Is there a way to increase appetite?

[Fake Boris]

Well Speer, looking at your diet, you eat stuff that takes longer to digest and usually make you feel more full. Before going into (possibly) nasty shakes, try having more of refined cereals.

[Kidlicious]

How do I look like a dumbass? Explain it to me. I don't feel like going into strength vs. endurance for military applications and how it relates to me. Is that what you're talking about?

What did you show us a picture of someone carrying a backpack for then? You're coming off as though you don't have a clue, but you don't listen to people.

I mean I'm taking in over 3000 calories but I probably need more to continue my strength gains (not to mention a buffer so I don't start losing strength when I really start running).

See, unless you are 7 feet tall, this is just stupid. I am 6-1 and I'm extremely active. I take in 3000 calories max and that sustains my weight. Actually my intake is probably, on average, less than 2500.

See you don't realize that some of us know what we're talking about. You sound like a bonehead.

[Kidlicious]

But maybe you have a parasite. You might need a good fast, cleans and enema.

[Al B. Sure!]

This will be long but it will shut you the **** up.

There are advantages and disadvantages to being small and endurance-centric and big and strength-centric when it comes to military applications. The smaller guys excel at endurance runs without added weight and activities in which a lighter bodyweight is advantageous (ie- bodyweight exercises, obstacle courses or climbing things in general, etc.). Bigger guys are better at moving (both marching and running) with weight (whether a rucksack, a buddy in a fireman's carry, or any sort of equipment). They also have more absolute strength and can overpower smaller guys.

OCS (note I didn't say the Fleet; I said OCS) is geared towards small endurance guys but has become more strength-centric over the last several years (as has the Marine Corps in general) with the integration of more functional fitness including the Combat Fitness Test. There is less emphasis than before on long distance runs in running shoes and much more on quick sprints in boots, utes, and gear and other weighted running (ie- buddy carries, buddy drags, ammo can carries, etc.).

I went to OCS at a skinny 170 and struggled physically. I went back at 190 and found it physically not particularly demanding but distance running was still tough although the endurance course was incredibly easier and in fact, bigger guys do better on the endurance course because it involves running and overcoming obstacles in boots and gear with a rifle. The added weight kills the endurance-centric guys.

Now, it might be that 190 happens to be my ideal balance between strength and endurance and 215-220 is too heavy. That might be. If I find that even with a lot of work, I can't run distance sufficiently well at this weight, I just lose some weight. Who the hell cares? In fact, that would mean I did something that athletes always do... cycle. You build muscle, gain weight, get stronger, then cut down to make a lower weight so you maintain most of your gained strength but at a lower weight. I've done several cycles before and it's worked fine.

Also, frankly, I've come to the realization that I will never be a great endurance runner. I'm just not good at it. My goal is to strike a balance and be as good of an endurance runner as I can be given a level of strength and functionality. If I have to be the slowest runner in my OCS class (which would not be slow by Marine Corps standards at all, by the way; OCS standards are very high), so be it, but I'd be the slowest and one of the strongest. No one will give a crap if I'm slow on a distance run in running shoes if I'm good at everything else including running with gear.

Now, of course, this is OCS I've been talking about. The Fleet is a whole different story entirely. In combat, you don't run 5 miles in running shoes and PT gear...

[ZEE]

that would make a good vocaroo post

[Cort Haus]

Not sure I'd have had the will to live after listening to it all tbh

[Kidlicious]

This will be long

In that case I won't even read it because you're a bonehead who doesn't listen to reason.

Go ahead and be a fat ass who goes to bootcamp. Some people have to learn the hard way.

[Al B. Sure!]

In that case I won't even read it because you're a bonehead who doesn't listen to reason.

Go ahead and be a fat ass who goes to bootcamp. Some people have to learn the hard way.

Wow. You're a douche.

And I've been there twice already! How am I going to learn the hard way when I know everything that is required of me from being there TWICE?

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Kid- we've seen his photos. I've seen pins with more body fat.

[Kidlicious]

If you want to look at his photos go ahead. He doesn't make any sense.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

He wants bulk. Muscle. For that, you need to eat- unless you plan on re-writing the laws of physics.

[Kidlicious]

Well I've been to bootcamp. You do a whole lot of marching and push ups. You do some running too. Big muscles and fat don't help you there. If you look at long distance runners and cyclists they have small well toned muscles that are trained for endurance.

[Jon Miller]

Have you thought about switching footwear/etc to help you with your distance running?

JM

[Kidlicious]

In case you didn't know bigger muscles burn more energy.

- to bugs

[Al B. Sure!]

Have you thought about switching footwear/etc to help you with your distance running?

JM

I don't think you saw my post in the other thread. I have Nike Free 5.0's. But when I started running in them on concrete, it may or may not have been the after-effects of my injury, but I had really bad pain in my shins. I'm easing back into running with them but trying to use softer surfaces as much as possible. I don't know if the lack of support on concrete is bad for me or if it's just because I was more susceptible to injury so soon after my injury.

Kid:

What part of I've done 14 weeks of 'boot camp' do you not understand? I've been there; done that. I know what it takes. Did you do Marine Corps Officer Candidate School? If not, you have nothing to say because you know nothing.

How do your skinny endurance types do on combat runs? Where you run 5 miles in boots, utes, LBV, rifle? How do they do on ruckmarches? How do they do on the Combat Fitness Test? How do they do running carrying a guy in a fireman's carry? I'll give you a hint... it's never the big guys falling out.

And bigger muscles burn more energy... EXACTLY! That's why I need to eat more.