View Full Version : Junior in high school looking to enlist
Alright, so I am a junior in high school and I am considering enlisting in the Marine Corps. The only dilemma, or obstacle I would have to over come would be losing weight. I weigh about 285 and I need to be down to about 220 . I was invited to go to workouts with the recruiting office and I was wondering if it would be a good idea. I work out everyday however I only lift, and neglect cardio, I know that this is bad andni have full intent on changing this.
So would it be a good idea to go to pt sessions?
Thanks
afraziaaaa
02-01-12, 07:17 AM
Alright, so I am a junior in high school and I am considering enlisting in the marine corps. The only dilemma, or obstacle I would have to over come would be losing weight. I weigh about 285 and I need to be down to about 220 . I was invited to go to workouts with the recruiting office and I was wondering if it would be a good idea. I work out everyday however I only lift, and neglect cardio, I know that this is bad andni have full intent on changing this.
So would it be a good idea to go to pt sessions?
Thanks
It would be the BEST thing for you to do, given where you want to be.
Prior to getting answers, you will need to fill out a proper profile and read the site rules. You can find the rules in the Poolee and the Ask a Marine sections.
Marines here will be happy to answer your questions however we like to know who we are talking with first.
If you don't fill out your profile, your post will locked until it is done properly.
Prior to getting answers, you will need to fill out a proper profile and read the site rules. You can find the rules in the Poolee and the Ask a Marine sections.
Marines here will be happy to answer your questions however we like to know who we are talking with first.
If you don't fill out your profile, your post will locked until it is done properly.
I believe everything is in order now. Sorry about that
SGT7477
02-01-12, 08:16 AM
Alright, so I am a junior in high school and I am considering enlisting in the marine corps. The only dilemma, or obstacle I would have to over come would be losing weight. I weigh about 285 and I need to be down to about 220 . I was invited to go to workouts with the recruiting office and I was wondering if it would be a good idea. I work out everyday however I only lift, and neglect cardio, I know that this is bad andni have full intent on changing this.
So would it be a good idea to go to pt sessions?
Thanks
You should be running also,Good Luck,Semper Fidelis.
Lisa 23
02-01-12, 08:32 AM
According to your profile, you're only 16 years old. You have plenty of time between now and when you turn 17 in July to drop the necessary weight and get the ball rolling with a recruiter. With your parents signature, you can enlist when you're 17, 18 on your own.
There are quite a few topic on tips for weight loss here on Leatherneck, as well as doing a search on google.
So....for now, get good grades while you're still in school, don't get into any trouble, don't get any tattoos, and graduate high school with that high school diploma.
Keep us updated on your weight loss progress......and good luck to you! :thumbup:
MOS4429
02-01-12, 11:10 AM
(Clipped to relevant portions.) I am considering enlisting in the marine corps. The only dilemma, or obstacle I would have to over come would be losing weight.
I was invited to go to workouts with the recruiting office and I was wondering if it would be a good idea.
I work out everyday however I only lift, and neglect cardio.
I know that this is bad andni have full intent on changing this.
So would it be a good idea to go to pt sessions?
Yes, it is a good idea.
You know you neglect cardio. Go to PT sessions and work out. Start running. If you are too heavy, get on an elliptical cycle, get in the swimming pool and swim. When your weight is down, run. Start easy and build.
Many a man intends on changing, few do. You need to change your eating habits and exercise habits.
And again, in answer to the last again, yes, it is a good idea.
Start today.
iamspartacus
02-01-12, 11:38 AM
The FIRST thing I would advise somebody to do if they need to lose a significant amount of weight is to make sure they have good eating habits. Losing weight is simple math. calories in, calories out. Technically, you don't even have to exercise to lose weight (not that you will be healthy or in good shape, but you will lose weight). If you eat more than you burn, you're going to gain weight. If you eat less than you burn, you're going to lose weight. So first, educate yourself on how many calories you eat. Figure out what your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is. Figure out about how many calories you burn running a mile. Eat healthy. And I know you are still young, so talk to people who are knowledgeable about this stuff. Maybe it's your parents, maybe it's a friend who is a doctor, maybe it's your PE teacher. But get help and get knowledge on good eating habits.
Second.... do cardio. Swim, bike, run, get on an eliptical, play basketball, go on hikes. Anything that gets your heart rate up.
And finally, to answer your question, Yes. Go to poolee PE sessions. They do more than just exercise to prepare you for boot camp.
Well I suppose that I should check in since im sure your all eagerly awaiting how it was.
It was torture, but it was definitely worth going to. I seen how badly out of shape I was and I am glad I went. I now have some physical souvenirs on my arm which I acquired from hopping concrete walls during our jog and could lead someone to believe I cut myself on a regular basis. However I am proud to have them. But I cannot say I was expecting it to be easy since if being a marine was easy than they wouldnt be the worlds finest fighting force.
Thanks everyone in the thread for support!
