Welcome to quarantine 2020 – remember when you said you’d work out more if only you had the time? Well…
PCS season is here and when the stop loss lifts, you are going to be meeting your commander for the first time. He or she is going to size you up. They’ll notice if you’re in great shape and unfortunately they’ll notice if you’re fat.
Solutions? Yep, got em.
- More and Less: Have you heard of the More and Less Diet? It’s new and trendy. All you have to do is work out more and eat less.
- Boozing: Sure, many of us are drinking more these days. My esteemed colleague and co-writer has a beer to mileage rule – it may have been adjusted for Coranatime but generally, he allows himself one beer for every two miles he runs during the week. My only drinking rule is that I cannot drink before I work out – this forces me to get a 20-minute workout in, even when I’d rather have a drink.
- Outside: No matter what state you live in, you’re still allowed outside to run, walk or bike. You’ll be amazed at what a difference even a walk makes. I’m truly inspired by many of the fat slobs in my neighborhood out for walks these days.
- The Plan: There are SO many workout programs available for at-home workouts. Most are free. Have kids? My daughter’s swim coach puts out a daily workout, any law preventing me from doing it too? Nope – it’s a crush. Nike Training Club made their premium stuff free during the pandemic. Runner’s World, free plan. Just google it, there’s plenty out there at every different skill and intensity level.
- Eating: Simple things that may help you get and feel fit – try going 30 days without meat, try going 30 days with only meat. Drink more water each day. Cut soda. You know the things that weigh you down.
- Small Steps: I once had a soldier put “run a marathon this month” on his support form – he hadn’t run more than 2 miles in the past 6 months. Let’s start with a 5k, buddy. Start with anything, achieving your small goals will get you to bigger ones.
- Hurt/Beat Down/Injured: We all are. Now figure out what you can do, and do it.
Do I make this sound easier than it is? I don’t know. I do know even if you don’t get-fit-quick, just working out and taking care of yourself will be evident in everything you do. Working toward fitness, even without immediately achieving it, will make a difference.
As a PAO, you may be walking into a unit with preconceived notions about who and what a PAO is and does. Worse, you might be the public poster child for wasted taxpayer dollars. According to a 2019 DoD Study, the Military Times reports “Overweight and obese active duty military also cost DoD $103 million per year in the form of 658,000 lost workdays…”
Instead of walking into your unit looking like a public liability, walk in looking like a soldier.
You’re going to represent the organization to the public – look like our ethos. Stand with confidence.
This is your chance. All you have to do is start. The security of our country and your life depends on it.
Photo by Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman
