I arrived in Iraq heavier than I wanted to be. But Iraq was going to present the unique opportunity to lose weight in a controlled setting.
The Weight Loss Plan
I would be spending three months total on a US base. I would be eating meals planned and prepared by our kitchen staff. I also would have access to gym equipment.
So I resolved that I was going to spent those three months strictly avoiding things like sweets and empty carbs. I would also practice portion control. And I would also plan my life around working out every single day.
Now, the base kept things like ice cream and potato chips freely available for anyone who wanted it. So I had to exercise considerable discipline to not indulge myself.
Since the temperature would be reaching potentially 120 degrees in the afternoon while I was there, I fell into a schedule wherein I was lights out at 8:00PM. I slept eight hours and then woke up at 4:00AM. I went to the main building of our base, drank a cup of coffee and worked out. I did a combination of weight training and cardio on an elliptical machine.
The Results
For three months I maintained this regimen. And here's what happened.
Here I am in pictures taken in early July and then in early September.
In total, I had lost thirty pounds in that time frame.
The Position of the Gun
Notice another detail between those two pictures. In early July, I had clearly pulled my holster forward so that my gun was more visible in the picture. I was like, "Hey, look at me! I'm in a war and I'm carrying a gun!"
In September I was still required to be carrying that gun, but in the picture you might not even know it was there, because by then I was like, "Just get me the fuck out of here."
The fact is, I've still spent the next twelve years in yo-yo dieting. I'm heavier right now than I wish I was. I know what I have to do in order to address the situation. And I'll do it, as I've done before. I'll miss you, Big Macs (for a while...;)!
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