Getting fit in the army (one does not simply)

[Shai]

So, this beginning is catching me in a situation where i feel i have the excuse not to worry about health.
But i thought about it alot before writing and i realized that that can be said about a lot of points in my life. if i won't face it when its hard, i will find myself even fatter in 5 years.
I'm at a week holiday vacation from the army (not U.S.A) and everybody around me thinks i should gather my forces. meaning they wont say anything when I'm eating ice-cream and binge watching legends of tomorrow.
But if i wont start now, sure as hell won't start well I'm at the base, far from home.

 

 So. my plan.
fitness:
I need to find a good replacement for the stuff on the bodyweight brigade i don't have the equipment to do (namely the laying down pull up thing.i don't have a anything to do it on in the base)
More importantly, i might need to start getting up early to workout- i hate it. I hate waking up early, but i think that the time before the day starts is really my only 100% guaranteed free time on the day. and if they want me to get up earlier, i can always beat them by waking up even before that.
its gonna be rough.
I will start working out 3 times a week- 1 run and 2 workouts. Following the advice of people here in the forums, i'll schedule for 4 workouts while I'm at the base cuz military tend to mess with whatever schedule i set up.
nutrition:
Nutrition has always been my real problem. i am afraid. i hate starting making small steps at eating right but not being able to kick some strong habits.
 my plan is to start by not eating sweets (full chocolate packs, or sweet drinks) for two weeks now.
I hate it. i want to have the power to just right off cut everything but i know ill just jump right into eating only vegetables and meat. but knowing myself from past try i will just give up after a week or so. i need something i can handle.

Thats it for now. i hope ill make it and ill update every week or second week when I'm home about my progress.
 

 

[Shai]

 

First update, end of week 1.
This week was a great fitness success and a great nutrition failure.
I exercised every day of the week, alwayes atleast half hour of walking each morning, and cardio/ strength training each day.

The first two day were fine nutritionally and then i just lost it and went full cookie monster.

 

This week ill be in the base, so hopefully less snacking, but also less free time.

Tomorrow ill have to get up early for work, so no morning exercise.
 

[Shai]

Week 2, day 3
Back in the base.
Mid week update.
Well, the last two days i was like, "I'm giving up completely its impossible". But today i got back up, and gave myself a wakeup call. Literaly.
I told myself the plan is to get up early and today is the first time i tried to do it.
I did wake up at 6;40 but didn't leave the bed until 7;20, which gave me about 20 minutes.
I then did about 5 minutes of yoga on the roof, realized someone can see me even fro up there, and fled to my room.

But its a start.
Tomorrow ill try waking up for a power set. 
Ill also try to eat at least half a plate of vegetable each meal today.

Army sucks, its a 3 years slavery, but I'm going to take my freedom back, one kilogram at the time.
I'm reading the first mistborn right now and if those imaginary slave people can rebel i definitely can

 

 

 

[Shai]

 

Summary of week 2:
The week was... well ,an improve workout-wise, and medium success nutrition wise.

Fitness; 2 attempts to workout, one full set and 1 where i stopped after 5 min (yoga mentioned above).
On Thursday there was this weird 10 minute lecture everybody had to go through, 3 people at a time.
i got in early , which allowed me to complete a full bodyweight workout (3c i think),which was super fun. 
surprisingly it didn't require equipment i don't have for the most part, except the finisher exercise. It required a pull up bar.
 i tried to hang on the door frame thing, but it meant being out in the shared hallway and not in a room with a closed door so i stopped.
Also it felt much Weirder, uncomfortable and shittier then a real pull up bar and i don't want to do it again.

 

the weekend was a crazy haze of drinking and smoking at a forest with my burning man camp. I remember not eating too much, but all those drinks (wine and beer for the most part) most contained some amount of calories.which brings me to:

 

nutrition:
First half bad, then i Pulled myself together for 2 days, and ate as i intended and felt great.

then the weekend happened ,and i vaguely think i ate well, but drank A lot,and then got home and ate too much ice cream.

 

 

Overall not a bad week. 1 workout, 2 healthy eating days.
Meaning if this week i nail 3 healthy eating days i improve from last week.
Also if i workout 2 times, and i already ran today.

To help me achieve this goal, i should-

Continue to eat half a plate of veg each meal.also eat them before anything else on the plate.
Get a kettle- after the Sergeant threw my one last week. 
The goal is at lest 3 days.

