Would like to enlist, but have some medical issues against me - Advice, please

[chucky_online]

Greetings members:

I'm a brand new forum n00b.

Years ago, as a young man, I did a short stint with the militia. I would really like to finish out my working years in the CF in some sort of technical capacity. Particularly as an LCIS tech.

I'm very keen on joining up, but I have some concerns. Some of the concerns are heightened after reading though many of the threads here @ milnet, over the past few hours. I'm too darned fat, and I have 2 moderate bowel conditions. IBS (C) and severe sigmoid diverticulosis. It takes very little impact trauma (since I was a teenager) for me to develop painful, inflamed shin splints. (Bad ones that take days n' days to subside). I haven't been in reasonably good physical condition since 13 years.

That's the cons.

Now, some of the pros.

I quit smoking 7+ years ago, but gained almost 40 lbs shortly after I quit. I'm a bit of a propeller head (computer tech) and have spent far too much time being seated and not working my body's muscles. I love goodies. No drug nor alcoholic addictions - but I have a lot of trouble 'getting off the oreos'.  :-[

I've started doing push-ups & sit-ups (including side-to-side oblique targeting). At present, I do 3 sets of 16 P-ups, and 3 sets of 25 S-ups.

I've been doing some hand and arm exercises with free-weights and hand grips.

I've started trying to strengthen/target my lower back with back extensions.

I've been doing some walking/marching. (Full military-style arm swinging) Recently, I've started trying to do a bit of jogging. The heaving chest and 'close-to-vomiting' I can/am willing to handle. It's the damn shin splints that are excruciating for me. I trained in Tae-Kwon-Do for a couple of years, when I was in my 20s. I had a terrible time with shin splints then too.

I don't earn a lot of money as I work part-time as a tech at London Drugs. Joining a gym is not really an option at this time, financially. I was out of the work force for almost a year and a half after my 'exit works' got really bad. My pooper is finally doing better, but I will have to contend with the conditions for the rest of my life.

Age: 40

Weight: 240 lbs

Height: 5' 10"

Married: Yes, thank God for a good wife.

Education: College Diploma in Computer Technical/Networking & Programming.  :

I want to serve Canada. I've been interested in the military since I was a child. I should have remained in the militia and gone on to FT Reserve service or even reg force, but decided to pursue a music career instead. (Youth is wasted on the young, you know) I came close 'twice' to finally making it into the 'big leagues' in Canadian country music as a guitarist. At age 31, I opted out for an education, in what I believed then, to be a viable career path, and got my fat rump educated with a GED and got into college as a 'mature' student.

I've never been guilty of being an over achiever, but neither was I ever a quitter. I've not ever been one of the first in line, but neither was I the last. I have always striven to be in the top 20 percent, of whatever environment that I was operating within.

Weight can be shaved off with exercise and dietary adjustments. (F***, more going hungry . . .DOH!!  . . LOL)

However, chronic shin splints and sick 'exit works' are my serious concern. Am I an idiot who's going through some sort of midlife 'I wanna be tough' crisis, or is this something that I can actually attain to?

No smart-*** remarks, please. I would prefer to hear from others in my general age group or from those whom have experience with these types of medical concerns. Advice from ranking NCOMs, etc., will be greatly appreciated.

Hooah! (No, I'm not an American) and God bless Canada! God bless the CF!

 

[PMedMoe]

Not much of an answer here, as is usually said on this forum, we can't answer those kinds of questions.  Your best resource is the Recruiting Centre.

Just wanted to say, congrats on the changes in lifestyle.  Hopefully, all goes well for you.

 

[kincanucks]

Keep working out until you can comfortably meet or exceed the minimum fitness standards.  As for your medical issues they can only be addressed by going through the recruiting process.

However, chronic shin splints and sick 'exit works' are my serious concern. Am I an idiot who's going through some sort of midlife 'I wanna be tough' crisis  You could be but if you don't try then you will never know.  Good Luck.

 

[Rayman]

From someone who IS 5'8 and WAS 250lbs and couldnt even run for about one minute to now 200lbs, and able to run some distance before getting winded the only advice I can give you is what worked for me. Say NO TO JUNK FOOD all those treats are high calorie, sodium and sugar filled. They may taste great and fill an empty void in the stomach but when you go for about 15 minutes on a tredmill at a reasonable pace only to burn off the calories they are worth as a portion....the 2 minutes it takes to eat them is not worth it. Its hard, trust me my weakness is Reese cups. I just look the other way, or grab gum instead (not that hubba bubba stuff like Dentene or something).

Another thing I found here was a great resource was a guide to dieting (I think it was posted by paracowboy) and it more or less reveals a lot of myths and misconceptions. Following that guide id say I lost maybe 3 pounds in one week.

