Go to MEPS knowing I'll fail?

[chris21B]

Okay folks keep in mind this post is from a person who really wants to join soon, okay?

I asked my recruiter if it made sense to go to MEPS before I know I can pass weight/tape. Reason being is who knows what the MEPS doctors will come up with (I'm 37, been fat almost all my life, etc.) and I thought if I went before I knew I could tape out maybe I could get through everything but that and I would only have to come back for tape to finish up OR perhaps if they feel I would need a waiver for something? that I would at least have that rolling.


Sorry if I sound ignorant but aside from the 'tests, tests and more tests' I will be going through I am unfamiliar with how the scheduling goes, etc. I don't know if I would be doing myself an injustice doing what I propose simply because now I am under a deadline or schedule that I wouldn't be able to meet in a given time.

I still need to lose about 4 inches off my waist in order to pass the ARMS. I would give myself more time to drop the weight AND the waist but since I am still wishing to join my friend for a summertime deployment I am afraid time is of the essence.

Be gentle okay? I promised stupid questions in my 'howdy' post and so here goes...

[Tim32390]

All I can say is do your best on losing the weight and I hope you do good at MEPS. You never know what is going to happen. I am a tad worried about push up's, but I know if I put my mind to it, I can get them done. I also know that if you put your mind to it, you can drop those LB's. Good Luck.

[cjtichy]

I did a modified atkins for 2 months and lost 28 lbs.

*** disclaimer *** many will tell you long term its not healthy.

What I did was eat LOW fat meats, chicken, very lean beef, pork, mostly chicken and fish. Dont think just because its meat that its consider fair game. Do some reasearch, eat healthy veggies, but not ones with too many carbs, potatoes / rice / beans usually off limits. Broccolli / Salads etc usually pretty healthy.

Wake up and exercise before you eat. Walk / Run / Whatever get your metabolism up.

Try not to snack if you can help it. Close the pantry after you finish dinner. Drink like 64 oz of water a day. Many time people think their hungry when the body is actually thirsty.

When your not eating and killing time either exercise or do something to keep moving. Dont sit down and play ps3 for 3 hours. Watch tv, but do pushups / situps / jacks / while watching tv. I did like an hour of Karate standing in front of the TV. No I wasnt watching Bruce Lee movies :) At work if you work in an office try and use the stairs over the elevators. Walk on your lunch hour, best thing to do is keep moving.

[chd]

I am still wishing to join my friend for a summertime deployment I am afraid time is of the essence.

I can't envision a scenario in which you'd fail tape today and complete IET in time for a "summertime deployment."

If you know that you'll only fail tape and your recuiter is willing to take you, go for it. But how is your cholesterol, BP, etc.? If you get DQ'ed for those, you'll need a waiver, and you can read volumes of posts on issues that result from those.

[Recruiter yosis]

Okay folks keep in mind this post is from a person who really wants to join soon, okay?

I asked my recruiter if it made sense to go to MEPS before I know I can pass weight/tape. Reason being is who knows what the MEPS doctors will come up with (I'm 37, been fat almost all my life, etc.) and I thought if I went before I knew I could tape out maybe I could get through everything but that and I would only have to come back for tape to finish up OR perhaps if they feel I would need a waiver for something? that I would at least have that rolling.


Sorry if I sound ignorant but aside from the 'tests, tests and more tests' I will be going through I am unfamiliar with how the scheduling goes, etc. I don't know if I would be doing myself an injustice doing what I propose simply because now I am under a deadline or schedule that I wouldn't be able to meet in a given time.

I still need to lose about 4 inches off my waist in order to pass the ARMS. I would give myself more time to drop the weight AND the waist but since I am still wishing to join my friend for a summertime deployment I am afraid time is of the essence.

Be gentle okay? I promised stupid questions in my 'howdy' post and so here goes...



I've done this before when I first started recruiting.The reason why that your recruiter is doing this so you are only DQ on wieght.

4 Inches would be about 30-32 pounds. Meps will tell you to come back around 7-8 weeks to be taped once more.

My idea would be, take the test don't do the physical until you are at least 20 lbs lighter

[7011USMC]

Chris21B,

The military doesn't like phat bodies period. You need to start a diet and exercise routine. Your joining the ARNG so lets keep it simple 2k calorie diet with about 30-45 mins of cardio and 30 mins of resistence(daily dozens)training should be a good start. Do push aways (no 2nd's); Quit eating pogie bait (junk/candy/sweets)! Give up the pop, and start drinking water lots of it. If it becomes too bland add some nutralite. It has too be a lifestyle change in order for it too work. After your endurance increases incorporate other exercise; Remember you train to FIGHT. Any mixure of martial arts ie. judo/karate/boxing/sambo/krav maga/jiu jitsu/hap ki do/aikdo/tae kwon do/mma. I prefer Judo(30 yrs) and krav maga (IDF fight system). In the Corps it was H2H, L.I.N.E fighting, and then evolved into MCMAP. In the Army it is Combatives (rolling) derived from Brazilian jiu jitsu. Bottom line you train to fight and win! Good luck and stay away from those twinkies!:D

[chris21B]

I can't envision a scenario in which you'd fail tape today and complete IET in time for a "summertime deployment."

I've realized I'm not going to make it but I want to do everything I can humanly do to make it happen and if I have to wait for my buddy and the unit, then so be it.


If you know that you'll only fail tape and your recuiter is willing to take you, go for it. But how is your cholesterol, BP, etc.? If you get DQ'ed for those, you'll need a waiver, and you can read volumes of posts on issues that result from those.

