desert goals

[sleepychallenger]

Ok my desert buddies (Don and John). We always make goals while we are over there...what are yours and how are you keeping up with it? I figured it may keep the folks here entertained and up to date on what is going on with us while we are gone. I leave here July 4th and my goal while there is run 500 miles and drop 30 - 50 pounds. Also going to take some more college classes and study to make rank. So many goals, hopefully I will at least complete two of the three.
Let's here em boys!
Drew

[go-fish]

Drew,
I'm telling you man, get P90X! I just completed the Ab Ripper X and it tore me up. I thought I had torn my abdomen! I am in pretty good shape to begin with but if you follow the program you'll still be beat. You can take your laptop into the gym, providing they have a 220-110 converter or your laptop can run the 220, and just go to town.

I work at night and get a chance to run at about 4-4:30 AM, right as the sun's coming up, as it is the coolest part of the day. If you can work nights it also works out because you'll be on the same schedule as back home. Remember, always get a little nutrition 15-45 minutes after your workout. Protein shakes aren't just for body builders. If you don't get proper nutrition and your hitting the treadmill, road, or weights you're body is going to be eating at that lean muscle tissue.

Remember as well, you can't target any one area to lose the blubber. Doing a million abs a day won't necessarily make your pot belly go away but you'll have some ripped abs underneath it. Look into HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training, and find out what you daily caloric and protein intakes should be so you can jumpstart that metabolism. That way you can burn that fat while your resting. You can find the caloric intake charts and calculators online. I  know those Air Force DFAC's are the world's best but I challenge you to not eat one ice cream or drink one soda or Red Bull on your deployment. If you run/P90X and get proper nutrition with a fervor for resisting the sweets you will be ready to go PJ or TACP!

As for me, I've met some goals and found some new ones. I recieved a warfare designator, Expeditionary Warfare, by passing a grueling 6 hour board complete with weapons disassembly/ re-assembly of all of our different weapons (which is alot), radio communications description and practical application, and some other "stuff". That qualification is taken into consideration for advancement. 

I have been spending more money on the car, which I haven't had the chance to do in a long time. I'm getting it mini-tubbed! Hopefully new VWW V-48 wheels! I was wanting to go for big billet wheels but I'm settling for the cheaper V-48 and will have them be my track day set when I can afford the 18's. Hopefully the car will be finished completely, aside from paint/body and interior.

I would like to send more book reading home via United Through Reading. I send an avg. of 1 every 2 weeks to my daughter and niece.

The biggest goal I have is to come home from every mission.

[whitesatinmopar]

The biggest goal I have is to come home from every mission.

  Now that is what I want to hear .  Thanks men.   

[The Cuda Guy]

Drew,

Hey bro one my goals is to get back into shape too, I let my self go pretty much when I came home from the last deployment, after 3 deployments in 6 years I took a knee and just lived as I wanted and I gained a 30-40lbs easy!  I really needed the break though, I was mentaly exhausted, and just not caring and relaxing and just coasting that year home helped me out a lot.  I was so out of shape when John (wagesofsin) met me he started calling me man boobies LMAO!!!  Now that Im back here I got my game face on and ready to go.  Also Im in the gym every day but Sunday.  Goal is to get to 200 lbs and a low body fat percentage.

I have the P90X I can try to send it to you if you're interested Drew.  I have not started using it as I dont feel Im at the level of conditioning that Crossfit or P90X takes to maintain.  I agree with John on the protien, I have been using Muscle Milk for

My other goal is to send Alan parts and $ for my engine and drivetrain upgrade!  The Cuda Guy Project is going to be a pavement pounder when he gets done with it, Im so excited about it!

Another goal is to work on me, as far as being a beter husband and father, Im a pretty intense dude sometimes and its a lot for my wife Kim to deal with.  My son Riley somtimes suffers because of it too, Im far from perfect and I love them to death and I want to be better for them.

My final goal, is to bring all my troops home, I have over 50 Soldiers and attached Marines that I am directly responsible for, my goal is to come home with all of them.  I have come home once without someone and its something I never want to go through again.

Drew, John, hope you guys are safe and sound.  If you guys need anything from me PM me I try to check this website daily now.  Im in Jalabad AFG (RC-East)if you want to track what Im up too or what my BCT is doing.  Take care guys.

Don   

[go-fish]

Don, make sure you burn yourself a copy of that P90X. Look into HIIT also. It's a great way to get started again since you get alot of results from a do-able program at any level.

The basis behind it is you go max effort on a cardio excercise for like 2 minutes, ease up for another 2 to 5 minutes, then go at it again. Cycle through that for 30 minutes to 45 minutes. You can use any cardio excercise from a row machine to running to bike machine.