EDIT: I got the link: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/48433.0.html

 

[DSB]

I used ot get monster shin splints, (I have flat feet).  I found that a good pair of shoes helped a bit.  After a couple of years they stop hurting.

DSB

 

[chucky_online]

Thanx for the comments, folks. Much appreciated.

Yeah, I love friggin' ol Reeses Pieces too . . . lol. I guess if a thing is truly important enough to one, one will make the personal sacrifices and tell the appetite to  'fly off' . . . lol. 

 

[Rayman]

Yup. Another thing I found works when you get the munchies are muffins (low fat carrot, or if you can stand the horse feed.. I mean bran types), just not the chocolate chip with sugar sprinkles, or the chocolate with reese cups mixed in. Fruit of course as well the "Smart Selections" baked chips. They have like Ruffles Sour Cream and Cheddar, Doritos Nacho Cheese. Lays plain. I find half of them taste much better than the regulars. I dont know if youre a juice or pop drinker but I found the light flavoured waters work (im addicted to Gatorade Propel-30 cal, plus vitamins with some offering extra calcium).

 

[chucky_online]

Howdy Rayman:

Actually, I mostly just drink water. Had to 'get off the coffee' a couple of years ago due to the sick pooper.

Nah, 'healthy snacks' just tick me off. I'll go hungry instead of eating fruit cups or 'horse feed'. . .lol  I've tried to do the granola bar, carrot sticks, light bran muffins, fake soy 'meats' and rice crisps routine lots of times. I will lose some weight, but the cravings kick in really badly. I can't stand tofu and it's bad enough to eat rabbit food with eating watered down, tasteless 'light' salad dressings. I've never been a fellow for dope or drink, but my lord, I love goodies . . lol. Everyone of us has a cross to bare, I suppose. Anyone who thinks me a quitter or a loser can go [insert expletive here] themselves.

I've cut my portions back and tried to incorporate more greens and less 'bad' fat. I have to eat mostly poultry and fish anyway because of the arfin' bowel problems. (Man, am I ever getting sick of chicken and fish, and would just about blow a monkey for a t-bone and a hunk O' chedder . . .lol) Oh well, it's either stay away from the long list of foods that make me sick, or die. It's a case of "shape up or ship out!"

I figure I'm peeing up a stump anyway - I'm 40 and nowhere even close to being 'army' fit. I'm not a gigantic obese civvie slob, but I'm a far cry from being 'soldier fit'. I have bowel disease and have suffered from acute shin-splints since I was a kid. I used to be in good shape (when I was a young fella). Trained in martial arts and was a militia/reservist for a while. It was actually the chronic shin splints that forced me out of Uish Ryu Karate & TaeKwonDo. I know what it takes to lose the 40 or 50 lbs (gulp!).

I spoke with a recruitment officer recently - I have a snowball's chance in hades of making it into the forces with the 'sick exit works'. Cold and damp or too much heat bring on diverticular attacks. (I have a severe diverticular condition, not one of the little mild 'discomfort' cases of the disease.)

However, to continue on with some exercise every day, or at least every second day, and wiser dietary choices is important; whether I can get into the CF or not. I've cut my sodium intake about half as well.

My Mrs. wasn't too impressed with the prospect of possibly being made a widow any earlier than necessary. Neither was she willing to go moving around the country constantly. I wasn't a soldier when she met and married me, and she isn't exactly 'stoked' about me going off to Afghanistan, or some other God forsaken place, and leaving her to grieve. Marrying someone who is in the process of becoming, or already is, in active service is one thing. Making a commitment to marriage and then running off to join the army 13 years after the fact, is a different matter. She said she would support me in the decision, but I know it's not what she wants.

I haven't met anyone yet whose been in the same position; although, I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Yup. Another thing I found works when you get the munchies are muffins (low fat carrot, or if you can stand the horse feed.. I mean bran types), just not the chocolate chip with sugar sprinkles, or the chocolate with reese cups mixed in. Fruit of course as well the "Smart Selections" baked chips. They have like Ruffles Sour Cream and Cheddar, Doritos Nacho Cheese. Lays plain. I find half of them taste much better than the regulars. I dont know if youre a juice or pop drinker but I found the light flavoured waters work (im addicted to Gatorade Propel-30 cal, plus vitamins with some offering extra calcium).

 

[JBoyd]

as far as diet eating goes, you dont necessarily need to eat 'horse-feed' or 'rabbit food'. Cut out the sugars, Trans Fat, and Saturated Fats. Stick to a High Protein Low Carb diet. Also make sure you are on an exercise routine, the protein will help turn the fat into muscle on your body. you might not lose alot of weight in the end as muscle weighs more then fat; however, you will be leaner, and healthier.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Well, if you've gone to the CFRC, and they've given you "I have a snowball's chance in hades of making it into the forces with the 'sick exit works' answer, there's not a lot we can do for you here. Good luck in your future endevours, and we hope things turn around for you.