Write down what i eat- even if i get lazy and don't write Everything, i think its builds the habit of keeping a food journal, hence it is a good idea.

 

fitness- schedule remainders for the next month. also do at least 2- 
I already ran today, that means just one more this week.

 

Here we go.

[Shai]

 

Well, that was a failure.

I gained one kilo, I'm definitely not trying hard enough.

Time to do the things that worked for me, even due they are hard.

I need to count calories . No way around it.

If i want to have the chest of Capitan America and shove it on facebook to all the people i hate- time to start eating right

.

[Shai]

 

I decided to try for a short daily update and See how it goes.

So far not so bad- said no to pizza today, drank tons of water,and drank coke zero when felt like munching.
Also didn't touch my rice on lunch.
also took potatoes instead of pasta.

But there are some habits which are costing me too much calories-
I eat carbs as the main portion of my meals.
One of my goals is:
I am a person who eats mostly vegetables and meat.

P.s Need to lay low on the salad sauce for the Tuna i keep in my room. Its delicious and making me eat more meat instead of shit,but i put more then i can allow myself.
 

 

[Shai]

 

 So the this week.
Yesterday was.. ok?

Today was awesome. I didn't have any work to do (i am staying the sabbath at the base(

Nailed the workout, and was able to use the pull up bar which is always taken. Completed the whole set (bodyweight brigade 3b, doing negative pullups since there isn't a box or a low pullup bar- I'm so glad i figured out this variation i can do with the equipment available here!
I did it, all 4 sets, perfect form on the negative pull ups on the last(!) 2 sets, and also added 30 sec rope jump at the end of each set before the 1 minute rest.

I got the rubber band so i can do bodyweight 3a now, which means i can do all the workouts, and maybe level up soon!

Also today i ate fine so far!
i am feeling the working out habit returning slowly, feeling comfortable with the workouts i do and knowing i can do them consistently, since i manged 2 a week, for better or worse, for the last month!

I fucking rock.
Now to keel up my eating, move from 2-3 days in control to 5-6. Also even in uncontrolled days i still eat vegetables 5 days a week.

[Shai]

So yesterday was awesome eating wise too, and i came ready to start the week the same way-
But i woke up on time this thing we have to wake up to, but apparently the dinning still opened on the sane hours, so i broght food.

 

 

Tl:DR brought snacks for breakfast cuz there wasn't any food.

Note to self get more canned shit, and if i noticed its running out not to Be cheap and let it end. Its already 800 calories (today and Friday) who could have been avoided or reduced or atleast contained in better fats.
Set phone notice in the calender to buy More canned.

But lunch should be alright, i shouldn't let this shit hold me back. I'm stronger then this.

[Shai]

So, yesterday lunch and dinner were strong, also today all 3 meals went awsome, and i even got 2 apples to snack on during the day.
I only take salad and meat now- i am so pride to even write this! 
I am scared to lose this awsome feeling of control (for 4 days now) but i think i shouldn't be.
Its my choice and i can do this. I might fail a day or two somewhere in the future, but its the long track that matters.
Cant wait to come home and see the scale showing some minor difference.

Workout was a struggle- yesterday they put this bullshit cleaning thing by surprise on my planned workout time, and it ended really late, so i didn't workout. It was like 20:30 when u just got to the room, and this shit is physical.

But today they tried to do something similar, but i risked military jail and elegantly ignored orders, which gave me time to try bodyweight 3A, first time with the resistance band.
was pretty easy, but i had trouble finding the right grip since i got the cheap resistance band with no handles.
Overall, if i manage to snick a run tomorrow evening ill be good fitness wise, but even if i don't its still a pretty good start to the week.

I feel powerful, in control, strong... stable, calmer...
This shit sounds like some commercial for some new age product.

i feel like working out and eating right is a secret i shared with u guys only.
Also a giant middle finger to the system who is messing with me right now.

i can do this. Tomorrow ill eat right, vegetables and meat, and there is no workout by the schedule, but maybe a run to makeup for missed one yesterday.
Ill make up my mind and put a remainder id i decide to, even though not doing one is fine too.

[Shai]

I slipped a bit at breakfast, ate some breadstick thing.

Shpuld be careful not to let it distract me today.

