For those with weight control issues, have you seen anything like this?

We all have our opinions but 600-9 and 7-22 obviously supports this type of thing. Commanders are urged to conduct tape test at least 7 days prior to APFT as some Soldiers may crash diet and may not perform as well.

Funny thing is that weight is always mentioned as something that will kill you. Weigh too much you will die from heart disease. Weigh too little, your organs are unprotected, and your body consumes its muscle mass to feed itself. Yo Yo dieting, and you die because your body can't adjust to the constant changes. Weigh your scientifically determined ideal weight, and you ride around on your fucking unicorn because nobody weighs their scientifically determined ideal weight.

Same goes with food. Look at fat. First it was eat no fat. Then it was fat is good. Now it is some fat of the right kind is good. Don't eat grilled meats because the carcinogens will give you cancer. Eat all the grilled meat you want, the carcinogens are filtered by the body. Eat lots of fruit. Don't eat too much fruit because it is loaded with sugar.

How much exercise is enough, how much is too much?

Finally, servings and portion control also are a huge problem. What's worse is that the food companies know this. Put two servings of juice in a bottle, and turn the masses loose. People will buy the bottle, and drink the whole bottle without looking on the back to see that they just consumed two servings at 150 calories each in one guzzle. In the U.S. we eat huge portions of high fat foods. We go out to eat, and eat all that is served without considering how much an actual serving is compared to what is served. Another new(ish) trend is the never ending side dishes. Order a burger, and they will bring french fries until you go into a food coma. Wake up from the food coma, and they bring another basket of fries. It has become culturally acceptable to binge eat when we go out to a restaurant.

All of these being said, I have been in a war with my waist since I hit puberty. I have been as low as 220 pounds, and as high as 435 pounds. The reality is, until the individual decides that they are no longer happy with the way their lifestyle is effecting their weight, no change is sustainable. It doesn't matter if a doctor says "keep eating that and you will die young." If the person does not want to make a lifestyle change, then no change is going to happen. In the last two years I went from 435 down to 370 back up to 410, and now I am back down to 353. I am determined to get back to my best health weight of 220. I have not just changed my diet and exercise, I have changed my approach. I had to change the way I think about life. Do I want a whopper with bacon, or do I want to be able to go hiking without stopping every half mile? Do I really want that Dr. Pepper, or do I want to not be a diabetic? The biggest thing for me has been taking small steps in the right direction to slowly change my habits over time. Once a habit is established, then it becomes like second nature to do the things that need to be done.

It is and it is not the service's responsibility to help their members maintain weight standards. Serving up a 2,000 calorie breakfast is okay for Marine's going on a two day patrol in which they will burn 20,000 or more calories. It is not okay for the sailor going from the mess deck to the CIC to be served that same 2,000 calorie breakfast. Of course the sailor should also choose not to eat that 2,000 calorie breakfast opting instead for fewer calories based on their activity level. When I was in the Navy, the portions that were served at meal times were substantially more than one serving. Again, it is okay when going out to do field exercises, but not so much when going to the shop for cleaning and PM. It should be encouraged for any service member who has down time, and wants to go exercise to do so. The healthy lifestyle of military members should be a part of the culture every day, not just on the days before and after a PFT cycle.

The Navy is a largely sedentary branch of the service. We go to sea on a small grey island. There are a large number of jobs that are more mentally demanding than they are physically demanding. It is easy to fall into bad habits. This is where training comes in. Training to not fall into bad habits. Training to not put off health, training to remain able to maintain standards. I wish that when I was in the Navy I had headed my own advice. I hope that anyone reading this who battles the weight demon will make an investment in their own life, and make positive changes.

Sorry for the rant, I just hope that someone can be saved from what I did to myself.

Funny how one only gets counseled when they fail the weigh in / body fat or PRT. If you barely make it then no one says anything. But once you fail, its like you are now public enemy number 1.
We need to educate our military better on eating and exercise habits. I know that myself, I was out of shape and I just didn't care as long as I passed my PRT every 6 months. Most people won't admit to having a weight problem until it slaps you in the face. We train for almost every possible scenario so why not train on proper eating and exercising as well and stress that throughout the year instead of when someone fails PRT.

I once had a Marine pass out in the sauna wearing a sauna suit lined with sweats due to the impending weight in. I explained maintenance VS purge to her.

I have seen this more times then I could count. I actually seen I guy pass out on the track during his PT test because he was so dehydrated from trying to make his waist measurement (which he did by just over an inch) to still fail by not completing the run.

It should be but we also should be monitoring those folks throughout the year, not just at the time for making weight. Although we only weigh in twice a year, we have an obligation to be in "fighting shape" all the time. I am all for slightly relaxing standards and making the PRT pass/fail only but having it be a surprise, not scheduled.

no