Welp i took a summer break and im down to 260. Not nearly enough but its coming. I currently run 5 miles every other day due to my knee, refer to my previous thread, and i take oxy elite pro. ANy other tips from people who have been there done that
josephd
10-15-12, 10:20 PM
5 miles very other day?...that is too much in my opinion. I would cut that down to 5 miles once a week, 2-3 miles once a week, and then a sprinting day once a week. Running long distances like that doesn't burn many calories once your heart rate settles a bit after the first mile or two.
Get off that oxy elite garbage too. All that is really is caffeine/stimulant that sky rockets your heart rate. Get into a weight training regiment and/or crossfit type thing. Low weight and high reps will burn more calories than any amount of running will ever do. Diet is a huge factor also, how many calories are you taking in a day and what kind of calories are those?
5 miles very other day?...that is too much in my opinion. I would cut that down to 5 miles once a week, 2-3 miles once a week, and then a sprinting day once a week. Running long distances like that doesn't burn many calories once your heart rate settles a bit after the first mile or two.
Get off that oxy elite garbage too. All that is really is caffeine/stimulant that sky rockets your heart rate. Get into a weight training regiment and/or crossfit type thing. Low weight and high reps will burn more calories than any amount of running will ever do. Diet is a huge factor also, how many calories are you taking in a day and what kind of calories are those?
Typically I dont eat breakfast. For lunch I will have a can of Tuna and a bottle of water. For dinner I will have something lean such as chicken and some vegetables.
Also: I currently weigh 259
I started at 303 I am now at 259, Progress has been made all because of the recruiters and I appreciate that.
Rocky C
11-13-12, 06:07 PM
Outstanding !!!
Keep going.
Best of luck to you.
Outstanding !!!
Keep going.
Best of luck to you.
Thank you! My signing weight is 233 so it is fairly obtainable with time and perseverance. It reminds me of the first time I met with the recruiter and I was told "Nothing in life worth getting is easy", and that is spot on from what I have learned.
Also I am now a senior.
josephd
11-13-12, 06:53 PM
Typically I dont eat breakfast. For lunch I will have a can of Tuna and a bottle of water. For dinner I will have something lean such as chicken and some vegetables.
Also: I currently weigh 259
I started at 303 I am now at 259, Progress has been made all because of the recruiters and I appreciate that.
You need to be eating breakfast!....something light. Maybe a few eggs and toast, a small portion of oatmeal and a banana, even a simple bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. You need something in the morning to spike insulin levels and you will actually burn more calories through out the day.
You need to be eating breakfast!....something light. Maybe a few eggs and toast, a small portion of oatmeal and a banana, even a simple bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. You need something in the morning to spike insulin levels and you will actually burn more calories through out the day.
Yeah so ive been told haha. I dont think their has ever been a time where i have consistently eaten breakfast.
And 24 more pounds to go! From the research I have done, This is about where a good majority of people start off, weight loss wise.
If you want to be the best join the best.
Tennessee Top
12-05-12, 11:50 AM
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your body needs fuel to get started. It does not have to be big or full of fat/carbs and you don't even need to sit down; eat it on the run if need be. Some fresh fruit and real fruit juice (with no added sugar) is better than nothing. Alternate that with hot cereal (oatmeal) or cold cereal (not the brands coated with sugar) and skim milk or 2% fat milk.
Keep up the good work and never take your eyes off the target!
MOS4429
12-05-12, 01:04 PM
Jshrz, you have received some good advice. I am going to offer a bit different perspective, though. Yes, breakfast is important, but the idea of eating a lot of carbohydrates for breakfast, i.e., fruits and grains (oatmeal, etc.) is a bit off kilter. It is based on the American pyramid diet (you can google it to see the structure), and the APD has at the bottom as the most we should eat grains, and then next most fruits and vegetables, and on up it goes with meat at the top. This is a good plan...if you are a cow and you want to pack it on for the slaughter!
Otherwise, the APD is upside down practically. Even the Mediterranean pyramid is better than the American. Chowing down on a bunch of carbs in the morning is not that great for you. You'd be better off going with the Paleo Diet in all honesty, but most people don't like it too much. Having coached runners and swimmers for 12 years now, I can say one of the most neglected foods consumed for recovery is protein. Everybody talks about carbo-loading, but if you are like most, you probably eat a lot of carbs anyway. I read one of your posts where you said you ate a can of tuna and a bottle of water for breakfast. That's better than a bowl of oatmeal!
A couple other good breakfast options are your own "diet" shake where you can make it as a shake or a smoothie. The Balanced Diet nutritional drink is one option. Another is make your own. Try mixing and blending something like one cup frozen, unsweetened blueberries; 1/2 banana; 1/4 cup wheat germ, two scoops protein powder and water. You can google "protein fruit smoothies breakfast" and come up with a bunch of recipes. Easy to make, drink a large glass, and put the rest in the frig for later.