[Shai]

 

Today...
fluf bit~
Eating carbs is black magic. It clashes with the more powerfull white magic i do now.
~
I felt it at the workout today. After i slipped and ate 2 plates worth of processed carbs, i felt less energetic at my workout.
Should get a kettle, they aren't that expensive and i can drink tea when there isn't anything hot and healthy to eat.
And then put that sweet delicious happiness called tea in my belly, which is always a plus.
Should watch out for suger on the tea through, shit is tons Of calories.
should get used to drinking at specific times to avoid sugar.

[Shai]

Okay, so army portion of the week-meaning Friday to Thursday 
I ate really well.
today and yesterday are going better then the usual Thursdays and Fridays the last year.
I didn't munch crazily on sugars, instead i ate the lunch of Thursday out of healthy food my mom made (while in the army u usually live with your folks while you aren't at the base.).
Then ate some bread carbs for dinner, and also for lunch today (seems i don't get breakfast at home, which is true when I'm busy. I like having a little to do on the weekend, like archery class or yoga. Something preplanned but not work).

even if i ens this weekend with eating carbs instead of sugars, its sort of not that bad for a start.
I aim to be the man who eats healthy even on -
I was gonna say vacation, but this is every weekend. I cant treat them like vacations, even though they are, in a way.
Workout- i scheduled something for today, but since my Thursdays and Sundays don't have a formula yet i scheduled it the same time as this family event.
Getting a class of some sort can help me control my weekends more, i should look into cheap options. 

Gl me, handle this sabbath and tonight's dinner with control.

 

 

[Shai]

 

 

The weekend went... not perfect, lots of bread, but no crazy sugar munch.

Better then the last one, i keep telling myself. I want to eat there like i eat at the base- veg and meat. I need to make a meal plan- and a weekend plan, so i can plan it so it wont harm my fitness.

since the archery requires alot of Special doctor appointments before u can start shooting maybe i should switch sports.
Navigation runs maybe?
Or yoga, yoga is a safe one.
Ill see what can i find for this weekend.

Brought canned vegetables and tuna for the room and it already saved me once, and I'm only here for a few hours.
Its awesome.

 

 

[Shai]

So.

Monday-today went bad.

Monday and thesday i was on thw road, and ate unhealthy. I shouldve brought something healthy to eat.

also the base had a workout on monday, which i ended up missing for cuz it started an hour too late.

today i was just plain and simple starting to give up healthy eating, with excuses like i nees to eat something warm (the meat was hot anyway, and i can manage eating a cold.meal.)

.

If i dont contain this as a 2 day slip and a 2 daya not prepared enough ill just get fat while preteding to be healthy.

 

 

And i need to premake meals for the weekand. And decide when i eat each one.

 

[Shai]

Ok. I'm shocked to see my last update was on Wednesday, it seems like its been forever.
i got home, stepped on the weight and saw no change.
So i decided to eat crazy all weekend cuz fuck it. It was bad, i felt like a pig.

But yesterday i figured well, when i counts calories i lost a kilo (which i since gained back),maybe it is the way for me.
I'm 2 days counting and it goes on nicely, even though i don't reach my Daily calorie goal.
The goal of this thing is to  build a habit of documenting my eating.
So one week i succeeded, But then i came home, where i didn't fall apart but i didn't eat as healthy.
Then the week after that i was substantially less mindfull of what i ate, and when i came home i ate like crazy.

Truth is this isn't a random breakdown like i thought. Its totally obvious thats its a process where u stop trying to eat healthy and slowly i reached a state of not believing in my diet.

The conclusion is when i eat healthy but starting to let it go a little, its important to go back to healthy and.not tell myself -oh, its only X . because on diet there "gateaway drugs".

Also maybe i should try to have a plan incase i cant workout on Monday Cuz that happens alot.
I think i can run Thursday and so avoid  powersets 2 days in a row .

[Shai]

So, i ate shitty at lunch, but made up for it with a good dinner. And also i ran.
I think that'll be my plan on weeks where i miss powerset on mondays- running on Tuesdays.
nicely done , me.
i put notification for meals tomorrow, just need to live up to those and not snack in between. I snack alot at home, and it's hard to keep track of , also it's alot of calories.
I need to put notifications for the festival, so it won't be too much chaos, although usually u don't eat too much at those.

