that is being done?

Just wondering..... :0)

[Empyre]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

Yeah I'll be the first to admit I totally suck at food.

I just got back from the gym.

I walked for .70 of a mile warm-up.
------------------------------------------------------
Ran 1.15 of a mile at 5.1 MPH = a 11:45sec mile

My last run was 1.10 of a mile at 5.1MPH

My weight today is 180LBS.

The thing is: if you asked me to run the 1.5 in time I'd say no problem. The trick is doing the run at a descent time and also setting my weight to 165lbs that seems tricky.

My next run will be 1.20 of a mile. My plan is to hit 1.50 mile and then start to up my MPH.


The thing I'm looking at is, when i show up to basic training they are going to weigh me in. If I'm overweight for my height, they tape measure me and if my body fat is within specification I'm still ok. If I'm not in spec they put me in a "fat camp" program and it just makes it harder for me.

[2big4mysize]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

how about trying to do HIIT for your training runs and do more distance total?

are you on a treadmill or track? if you are one a track do 1/4th mile intervals start with 1 lap jogging or walking slowly. then do 1 lap fullout as fast as you can for the full lap then walk or jog the 3rd lap. run all out the 4th lap and then walk or jog the 5th lap. do 16 alternate laps and you should have a great fat burning off getting in shape to run your time at basic workout that covers 4 miles.If your legs aren't shaking after the 16th lap then do a few more alternating on the next run. You want to do that 3 times a week. As you get in better shape your spped for both the recovery lap and the fastest you can go will improve. after 2 weeks up your run to 2 laps and your recovery jog to one.

for the fastest you can go you want your heart rate to be your max time 220 minus age and your recovery to be 60-65% of that. After 4 weeks of doing that you shoud be able to easily do your 1.5 miles in 13 mile, after all that is less then 7MPH

BTW when do you report to boot camp?



it took me about a month of doing 1/4 mile intervals for 60 mins to get my speed for the fast part up to 7 MPH on a flat treadmill and I walk it. I walk 5 MPH as my recovery speed now but 5MPH was my orginal fastest I could go when I started, Now my fastest is 7.5 MPH on the treadmill with the incline at 7.


since atkins has mandatory exercise both aerobic and resistance you could work on those push ups, sit ups, dips, and pull ups and burn off your body fat as you add lean tissues to stay out of fat camp on the days inbetween and take one day off or do a test run of that 1/5 miles and see how much your speed has improved.


as for your eating why don't you just do atkins rung 3 OWL for a week and see how you feel and adjust from there. You would be having the majority of your cals from fats about 62% of your cals. 30 % as protein and remaining 8% as carbs.

Have you read DANDR? if so you know OWL rung one is more of those yummy induction veggies, rung 2 is fresah dairy and rung 3 is nuts/seeds one ounce worth.

All of those would give you the calcium magnesium and potassium you will need for your workouts along with the cals to make body energy.

for your veggies you want to pick nice dark green ones, some of the colored ones ones like red peppers and tomotoes and be sure to count your carbs. don't eat any frankenfoods junk. do you have a fitday.com account with your induction already listed? for the nuts Dr Atkins says one ounce is 5 net grams of carbs so ignore all the counters and go with that. you can pick your favs anything from walnuts to macadamia nuts but only 1 ounce a day!

what kind of food do you like? it would be bad for me to make you a menu if I fixed only foods you don't like.

whole eggs for breakfast are fine along with some of your veggies and some of your cheese if you can handle it or some bacon or sausage. you could do quiches or omlettes. or just left over dinner if you'd rather. I ate everything from blackend fish to taco salad while I lost weight and worked out. Whatevery I wanted that was legal for my phase I had.

lunch could be soup or salad and a protein with some fats

and dinner is veggies preotein and fat fixed any legal way you want.

snacks could be those nuts after your run or some of your veggies with a dip or even your yogurt if you picked it. just be sure it is full fat or you have a fat food with it.

[Empyre]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

I run on a treadmill.


I tried to run a bit everyday before and ended up burning myself out.

I've been running everyother day. On my off days, maybe I can just start sprinting at 6.0 MPH for .15 mile to start with and go from there. Maybe do distance every other day and do speed in between. I'll take a day off every 2 days or something to allow my body to heal up.

The trouble with carbs for me is that it seems as though any carb intake over 25grams seems to kick me out of keto. I have to be very strict. I have tried to branch out before as far as adding in carbs slowly. I always end up snacking too much and getting kicked out of keto.


I expect to leave for basic in the middle of April, although there is no finite date set. I was told to expect to leave in the middle of April.

Right now, I think it more important to be able to comfortably run 1.5 miles in 12-13mins and do the situps and pushups even if I'm 10 lbs overweight. That way when I show up for basic I'll at least be able to exercise without being that guy who is falling behind all the time.

[2big4mysize]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

bump your incline up on your runs too as that will help you improve your stamina and speed for running flat. just be sure to stretch your muscles afterwards so you don't shorten any muscle/tendons on the front of your legs casue you went up hill the whole time.

I did my HIIT 3 days a week and then did weightlifting the other 3 days with a 20 min fast 7.5 MPH walk afterwards with one day off a week.

