Getting in shape in Afghanistan

One thing about deployments is taking advantage of the workout time. With my hectic schedule back home it was difficult to work out if I didn't get it done first thing in the morning. Now I have time enough to workout twice a day if I wanted to and I have. Yes, this job is turning out to be somewhat boring here but necessary. I am jonesing for a new trip to work with the Afghans and it might happen next week but who knows. Everything is topsy turvy with the changeover of command happening.

I wish I were much busier than I wouldn't have time to think about how much I miss my daughter, friends and family. So I'm trying to fill that valuable time with writing, keeping in touch with friends and getting in shape.

The toughest part of getting in shape is changing my eating habits because I don't have the 20 year old metabolism anymore and I don't want to die of a heart attack. The food here isn't that great and you quickly get tired of greasy Pizza Hut pizzas, over-fried chicken from Popeye's or mystery meat from Burger King. I don't even bother with that stuff anymore.

The dining facilities are doubly revolting except for the U.A.E. dining facility which serves authentic Arab food but its very difficult to get down to it because its on the far side of the base. I'd eat there everyday if I could.

So I pick through the overcooked veggies and dried out meats for an appetizing meal but usually I just end up in my room eating a pack of ramen noodles and some crackers. Not healthy but its not fried either.

With that I've been gradually increasing my workouts and I'm up to an hour on the elliptical or bike or 45 minutes or so running on the treadmill. I love aerobic workouts but that alone isn't going to help me reach my fitness goals. So I've incorporated weight training and now I remember why I never was good about continuing it in the past. I hurt a lot afterwards!

Right now my back and shoulders are very stiff and sore and causing a tension headache. I know that it takes time for the muscles to adjust and for the achy soreness to turn into firmer healthier muscle but this part sucks and has always been the reason I would quit weight training.

I'm not going to quit though because if I ever had a chance to concentrate on building healthy tone muscle mass that will boost my metabolism and help me get more out of my running and other aerobic activities, now is that chance. When I get home my goal is to only have to do maintenance workouts which are less time consuming than the initial build up.

I'd like to do a half marathon in August. I have my sites set on the America's Finest City marathon and maybe in 2011 the Rock n Roll Marathon.

I do know that no matter how far I get with my fitness here that I will have to do everything in my power to make it a priority when I get back home. Even if its just squeezing in a walk in the evening with Sari.

You're never too old to change. That's what I say.