As a veteran, do you find it hard to maintain a fitness routine?

I don’t find it hard to keep in shape. You have to make it a priority in life and find activities that you’ll enjoy. If not it’ll be a chore and you’re unlikely to stick with it. I stopped doing things that wasted my time, and significantly cut down on other wasteful activities. I used to play online games, like first person shooters a lot. Whole days off were wasted doing that. I know longer play PC or console games and I don’t miss it. I cut out a lot of the time I used to spend in front of the TV. Rather than sitting and surfing and settling for a show when there’s really nothing on, I TiVo only the shows I really enjoy. I now get a lot more done around the house and have more time for physical activities. My wife and I do most activities together. First activity in the morning is the gym for 30 minutes of cardio followed by weight training, no excuses. If I have to make an appointment for something, it’s around my gym schedule. Then there’s Brazilian Jui Jitsu 3-4 times a week. On the weekends my wife and I hike, kayak, and bike.

At 51 years old I have aches and pains and do sometimes get injured from training. I just adjust my workout in order to recover from injury, but still find a way to exercise.

My diet isn’t perfect, but it is far better than it used to be. No soda ever, and I overall eat cleaner now than I ever did in my life. The weekends I cheat a bit and I do enjoy beer most weekends.

Most people that say they don’t have time just don’t manage their time well. Notice I said most, not all people.

For some it seems like a lot of work to keep fit, but the payoff is well worth it. The APFT is a joke I never worry about. I look at my two overweight brothers and that can’t keep up with their kids. Two out of three of my kids can’t keep up with me. The third kids is also into fitness.

Hey Huy,

I would have to agree. I found it tough when I got out. But I found it even tougher when I lost access to the base gym after my IRR time was up. I ended up investing in some equipment and started working out in my own gym. I found it tough to maintain my motivation a few times but found the fun in fitness by creating quantifiable challenges for myself. I hope to do the same for others with an app I am developing.

The key , as SFC Rich Carey mentioned, is that it is not part of our work day.
In the Army, you have to be at work at 0-dark-whatever, but that includes your work out and personal hygiene to get into your work attire, and maybe even time for breakfast!
In the private sector, you have to wake up 2 or 3 hours earlier to have time to get in a workout and get cleaned up, or find time once you get home.
It is MUCH more difficult.
Add in the fact that it moves from job requirement to non-mission critical once you stop wearing the uniform, and alas...you are a fat-body.

Round is a shape...just saying.

I do not have a challenging work schedule, but I do have a home, a family and I am in a Master's degree plan. As such, I tend to be busy and have my day filled with things other than PT.

For me, the greatest challenge is making PT a priority over entertainment such as FB and TV. I have previously worked with a trainer to take my workout to the next level, but without that enforcement, it's difficult to stick with it. Doesn't help that my gym is usually 80 degrees even in the early morning....

Yes - being disabled and fighting for medical assistance is a full time job.

No real problems until I reached my 80s, then I was reduced to walking on my Treadmill 30 minutes a day!!!

No. I knock it out in the morning and it sets a positive tone for the rest of my day.

Not really, I actually have greatly increased my Fitness Endurance since retiring and able to fully incorporate my own Fitness Routine instead of the Armys. I've been doing an array of Beachbody programs and running Long Distnaces.

Yes. I got out during Christmas and was far too happy to be a civilian once again. I gained 40lbs over what I should be and it's not easy to get off. I've found my fitness schedule very lacking since leaving. As I go back to college, and consider myself one seeking a commission when finished, I really do feel I need to get back on the wagon and get back to the fitness.

In part, I have trouble with maintaining a fitness routine because I don't have somebody jumping my shit if I'm not in shape, lol... Add to that mix, a job, having a family, and living in rural Montana (with no facilities remotely near), it's been pretty difficult. Unfortunately, we too often buy into our own excuses. I've let things go for FAR too long and it's very hard to get back into things due to "advanced" age (I'm not even 40, but I'd be an old man in the service right now, lol) in addition to WAY too much extra weight.

The biggest hurdle I've found to get back into things has been to change my mindset. You have to MAKE yourself believe that you WANT to workout/exercise... Once you get past that (I'm using improving my health to be around for my newborn son and getting back into the Army Reserves by the end of the year as motivators), add in a proper diet (also sometimes requiring a change in the way you think) and a program you can stick with (don't immediately go to "I'm gonna run 5 miles a day, 3 days a week" if you've sat on your ass for a decade, lol) and you should be successful.