Dieting in the Army... Stuck with the DFAC/Chow Hall

[rarv1491]

So I know lost of you folks know how the Army works. You have certain times to eat certain food, a selection they have for you. You pay for it whether you like it or not.

Let's say my dream diet is low carbs, low fat, high protein 6 times a day. I need and willing to be as strict as possible but the chow hall has a different meal every day but repeat itself weekly. Also I don't have access to food or simply can't stop what I'm doing to have my meal.

What do I do? How do I overcome this problem? I have no idea how to deal with that... I can't be like "ohh yeah, one second let me eat this chicken at 1430 that I cooked last night, I will resume training once I'm done"

Help? lol

 

[casperthefriendly]

You're going to want to be careful about going too low on fat intake. Canned tuna is my "go-to" when I know I'm going to be in a situation where it's hard to eat as much protein as I need. If you eat your regular meals at the chow hall and add a can of tuna and a handful of almonds a couple times a day, you should be good to go.

 

[3J]

you can make it happen.. i have worked with military guys as clients in the past to set up a proper diet out of supplements and the chow hall..

 

[snowpatrol123]

In basic and for field ex's I kept protein bars behind my spare magazines in the front ammo pouches on my belt; 1430 protein intake covered. Phase training was a different story, but in garrison it was never a problem.

 

[rarv1491]

Well, I'm talking about garrison. So we can say that a good solution for it is something like a protein bar, or tuna that I can quickly eat in a minute or so?

 

[snowpatrol123]

Yes. They make cans of tuna now with a pop-off lid and mayo or something mixed in already...higher cals/less protein than a plain can but a million times easier to open and tasty solo vs just edible.

 

[Engineer]

Is there an AF base near by with a better selection in the chow hall? The best shape I've ever been in my life I was active duty Air Force. They had chicken breasts almost daily and never limited me on how many I could have.

 

[meatmonkey]

Is there an AF base near by with a better selection in the chow hall? The best shape I've ever been in my life I was active duty Air Force. They had chicken breasts almost daily and never limited me on how many I could have.

I'm prior service, Marines. Our chow was so-so. I was once on an air base overnight, and I was literally blown away by the foods they served. After leaving there, myself and some friends talked about the food we had there for months.

 

[HammerT1]

Chow hall, what's that? I saw that like twice...other then times I was tad at other bases where there were such things like regular working hours. I really think it depends on where you are stationed in terms of what they offer. Worst case you have to spend more money out of pocket to make it happen. I have buddies that talk about chow halls fondly and what they had for options. Ready eat low carb be it caned tuna or already mixed protein shakes, bars etc were my staple at times.

 

[rarv1491]

Is there an AF base near by with a better selection in the chow hall? The best shape I've ever been in my life I was active duty Air Force. They had chicken breasts almost daily and never limited me on how many I could have.

Well, Air Force is the best branch when it comes to living conditions and commodity. Army and Marines are the lowest I guess, and our choices suck in a different every day, but same weekly... They surely have low calories food and the food is somewhat healthy I guess, but you are stuck with they options, you are stuck with that they give you.

Chow hall, what's that? I saw that like twice...other then times I was tad at other bases where there were such things like regular working hours. I really think it depends on where you are stationed in terms of what they offer. Worst case you have to spend more money out of pocket to make it happen. I have buddies that talk about chow halls fondly and what they had for options. Ready eat low carb be it caned tuna or already mixed protein shakes, bars etc were my staple at times.

Its a dining facility, for enlisted soldiers that are single, they give and deduct (weird? I know) some money monthly to oay for your food, which is in the dining facility, they cook it for you and you have a "variety" to choose from (is not a buffet, if you get rice you cant get potatoes, only one kind of meal etc). Whether you go and eat it or not, it doesn't matter as long as you had the opportunity... so you can choose and not go and pay for some food outside and/or make your own food, but you will be paying double because they are not going to give you the money they deduct already.

 

[HammerT1]

^^^^^ Before you quote my comments and then then try and school me on something read what I wrote!!!!! I know damn well what a chow hall is.

 

[rarv1491]

dont get all mad because I dont get your sarcasm, if that was sarcasm. Plus people will school you at something, sometime, there is not much we can do about that.