What's a good diet and workout plan for someone who lives in the barracks and pretty much only eats at the DFAC?

2017-04-29T20:24:41-04:00

Let it be known:
1. I'm not allowed anything in my room besides a microwave.
2. I'm not trying to spend a lot of money.
3. I'm also looking for more of a crossfit style workout.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2017 8:26 PM

2017-04-29T20:26:29-04:00

Military Athlete anything from their greek operator series is awesome, they also have a limited equipment plan. Meal wise it's all about doing the best you can with what you have and planning ahead.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Apr 29 at 2017 8:27 PM

2017-04-29T20:27:01-04:00

Have you ever thought about talking to your mess Sergeant? These guys are suppose to be up on diet and such.

Response by SGT Victoria Belbusti made Apr 29 at 2017 8:49 PM

2017-04-29T20:49:37-04:00

It's hard to do at the DFAC I'm afraid. They ration your food. The only way I was able to maintain and stay fit was with BAS and meal prep. I wish I had a better answer for you. I even tried talking to nutrition and they just shove that government food pyramid crap down your throat.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2017 9:13 PM

2017-04-29T21:13:30-04:00

Your choices will be limited. First of all, do not skip breakfast..that will do nothing but promote unhealthy binge eating later in the day when you get hungry. Besides, eating on a regular schedule is one of the best things you can do on any type of nutrition plan. Depending on your DFAC, you will potentially get the most variety for breakfast. Don't be afraid to have eggs in the morning. More research is showing that the protein provided is one of the most bioavailable and the cholesterol concern may not be as bad a previously thought. You should, however, try to limit the added fats to your eggs. Minimize cheese and limit bacon, sausage patties and biscuits and gravy. You don't need to supplement your breakfast with those every morning. Pay more attention to the cold bar and stock up on fresh fruits. If you like cottage cheese, that can also be a good protein source, but be aware that most cottage cheese has a relatively high salt content. Take advantage of apples, oranges and bananas..these can be a good snack mid morning.

At other meals, do not go to the short order side very often. I know it may be boring, but baked chicken and fish dishes are probably your best choices, along with vegetable side dishes. I hate to say it, but pay some attention to the color tags that are supposed to be present for each entrée. You would be wise to avoid the "red tagged" foods most of the time and try to stick with the "Green" and some "Yellow" choices. If you find yourself tired of main line foods, you might do well to take advantage of cold sandwiches or potato bar if your DFAC offers those. Most DFACs will allow you to get a sandwich and then pop over to the main line to get vegetable side dishes instead of fries or chips.

I know salad bar can be boring, but it is also a way to get some fresh ingredients. Try to get spinach over iceberg lettuce and be creative with the toppings. I often find myself making taco salads with kidney beans, cheese and salsa with ranch dressing.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2017 11:38 PM

2017-04-29T23:38:35-04:00

Seafood Diet!!! I'm not so certain you're old enough or unfit enough to worry about the issue too much. You could have a Top or CSM ragging on you, which would alter the picture.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2017 10:32 AM

2017-04-30T10:32:00-04:00

Do you read Robb Wolf or Tim Noakes? Look them up on Twitter and get smart on what to eat. You can find it in a DFAC. There are several on post, you may have to travel.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Apr 30 at 2017 12:39 PM

2017-04-30T12:39:21-04:00

If you're trying to lose weight, consider my old Flight Surgeon's "no spoon' diet. The no spoon diet is quire simple: anything that requires a spoon to eat is prohibited. Consequently, you can't eat mashed potatoes and gravy, cereal and milk, ice cream, soups, chili, etc. You can eat meat, salad, most vegetables, toast, bacon, granola bars, fruit. You get the idea. The no-spoon diet is designed to cut down on carbs and increase low carb foods while still allowing some foods with essential fiber and vitamins. If you add drinking lots of water every day to the no-spoon diet it works well.

As for exercise, I'll leave that to people with more experience to advise you.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Apr 30 at 2017 5:13 PM

2017-04-30T17:13:36-04:00

http://darebee.com/

First I'll start by saying I'm not affiliated with them in any way, but they've got a lot of different both single workouts and workout programs. You might have also seem some of their workouts float around on facebook like the monthly abs challenge and such.

A lot of their stuff is straight up body weight workouts, but they've also got some crossfit style stuff as well. They also have some pages on nutrition, meal plans, and some healthy recipes.

I hope this helps and good luck in bettering yourself.

DAREBEE - Fitness Made Easy

Fitness blueprints: no-equipment visual workouts, fitness programs and challenges, training and running tips, recipes and nutrition advice.

Response by Maj John Bell made Apr 30 at 2017 10:48 PM

2017-04-30T22:48:51-04:00

Diet: Going through the chow hall, variety is the key. Load up on the fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Easy on the dairy, starches, fats, and fried meats. Sweet desserts only once a week.

PT: Variety is once again the key. If you enjoy it, you'll do it. If it is a chore, eventually you'll blow it off for good.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2017 12:05 PM

2017-05-01T12:05:14-04:00

What might work for one individual might not work for the other...not everything is generalized so do what works for you if you see results. Simply put, eat meats, vegetables, nuts&seeds, some fruit, little starch, NO SUGAR. I know how it can be to eat DFAC food, however, the DFAC does offer variety and options to choose from. As far as CrossFit style WODs, go onto the main page of CrossFit and look at their daily WOD; scale them to your ability. If you unsure of how to do the movements, the main site provides "how-to", but I would suggest you get SME supervision from a box instead of just trying to do this on your own. Many individuals get hurt doing a movement they are unsure about or thinking they are doing them correctly. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me directly.