I'm very healthy except for my weight. I was huge for years and when I dropped originally I was left with a lot of skin... well, skin still adds inches.

To answer specifically my BP was 117/70, resting heart rate around 58 and my recover heart rate around 98. My cholesterol is around <128 so I believe I am good to go - to be honest I ONLY think I will DQ because of tape. I am 45 inches on the waist and 15 (yes, 15) on the neck. Running the calculation tools I am about 31.8 to standards with a MAX of 28 I still have a way to go.

[Recruiter yosis]

Chris21B,

The military doesn't like phat bodies period. You need to start a diet and exercise routine. Your joining the ARNG so lets keep it simple 2k calorie diet with about 30-45 mins of cardio and 30 mins of resistence(daily dozens)training should be a good start. Do push aways (no 2nd's); Quit eating pogie bait (junk/candy/sweets)! Give up the pop, and start drinking water lots of it. If it becomes too bland add some nutralite. It has too be a lifestyle change in order for it too work. After your endurance increases incorporate other exercise; Remember you train to FIGHT. Any mixure of martial arts ie. judo/karate/boxing/sambo/krav maga/jiu jitsu/hap ki do/aikdo/tae kwon do/mma. I prefer Judo(30 yrs) and krav maga (IDF fight system). In the Corps it was H2H, L.I.N.E fighting, and then evolved into MCMAP. In the Army it is Combatives (rolling) derived from Brazilian jiu jitsu. Bottom line you train to fight and win! Good luck and stay away from those twinkies!:D



Oh so right.

I studied Judo for about 2 years good work out

[chris21B]

Since diet and exercise were mentioned in several replies I thought I would post to everyone.

I've been working on a regime now since December and have lost over 25+ pounds. I eat very low calories (1,200-1,600 day), fat and carbs and high lean protein. I workout 4-5 times a week and have a personal trainer who used to be a Master Fitness Instructor for the Army and so we're focusing now on strength training to pass the APFT. My focus has switched from simply weight loss to building and then weight loss so my per week numbers have slowed down quite a bit in contrast to when I started but only had to increase the number of calories to compensate for the increased amount of workouts I am doing as to not harm my system.

5 years ago when I started to lose my weight I began at 383 pounds and within less than 14-15 months it dropped to 199.8 and maintained to 205-208. - my waist (pant size wise) was down to a 34 and I was trim but had a lot of extra skin.

I am an avid cyclist and did a lot of riding that first couple years and I eventually maintained my weight at around 210-215 and was good until I took on a second job, stress levels went up big time, lost my ride time and ultimately I lost my focus - and all of a sudden my nice weight became an issue and I ballooned up to 283. I know I let myself go and blame myself for letting it get that bad.

I think for the most part I am doing my thing just need to give myself some time to let things happen.

BTW: Thanks to everyone for their encouragement!!

[Jennimo09]

[QUOTE=cjtichy]I did a modified atkins for 2 months and lost 28 lbs.

*** disclaimer *** many will tell you long term its not healthy.

What I did was eat LOW fat meats, chicken, very lean beef, pork, mostly chicken and fish. Dont think just because its meat that its consider fair game. Do some reasearch, eat healthy veggies, but not ones with too many carbs, potatoes / rice / beans usually off limits. Broccolli / Salads etc usually pretty healthy.
QUOTE]

It works! i did it and dropped 100lbs. Just be smart with it. dont go out eating cheeseburgers just because you take the bun off it (even though atkins says its okay). Every morning for breakfast I'd have an Atkins shake (like slim fast but no carbs) and string cheese. If I got hungry, I'd eat some sugar free jell-o or something. For lunch I would eat leftovers from the night before usually which was some kind of lean meat and veggies. Drinks lots of water and exercise and the pounds will literally melt off.

[plano2001]

Mmmm.... String cheese.....

*best Homer Simpsons-impersonation drool*

[Jennimo09]

Mmmm.... String cheese.....

*best Homer Simpsons-impersonation drool*


HAHAHAH...String cheese is one of the best food inventions ever.... well...maybe not..but it's amazing

[Chrisr]

I'm in your situation, a month ago I was at 32% bfi, I'm 5'11" 234 lbs now, I stopped the sweets and went to gym every day, drink only water, do some strength training and cardio! I lost 22 lbs in a month, I jus taped at recruiters office and I'm 28%, now I'm set to go I meps in two weeks and I'm practicing for arms test. All of hard work and dedication will drop the weight. Went from a 46 abdomin to a 44, also worked out my neck and went from a 17 to a 18, you can do it!

[chd]

5 years ago when I started to lose my weight I began at 383 pounds and within less than 14-15 months it dropped to 199.8 and maintained to 205-208. - my waist (pant size wise) was down to a 34 and I was trim but had a lot of extra skin.

I am an avid cyclist and did a lot of riding that first couple years and I eventually maintained my weight at around 210-215 and was good until I took on a second job, stress levels went up big time, lost my ride time and ultimately I lost my focus - and all of a sudden my nice weight became an issue and I ballooned up to 283. I know I let myself go and blame myself for letting it get that bad.

I think for the most part I am doing my thing just need to give myself some time to let things happen.

BTW: Thanks to everyone for their encouragement!!

If you can do it once, you can do it again. Just do what you know works. Unfortunately, the timing might not work out perfectly for you, but it rarely does anyways. Good luck.