[Farley]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

When I went through basic training for the army militia, there were a couple recruits who were overweight. We had to perform a fit test at the local YMCA having to complete a certain number of sit-ups and push-ups, as well as stepping for a certain period of time followed by a heart rate check. I understand you are in a different boat. I was only 165 lbs at the time, but I am 5'10", and I was 17 years old. I considered doing officer's training to get the "free" education, but there is nothing free about it. 5 years of crappy pay in required service to "pay" them back. I'm much happier as a journeyperson anyways. The work is better, the pay is better, and I run when I want to, not when I'm told to... lol

Good for you tho. I'm sure you will pass the physical even with the "extra" pounds. Have you tried using fitday.com to monitor and PLAN your intake for the day? You need to eat your vegtables. Also, why are you removing the yolks from the eggs? New research shows that egg yolks have little to no impact on LDL Cholesterol. In fact the yolks are where a lot of the good stuff...



As you can see from the table, the yolk contains 100% of the carotenoids, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, E, D, and K (6 items). The white does not contain 100% of any nutrient.
The yolk contains more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and 89% of the panthothenic acid (9 items). The white does not contain more than 90% of any nutrient, but contains over 80% of the magnesium, sodium, and niacin (3 items).
The yolk contains between 50% and 80% of the copper, manganese, and selenium, while the white contains between 50% and 80% of the potassium, riboflavin, and protein.
It should also be kept in mind that the yolk of an egg is smaller than the white. Where the white contains a slim majority of nutrients, such as protein, this is not due to a greater concentration in the white, but simply to the fact that there is more white in the egg than yolk.

...Egg yolks contain the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is necessary for the brain and proper retinal function in the eye, and the long-chain omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid, which is required for the healthy skin, hair, libido, reproduction, growth and response to injury.

Food for though

[Empyre]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

my run yesterday was was:

1.25 Mile at 5.2mph
then took a small break and then ran .25 mile at 6.5Mph.
I could have gone farther but want to take it slow.

My next run, I'll push for 1.40 mile run and then a sprint for .50 a mile at 6.5mph.

I have until the middle of April to prepare myself for a descent time on the 1.5mile. The pushups/situps are very easy for me. I think concentrating on a good run time over my weight is the way to go. I'm feeling alot better about all this now.

My weight is 184 and using simple body fat calc online my measuring my waist (36inches) says my bodyfat is 21.7 percent.

For my age, I am supposed to be under 20 percent although when I turn 30 this summer I'll be under a new body fat bracket allowing me to be up to 24 percent I believe.


I feel as though I really lucked out on the deal I got for signing up. I was very lucky to get a job that qualified me for a "kicker" which raised my tuition amount from 5000(ish) to 9000(ish) a year. That along with signing up as a reservist allows me all the time to get school done. The idea of entering college at 30 years old is very surreal.

[2big4mysize]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

are you sure you are not undertraining?

doing less then 2 miles total at this point? you have been running for weeks now so you should be able to do more then that even if you just walk the rest of the miles

[Empyre]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

For an average person I'd say yes, for me? Probably not.
I wouldn't hesitate to say that the average person could run circles around me any day of the week.

Running just isn't my thing. Even though, I think things are starting to look good in the running dept.

[JaxMama]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

You are going to need more carbs if you are working out, hard. That does not mean donuts, as you know. Eat protein after you are done with your workout.

As for your workout, I did cross country and ran for years after. I still would love to run accept my knee problem.

Weight training is great. I agree with 2big that you need to get your stamina up.

Running on a treadmill is very different than running outside. On a treadmill you can set your pace but outside you won't know your pace, you may not know how to set your pace outside or get frustrated not knowing how long you went (like you can see constantly on a treadmill). Plus outside will have different obsticles like rocks and dirt that can slow you down.

My very humble suggestion is to do sprints on an incline and stair climbers. When I used to run I used to warm up with a light walk/jog and I would then have enough energy to do my run, for an hour at a time. I used to time my sprints, not by length but by seconds. Since I would run about 4.5 mph I would run 5.0 for 1 minute, 5.5 for 30 seconds, 6.0 for 30 seconds until I could get up to several minutes at 6 and over. It only took a few weeks at 6 days a week.

Make sure you time yourself running outside (I do believe the military puts you outside to test and not on a treadmill).

Please make sure you run outside if you can. And please make sure you don't burn out in the beginning of the run and start at a slower pace for the first minute or so.

Remember to focus on your arm movements becuase those arms will carry your further and a higher rate of speed.

Best of luck in the reserves, I had an Aunt and Uncle who served in the Air Force active also. So military service is close to my heart and I have a lot of respect for service members.

[mrs0207]

Re: overweight while running for basic training

I wouldn't try this diet when going into basic training...(or whatever they call it for AF)...if it was anything like mine, they will stuff carbs down your face, and you "have" to eat them. You work out so rigorously, it doesn't matter.

Anyway, keep running and push yourself. In the military, PT is a big deal, and the more physically fit you are, the better it is for you. If you fail tests they will give you grief and potentially kick you out.