[Shai]

So the remainders turned out to be a good thing. But the rest of this long weekend was just a mess, went to festival got sad went home early and cut myself. Fucking shitstrom, but it also feels good. Realized i need to get a job on weekends also cuz i just rot at the house.
The remainders were good, i should put Some permanently for the weekends.
Also i took a boss battle today and nearly pass, while doing harder variations. hanging on the pull up bar is a bitch, i should practice it more to defeat that bersesomthing. I can take him, he just has this particular skill which i need to be better them him to beat him.
I can do this. I shouldn't get scared if work take a month to find, but i should start to look.
Even 4-5 calls a week is good.

[Shai]

Ok so i sorta didn't update for a week.
I got a job! That shit went real easy, and i already ate way less on Saturday then i usually do- but I'm afraid less time to myself will get me to lose control.
this is wrong, because my Therapist said being busy will make me feel better and i trust her, so I'm keeping this job until i switch to another one. 
i neglected a bit on food. I felt myself losing control on Sunday and ate bad all meals, but today i had a bad breakfast- But caught myself on lunch and dinner.
I'm amazed. Before i started this, failing one day meant failing weeks, months Even. And now i  can get back in control in 24 hours? Thats insane.
The methods i got here and the changes i made to my life are starting to stick.
Today i also found out that potato salad is a shiton of calories. It is not a salad. Its deceptive that it is in the salad section. I should be really alarmed when i see it..
Gl to me tomorrow food-wise.

 also i should start to figure out a tactic for the weekend food, now that i have a chance.
Man, i do feel like i can so this on weekends too. Getting a weekend job is awesome.

[Shai]

Today, as usual, i marked my calorie intake (who would thought id say that? More then a month of track keeping, its becoming a habit) and i reached my daily goal,even a few calories short.
 
It isn't the first time, but i ate carbs today, and i really didn't even feel like im doing anything strange. This is So awesome:)
so Sunday i didn't ran as usual and i replaces Monday power set with running.
i feel ready to count calories this weekend. i remained myself to start small, just keep track, not to freak out and stop If i pass my goal or munch like crazy. For the first two weekends, atleast, I'm just an observer. I got all the time of my life to do this, and ill win eventually , doesn't matter how long it takes me.
Also i got a job to keep me occupied during the weekend- note to self, this is a great idea.
on a more personal note, i have mixed feelings about leaving the army- i still want to, but the process is so so hard and unrewarding. 4 months and all i got are some alleviations. . . I should go to the beach or something, and figure this thing out.
Also i need to see friends, its been too long.
 
Dunno if ill workout today to make up for yesterday.
And if i am really heading home tomorrow instead of Thursday for this funeral thing, maybe i can shove a yoga class on Thursday. I think i should. 

[Shai]

Okay. So the work is great since i don't eat during the shift.
i went to that yoga class. I was super sweaty and didn't understand some of the instructions but i felt real good at the end. should probably come earlier since i was 5 minutes early and It wasn't early enough. I went for not maintaining eye contact with anybody, just a lil bit with the teacher, and it felt really good. 
it feels Like, I'm starting to get this workout classes etiquette. 
Food- i marked some of the things i ate this weekend, but not all. I think about half... which is a start. Slowly build that habit.
also i didn't do a power set last weekend it feel like forever. I need to realize that since there are alot of people at the base recently my beloved pull up bar wont be available and :
A. workout even without it.
B.  Buy a pullup thing. 

On a personal note, this new job thing is leaving me money to buy more things then usual. I plan to buy an electric scooter, a board game to play , new clothes to buy, new workout clothes to buy, and to pay yoga class.
electric scooter i need to work Saturdays. a boars game for the family will be nice. 
And i need new clothes. Atleast one new pair of pants.
Maybe ill buy one of those, pay for yoga and see how much money i have left, and then if there's some left ill buy something toward the middle of next month.
So in conclusion, i need to do a powerset today even i  don't get to use the pullbar. Also to make sure i write the calories right after the meal, starting todays dinner, even before leaving the dinning hall/dinner table.

[Shai]

So, i didn't update but i had a few success.
I counted calories all weekend! Half a year ago id say its impossible, but here i am. First day at the new base i ate a bit unhealthy, but today i made up for it. 
I'm thinking of skipping breakfasts cuz i have to wake up earlier then i have to otherwise if i want to get them.

