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Military muscle

Men's Fitness, June, 2003 by Ben Broyles

I'm a United States Marine, currently stationed overseas, doing my part to defend my country. A friend of mine brought the February issue of MEN'S FITNESS as reading material, so I decided to take a look with the hope of getting my workout back on track on my off time. I found some great advice, but most of the nutrition information is difficult for me to follow because of my limited food supply. See, I have to eat at the chow hall twice a day, plus I get one MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) once a day. Additionally, I have a very limited range of workout equipment. Still, I'm determined to make significant changes over the next six months, before I come home. My main goal is to develop a six-pack, but I'd also like to add more size. I've been eating as healthy as possible. Is it possible for me to gain size and still sculpt a six-pack? Ooh-rah!

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--BEN BOYLES, CPL/USMC

We've said often that it's difficult to go in two directions at once--which means it's hard to put on muscle and lose body fat simultaneously. Hard, but not impossible (turn to Ask Our Experts, page 38, for more on this). Since you're in the military, we're assuming you're a fairly active guy. You're also a guy with a limited menu, and thus a limited amount of available daily protein, which will make gaining muscle difficult. (To gain lean muscle, MEN'S FITNESS recommends ingesting one or two grams of protein per pound of body weight each day.) But there are positives to your particular situation. Since your daily calories are pretty much predetermined, it's going to be hard for you to overeat--especially considering your level of activity is probably well above average. We recommend you keep your focus on losing excess body fat and, as is your goal, developing a sculpted midsection.

Military muscle

Men's Fitness, June, 2003 by Ben Broyles

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