I also read where you were running I believe 6 miles a week x 3 and josephd recommended reducing it to once a week x 2-3 miles and adding sprints. Your heart rate is reflective of the intensity of your aerobic workout. It is a little more complicated than what was indicated, but you need to know your heart rate max. There is a generic formula that some use which is 220 - your age. So if you are 17, that would be 203 as a maximum heart rate for your age. If you want to burn fat, you want to exercise where your heart rate is 60 to 70 percent of 203, which would be exercising around 120 to 140 beats per minute (BPM). That will generally be a sustained pace just a little bit faster than jog. Jog is a very slow warm-up or cool-down pace. The peak fat burn zone has been documented at 55 to 72% of max heart rate. 203 x .55 or .72 will get you there. To burn more calories, then you want to exercise more in the neighborhood of 70 to 80 percent or about 140 to 160 BPM. This is going to be a quicker pace, what we would call interval or fartlek or surge or progression pace, but not sprint. If you just do sprints, you will be exercising closer to 90 to 100% max heart rate. In lay terms, this is anaerobic exercise. Sustained heart rate for too long a period of time will cause your body to burn less, but mixing it up will burn more.
In other words, the best type of running you can do is a mix of steady state, tempo, farleks, surging, progression runs and sprints. Sprints are good for increasing your metabolism, coupled with equal rest periods and are good to do, say, at the end of a distance run, something like 4 miles steady pace, 5 minute cool down, 10 x 100m 80 to 90% max sprint or strides with equal distance walk back. Keep in mind in boot camp, unless it has greatly changed, you will need a strong aerobic system based on endurance in order to sustain the distance as opposed to sprints.
Keep up the good work, and feel free to fire a PM my way if you need ideas at developing a running plan. I personally like using an 8-week or 12-week running plan because you can set your goals and measure your success better.
Wow thank you for that informative post! I will definitely shoot a PM your way but it will be hard to find motivation to run since mother nature has found her new home up here in Ohio!
willisra
12-05-12, 10:05 PM
I served 4 years in the Marine Corps, 1964-68.
If you are serious about joining you should loose the weight and run. There's a lot of PT and running in boot camp.
Prior to enlisting I too lifted weights, but I did a lot of pull ups, sit ups and ran, ran, ran. I was so glad I did when I got to boot camp.
I would recommend you find out from your recruiter what the PT test in boot camp consist of and be very good at every aspect of the PT test prior to going to boot camp.
You will learn, there are 2 types of discipline; self discipline and discipline that is imposed upon you. You definitively want to be self disciplined. There is character developed when you discipline yourself. External discipline is not what you are striving for, but will be there when you lack self discipline.
So again, run, and several miles at a time, and practice the PT test and get good at it before boot camp and your experience will be a lot better.
Wow thank you for that informative post!
I will definitely shoot a PM your way -
**((()))but it will be hard to find motivation to run ,
since mother nature has found her new home up here in Ohio!((()))**
Looks like you''re doing well on the weight loss and stamina/run gain..Keep it up..
NOW,, tell me please,,, when did "Mother Nature" move ???????
AND why on earth would she choose "COWPIE OHIO" for a new Location ?????
Looks like you''re doing well on the weight loss and stamina/run gain..Keep it up..
NOW,, tell me please,,, when did "Mother Nature" move ???????
AND why on earth would she choose "COWPIE OHIO" for a new Location ?????
She moved after I went to school with my windows down and the next day I was scraping ice off my car.
And willisra thanks. I have been a frequent visitor with my recruiter. In response to running, running surprisingly enough is my strongest area. I was at the naval academy this summer for summer leadership seminar and I quickly learned the only excuse you have to quit running is that you are dead. Actually now that I recall my detailed planned on going into the Marines!
Well an update, I gained 25 pounds.
No just kidding, Im actually down to losing the last 19 as of an hour ago according to the stations scale. I remember 60 pounds ago thinking how joyful i would be when i got to the last 20 pounds to lose.
Quite exciting, too bad the last stretch hit at the worst time of the year, food consumption wise. But I wont step away from my diet since most sweets make me want to puke now!
ANyways just thought id let everyone know. Now the hard part will be convincing the parents to let me do this, seeing as I dont turn 18 until July 31st and my parents would really like me to attend the University of Arizona, but I am willing to give that up since i remember looking at the weight scale in 8th grade for the Marines thinking ill never make that.
JOSH
DIET , isn't a word that you use temporarily .
Diet , is pretty much a word that means LIFESTYLE.
No matter where you go, or what you do, it's called Diet.
Everything in Moderation, GRASSHOPPER...
Make trade-offs if you have to....Know what you're eating,
and what you have to trade/give-up one item for another...
Be consistant with your parents, and honest. Perhaps they'll see
that you are serious on enlisting one way or the other....
Make sure you stay in contact with your recruiter and what the
current policies are in reguards to enlistments from high school/
and high school age recruits...
Good Luck with it..
Just don't give up ....
Make yourself proud