 

Also did a powerset today.

 

And my new job will leave me plenty of time to go to fitness classes while at home- i can start by scheduling a meeting with a personal trainer sometime next week, so he can build me a workout plan and show me how to use basic gym equipment.
 

[Shai]

 

 

Okay, so this was the first week at home, since my new position at the army means i stay there 7 days, and then seven days at home.

I worked like 4 out of this sorta 6 days (the day you go to the army and the day you come back are half days)
And it was really nice. I switched taking an ice cream at the end of each shift to drinking coffee with fake sweeteners, which i think is about 50-100 calories less, atleast. on the days i work i get up early and get back on the afternoon, so i eat much less insane sugar at home, out of boredom.

So working is a good idea.

 

 

 

 

[Shai]

Okay. It is day 3 at the base. i want to Make a workout plan. i should be able to, since i know my shifts already. And although i don't know when every discipline drill happens, i know most, i think.
So.. the biggest obstacle is that I'm dying to go for a run, but i didn't see anyone else doing it here, outdoors. So maybe there's a path far from the base?
I think i should just take the risk. They can kiss my running ass, at worst someone will say something, which will be fine because for some reason all of the people who have been sharing my room last week seem to just disappear.

So,
Run tomorrow at 8:00, because later then that it will be hot.
Put a remainder for it.
today do a power set, at 16:00 but before that take a walk to see if there's something to use as a pullup bar around the soccer fields i saw .

On the week left, meaning Sunday-Tuesday (Thursday I'm going home. The job says one week base and one week home, Thursday to Thursday for some reason) i either run on 19:30 (on weekday i have different shifts, so i can do this.) or do a powerset, at the same hour.

Okay. Time to think about my home time. My family is flying to have fun somewhere, so i have alot of control over what i eat.
I think i can try this preparing meals for the whole week thing. I can figure out a menu while I'm at the army, and cook it all on Thursday. Even if some cooking wont go as well, it'll still leave me enough food for several days, or atleast several meals.
I have to eat so many Popsicles. I know its super hot but it gives a vibe of being out of control.
Anyway, my real goal for this week at home is counting calories. It is the number one priority, all the cooking comes later.

also the last two days i ate over my calorie budget. gotta watch out, rice is fine for half a plate, not two.

So in conclusion, workout is starting tomorrow, hopefully today.
go look for a pullup bar.

On the week at home count calories, and bonus quest doing meal prep.
 

[Shai]

   

         Okay, so on Sunday everyone got here, and from there the days went by much faster and i had more fun and felt more comfortable.
           Being almost alone in the base on weekends is creepy.

           first, fitness was a huge success. Three 3km runs, 20+ minute each, and a power set, with a pullup bar.
Apparently, one of my roommates who i haven't met cuz he was sick till now is a gym trainer.
            He  can open up the gym anytime of the day. So in addition to the two 3 km runs i planned (and did! even though i didn't see anyone else doing it, and feared it'd be weird, i did it! good job, me. Also the track i found was far enough so there wouldn't be people watching me, which i like.)

         nutrition: Calorie tracking the graph below is of how well did i eat this week.  Except for a one day sleep, i met my goals. I was a bit sloppy on recording though- i forgot to track the calories right after the meal many times, but always did like half an hour later.
            it is better socially to not draw out the fun at the end of each meal, but recording later means i might make mistakes...
Fuck it, people will deal with it, i should go back to tracking at the end of each meal.
          my goal for the week at home is to track everything i eat. Thats it. It won't be easy. 
           my parents aren't at home this week, and I'm cooking for myself, means i have more control, but will be in greater danger of snacking.

          Also i did a 10 min warm up everyday, just for general good feeling and it was great. I think I'll stick with it.

 

[Shai]

Ok, so last week was weird.

I arranged my thoughts on paper, since i felt really lost.

After looking at the calorie tracking app, i saw that even though i didn't track for half the week, i did track  3 days.

That is maybe the longest i ever tracked at home.

so not such a failure after all.

So my goals for the week at home are to keep track for 4 days straight- it aint gonna be easy, but i think i can do it.

Its just one more day then before.

Also i decided i should cook one meal while at home.

 

I have made reminders in my schedule app to count, hope it will help.

Wish me luck.

 

P.s

I plan to buy more workout clothes. I really should.