Weight Loss for Applying to the USNA

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Jun 21, 2019
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15
Hey guys!

I’m a 17M, going to start my Senior Year next month. I’m currently 184 lbs, and my goals include losing at least forty pounds and to be able to do more pushups and crunches before October. Do you have any advice for me?

I have these goals in mind because I plan on applying to the Naval Academy soon. Any help is appreciated. (:)
 
Why do you want to lose 40 pounds? That’s more than 20%, which isn’t typical unless one is obese or severely out of shape. No need to tell us if you are, but I hope you’re doing it for reasons beyond just doing more push-ups and sit-ups. Losing that much weigh in a short period of time can seriously sap your strength and fitness. I’m not a health professional — nor do I play one on online forums — so I suggest you consult one before beginning your effort.
 
Hey guys!

I’m a 17M, going to start my Senior Year next month. I’m currently 184 lbs, and my goals include losing at least forty pounds and to be able to do more pushups and crunches before October. Do you have any advice for me?

I have these goals in mind because I plan on applying to the Naval Academy soon. Any help is appreciated. :))
I recommend running. As someone who lost weight this year, I recommend running 3+ miles every day. Also, cut out all “trashy” foods. The first pounds I lost were really easy as all I had to do was eat better and do some exercise. Best of luck to you, but don’t go too hard.
 
First, weight loss is great if you need it., and you are at the age that developing good eating and exercise habits now are important. Most young people can eat like a horse and burn it off, but your metabolism slows with age, and it catches up. (Trust me, I know !)

That said, there are two things to remember ... 1) Calories in v. Calories out; if you are expending more calories than you are taking in, you will lose weight. Cut out (or reduce) junk food, sugar and empty calories, and exercise. 2) Moderation -- avoid extremes of anything , both eating habits and working out. Take it slow, losing 40 lbs in a short period can be unhealthy, and can actually make you weaker. Overdoing the exercise can lead to injury.

That's the secret to weight loss success, at least theoretically ...now if I could only put it to practice !
 
I’ve actually gained 20 pounds and lost 20 pounds twice in the same year (bulking for power lifting and cutting down for Army PFTs) so I think I can speak for you. First things first, do NOT starve yourself! This will only make things worse as you will gain the pounds right back! Second, try intermittent fasting! This helped me a lot as I ate during certain times of the day. Google it. Third, always have a caloric deficit and eat healthier! Aim for about 1600-2000 calories a day depending on your body type! No soda, candy, “bad carbs”, etc. Fourth, lift weights and do cardio! Do not only do one of them! Especially if you’re applying for anything military! They will test your strength and your ability to run! Hope I helped and you definitely got this! Remember, this process is also a mental game!
 
You can lose 40 pounds over 4 months and not have issues. I've done it. One of my sons did it. You will sacrifice some strength (if you are already strong) but your overall ability to move your body (think running, pushups , pull ups) will increase in relative terms. Good advice above. Aim for no more than 2 lb loss per week. Get a good app that you can record EVERYTHING you put in your mouth. Do this religiously and you will be aware of your weight loss and how you are with targeting. Give yourself propper credit for calories burned from exercise. Mix cardio with weights so you can try and keep some of your muscle mass. One of my sons did the partial fasting with great success - he is a regular lifter and he lost some strength but reduced is BMI. Look into the Body for Life approach. What you are contemplating is do-able.

And first and foremost, stop drinking calories (especially martinis - oh, hopefully that won't apply to you but it did wonders for me).
 
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What does the Age, Height, Weight chart say about your situation?
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It tells me i’m out of shape and I need to change myself.
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Ok .... Follow the advice above .... One more thing .... stay “Busy” all the time, all day .... you know that you have been busy when you turn down for the evening, it is easy to fall asleep.

Your “busy” is Not exercising all the time ... but includes exercise. Your busy is all the fun projects and activities you like to do .... and they are mostly constructive activities.

You tend to eat when your body needs energy ... not because it’s time to eat. This is when you know you are busy. Your body craves good food and water over bad food and soda .... it just happens.
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Weight isn't something like hair color that is independent of the rest of your physiology. It has to be in sync with your height, musculature, etc, and it has to be a sustainable number where you can live and work long term. Be honest with yourself about what your goal should be. You don't need to get miles below a threshold to qualify, and in fact getting too far below can make you weak. If you are over 5'5", for example, and you want to be in the 140s you're probably over-reaching as that max weight is 165. The goal isn't being in the right spot on the chart so much as performing well and staying healthy. Consider talking this over with a health professional.
 
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