Savory Survival Guide

By SSG Ken Weichert, Master Fitness Trainer

This article is excerpted from The Savory Survival Guide, which first appeared in the fitness section of GX 6.7. If you'd like to read more, go to Operation Hunting 4 Health. 

Lifelong survival training includes fitness and nutrition.

I used to think that if I worked out hard, I could eat anything I wanted. Boy, was I wrong. As more and more birthdays arrived, my metabolism slowed down immensely. By the time I hit 30, I noticed that my battle of the bulge was getting more difficult.

I increased my workouts to 90 minutes for each session. Then, my time at work and with family took control of my schedule and 90-minute workouts were not possible. I was losing the battle. By 35, my body began rejecting my eating habits. Worst of all, I noticed my energy level dropping a great deal! It was time to make a change—a change toward a better life through healthy nutrition!

I came up with a list of meals and snacks that have helped me reduce my cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and increase my strength and stamina. By the time I hit 40, my new diet plan was working! Even with a busy life that restricted me to 30-minute daily workouts, I was in better shape than 10 years earlier. In fact, I noticed that my military fitness test scores were far better than ever in my life!

The foods I eat work well for me, and have helped me realize that part of my lifelong survival training includes fitness and nutrition!

The Savory Survival Guide is my personal meal plan. Use it for suggestions only. Always seek guidance from a certified dietitian and your primary care physician before starting any new diet or fitness program. Remember to be conscious of any potential allergies that might prevent you from consuming certain foods or liquids.

Keep a journal during your diet changes. Your body may react to specific foods (my body reacted differently to every new food that I added to my diet, but eventually became comfortable with the changes—in fact, I now have adverse reactions to unhealthy foods). You might even experience some discomfort. Make note of how your body reacts to certain foods and liquids.

Lastly, remember the three basic steps when hunting for better health:

  1. Be resolute. Stop thinking about it and just do it.
  2. Be accountable. No cheating allowed. This is your life.
  3. Be thorough. Consume as many fresh foods as possible and eliminate over-processed foods from your diet.

Looking forward, I can honestly say that I know what it takes to survive. Between my military training and experiences, my unremitting fitness sessions, and my healthier diet, I feel more confident about my health. As a result, I feel more confident about my ability to survive, and to help others survive, too.

HOOAH!

SSG Ken Weichert

Check out the entire Seven-Day Meal Plan now, or see it one day at a time.

 

About the authors:
Staff Sergeant Ken Weichert is a six-time Soldier of the Year, Master Fitness Trainer and veteran of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Desert Storm. Ken and his wife, Stephanie, a Certified Personal Trainer, founded START Fitness, a group exercise and hiking business that delivers military-style workouts to Soldiers and civilians since 1998. Ken and Stephanie have led thousands of Soldiers to better health through Operation Fit to Fight, a fitness and nutrition training program designed to help Soldiers prepare for deployments and Basic Combat Training (BCT). Ken and Stephanie currently produce health and fitness programs for GX magazine and for the National Guard Web site.