Example: Start biking and warm up, bike for max effort for two minutes, slow peddle two minutes. Peddle for max effort for 2 min. rest for 3. After that 3 minutes of relaxed peddling go hard for 2. So on and so on. When it comes around to the max effort that means put out everything, you'll get your rest.

What this does is tricks your body. I read all about it and can't remember the chemical names but essentially when your body senses you are going balls to the wall it releases the chemical that turns up your metabolism. There is a period after max effort excercise where the chemical is still dumping. You rest to catch your breath and regain strength to go hard again. It's only short bursts. I think of it like a faucet. The more times you turn it on and off, the better it flows, metabolism.

I don't know if I made any sense so please Google "HIIT" and try to find different exercises to do. You get alot out of little gym time. You have to make it quality time though. HIIT coupled with free weights would be even more rewarding. There are also supplements out there that will really get you shredded but if you enjoy your liver I would stay away from more than one cycle.

Be safe guys.

[sleepychallenger]

I have P90X, thanks Don. I used it a couple of times and then quit. The last time I lost 21 lbs in about 3 months by running 5 miles a day and changing how I eat. This time I have six months and have already started running. I will be posting my running mileage, weight lost, and anything else that I can measure to post up.

[go-fish]

Well, my goal was a little different. I wanted to gain weight. I was really wanting to gain 10 lbs in six months. I am pretty close to 200 lbs. I'm 6'2 (6'3" on good days). I figured it's a pretty good round number. I was wanting to get huge and now my focus has changed a little. I stopped with the low rep/ high weight sets and went to higher reps. I also started the p90X a couple weeks ago and started running alot more.
My focus changed due to being re-accepted to a school after I was accepted and then de-accepted, LOL. Well, it's back on now and I need to be in tri-athlete shape. Beach muscle doesn't get you through this school. Endurance and a strong mind is all you need. Easy day! LOL

[sleepychallenger]

so guys, hows it going? I got here a couple days ago (flew out on the 4th). I definately hit the PT way too hard way too quick. Ran 5 miles the first day...felt fine. Ran 4 miles the second day followed up with some weight lifting...got back to my room and puked up the 3 bottles of water that i had drank.  took today off to rest. tomorrow i will hit it again but probably at a slower woking it in pace. other than that it is hot and muggy here. Nothing like 110* and 99% humidity. I work outside a lot since i am working onward movement for AF personnel that need to go down range. Lots of CC briefings too. at least one Troop Commander brief a night. I work night shift (1800 - 0600) which isnt so bad, but it is the most humid part of the day and that puts my PT right in the heat of the day. Anyway, just thought i would post up a status on what is going on this way.

how bout you?

[Road_Runner]

I've got nothing but admiration for anyone over there and if I was younger I could be right there beside you EXCEPT FOR THE HEAT!!  They'd just have to put me down before I could survive in that climate.  If there's ever a war zone in the arctic I'm your man, but triple digit temps and near 100% humidity is all the reason I need to stay the heck indoors as much as possible.  Stay safe and as much as possible stay cool!

Later, Jim

[go-fish]

Drew,
Put up your APO addy!

[The Cuda Guy]

Things on my end are going good, cant complain too much.  Had a good rythm going as far as the gym goes and was doing good until I get sent out to a COP in the middle of nowhere AFG.  I should be back to my base in a day or two then I can get back to my gym routine.  Hope all is going well with you guys. 

Don

[sleepychallenger]

Drew,
Put up your APO addy!

Drew Wanzer
379 ELRS/LGRDX
APO AE 09309

[sleepychallenger]

Update*

I am at 52.25 miles ran since i have been here and have lost about 18 lbs. I have increased my arms by about 1.5 inches. The gym is great. The down side is i have no AC in my room so it is just like sleeping outside but with stagnant air and no window that opens to get a breeze. Hope everyone else is doing well with their goals.

Drew

[sleepychallenger]

Been a couple months since I have posted anything here.....hope my other Desert buddies post up how they are doing as well.

I have lost 30lbs now and am just over 200lbs. My bench press has gone from 150 to 308 and I am working different muscle groups every day.

I am at 269 miles now so just over half way to my 500 mile goal and just over half way through my tour. I should be hitting the states again in mid Jan...all pending though.

Lately in the little spare time I have I have been writing home and looking for the sheetmetal to finish getting rid of the rust when I get back. I am hoping to have all the metal work done before moving to Texas in March.

I hope everyone is doing well.....Don, John, how are you two fairing?