Underweight on I-Day

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usna2026h

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Feb 14, 2022
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I am an incoming plebe sitting at 93/94 pounds, but the minimum weight listed on my chart is 97 for my height. How big of an issue would this be?
 
usna2026h said:
I am an incoming plebe sitting at 93/94 pounds, but the minimum weight listed on my chart is 97 for my height. How big of an issue would this be?
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I cannot give you the definitive answer, but if this is a normal weight for you and for your frame, I wouldn’t worry too much.

Your post reminded me of meeting Violet Cowden, a WWII WASP pilot, and hearing her tell the story of how she made weight to get in. If you don’t know about the WASPSs, devote some time to researching them, their histories and achievements. True pioneers.

Violet Cowden - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
THParent said:
Go to the sporting goods store and get 4 pounds of lead sinkers from the fishing department and put them in your pockets before you step on that scale.

View attachment 14269
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Message for the Plebe to be:
Do not enter a fishing competition and stuff your fish with lead sinkers because if caught you could end up in jail. It will look weird in your SF 86 and the federal investigator will have a field day.
 
severn said:
Message for the Plebe to be:
Do not enter a fishing competition and stuff your fish with lead sinkers because if caught you could end up in jail. It will look weird in your SF 86 and the federal investigator will have a field day.
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.
The investigator uses that trick …
 
Capt MJ said:
I cannot give you the definitive answer, but if this is a normal weight for you and for your frame, I wouldn’t worry too much.
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^ This .... Keep in mind, USNA is not looking for reasons to turn people away on I Day -- you made it through DODMERB and were determined physically qualified. Don't think twice about it..you will have plenty of other things to be nervous about next week,

As an aside --I would expect they still do weekly /bi weekly weigh-ins during Plebe summer. This is simply to make sure you are eating and are taking care of yourself. Funny story, I lost 10-15 lbs during Plebe summer (and at that time didn't have all the much extra weight to lose) and when my squad leader asked about the weight loss- he kinda laughed when I explained it was 7 weeks without a beer.
 
During Basic I gained about 20 pounds. I had a runners build going in, came out looking like a linebacker.

Took me a year to get back down to endurance athlete weight!
 
IronmanDaremo said:
During Basic I gained about 20 pounds. I had a runners build going in, came out looking like a linebacker.

Took me a year to get back down to endurance athlete weight!
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My son went in like a thin runner. Graduated like a safety being on endurance team.

It isn’t all genetics. I went in freshman year of regular college like he did. I came out like an O lineman.
 
DS '26 lost about 20 lbs during PS... for the most part a normal event but my family reacted as a Greek tragedy in a Shakespearean play. When he was home, we worked out together in Planet Fitness. He learned some new workouts from USNA so intense that he couldn't hardly walk after. Now he looked and walked like a MMA fighter except his mind is full of Stem courses equations.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
During Basic I gained about 20 pounds. I had a runners build going in, came out looking like a linebacker.

Took me a year to get back down to endurance athlete weight!
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I had the opposite outcome. Somebody didn't happen to tell me that early summer may not be the best time to show up at Parris Island. I wasn't heavy by any means, but I left P.I. 5'11/139 lbs. I looked like I had just escaped a POW camp at graduation.
 
usna2026h said:
I am an incoming plebe sitting at 93/94 pounds, but the minimum weight listed on my chart is 97 for my height. How big of an issue would this be?
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Eating more would certainly make you weigh more; specifically, more protein would add muscle. And, more muscle increases the weight you can lift, and to a point, the reps you can do with your bodyweight...
 
usna2026h said:
I am an incoming plebe sitting at 93/94 pounds, but the minimum weight listed on my chart is 97 for my height. How big of an issue would this be?
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Congrats! I’m so excited for the incoming class and their families. It is an experience to be sure and one in a class of its own.
Any chance you get to eat protein, do. Peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, tuna, yogurt, red meat, and things like spinach, kale, cranberries and blueberries will help with muscle recovery and the protein will help with mass.

Eat whatever the chefs at King Hall put in front of you. And if you can grab a yogurt and a banana to go back to your room? Cool.

I sent my son dried nuts and fruit and peanut butter during his plebe summer. He has always had a hard time putting on muscle mass.

Take a deep breath, don’t over think this whole thing. USNA plebes have been doing this for almost 180 years without a forum or the internet. Soak it all in.

Hug your family and friends. Be present in this- your moment.
 
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