Weight/ Body Fat Requirements for Enlistment

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Permalink Reply by Melissa (Tucson) on September 28, 2009 at 4:32pm

If your son makes it to MEPS at this point, he will most likely be rejected for exceeding the body measurements. Your recruiters are doing all they can you help your son.

The Navy can afford to be extremely selective in this economy. Many Sailors who thought about getting out after their enlistment ended changed their minds in this job market. And many, many men/women are trying to get into the Navy because of the job market. I'm sure this isn't what you wanted to hear, but if the only thing holding your son back is his body measurements, get the kid a personal trainer and a membership to a health club. That's what I did for my son to get him in shape.

And yes, he will lose that 1/2" in boot camp, BUT your recruiter and MEPS have rules to adhere to also. He'll feel much better about himself if he loses the inches now instead of being rejected by MEPS and having that on his Navy record.

Permalink Reply by MtnMom62 on September 28, 2009 at 5:30pm

He just returned from the recruiter who told him that now instead of being 25% body fat he has to be at 22% by this Thursday. In 3 days.

Permalink Reply by Melissa (Tucson) on September 28, 2009 at 5:52pm

You can find the body fat requirements for the Navy online. Just Google it.

Permalink Reply by MtnMom62 on September 28, 2009 at 7:12pm

Thanks Melissa! We're just real frustrated. Hopefully this will all work out soon!

Permalink Reply by Grace on September 28, 2009 at 10:26pm

I would try a low fat high fiber meal plan. You can look at MyPyramid. com, or try the Weight Watcher's meal plan. (Goals are 50 grams of fat or less from all foods, and 25 to 35 grams fiber or more) This means skim milk, olive oil and vinegar on salads, whole wheat bread, high fiber cereals like Kashi, Raisin bran, bran flakes. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables and salad. Take low fat proteins, egg whites, turkey, tuna fish, fish, chicken, tofu. Try not to have butter or margarine, give up doughnuts and that kind of stuff. Also try not to have too much sugar, limit salt(try pepper, onion, garlic, Mrs. Dash). Plus fat burning comes from endurance type activities lasting longer than 30 minutes at a time(the running, swimming). Keep drinking lots of water too. See if this works. Good luck..

Permalink Reply by Dawg#Chief on September 28, 2009 at 11:10pm

MtnMom,

Hello I can understand your son fustration, it's hard to stay focus when the recruiter are telling you one thing and then it changes the next. I'm on recruiting duty myself but no longer a recruiter but a supervisor, and just a few days ago our normal standard for enlisting young men and women into the navy at a higher body fat precentage changed from 25% down to 22%, yes back when you family member enlisted just as I did the guys that was a little large lost all that extra weight and some while in basic. Sad to say in todays navy that will not happen either they are under the required weight or they will no let them in, hope this helps your son, tell him to stay focus and the weight will come off in time.
Dawg

Permalink Reply by Arwen on September 28, 2009 at 11:37pm

Chief, what about being under-weight? My son's recruiter told us to feed him more, that he needs to put on some muscle weight. I *thought* he was a healthy weight.

Permalink Reply by Dawg#Chief on September 29, 2009 at 8:07am

Arwen,
Does your son weigh in under 120 pounds for his current height and weight, for the pass 5 or so years the navy was not required to have minimum weight standard, so you may think his healthy but we consider if his body mass index is below 17.5% he is considered a health risk, so we have to have them add a few pounds, easily done for some. If your son is having a hard time gaining the required pound, have him limit his extra activities such as running, missing required meals, eat more high starch food, nuts and things that help you gain weight.
Hope this help,

Chief

Permalink Reply by Arwen on September 29, 2009 at 2:57pm

No, he doesn't weigh less than 120 lbs, but he does have very low body fat. I looked up his BMI and it says he's overweight (he has a huge frame, 6'4" with wide shoulders, etc), but MEPS said his body fat is less than 10%, and they want him to put on some reserves.

Permalink Reply by MtnMom62 on September 29, 2009 at 12:46am

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the change in regulation. He was excited to be so close to the 25% and he just didn't understand why the target seemed to just arbitrarily change. Our recruiter wasn't clear in telling us that the Navy's regulation had actually been changed. My son and I sat down together tonight and set some new goals and came up with some new strategies. We still have so much to learn! Thanks for your help!

- Janet (MtnMom62)

Permalink Reply by Dawg#Chief on September 29, 2009 at 8:12am

You are welcome,
I'm here to help you guys, because when I was a recruiter I spent many hours answering parents questions and concerns about the change thier sons or daughter was about to enter. His recruiting office should have a workout program at least twice a week if he wants to workout with some of young sailors that are already in the program, this will keep him motivated and learn the was the navy thinks walksand speak.

Permalink Reply by Chon's mom on September 29, 2009 at 9:01pm

My son had the same problem. I bought one these thermal-action waist trimming shaper belts (not sure the name of it) from Walmart for around $10. He would wear it under his clothes and it made him sweat. Some encouraging news. My son barely got in due to weight and BMI requirements. He went to BC weighing 241 pounds and by PIR weighed only 189 pounds. He lost 52 pds. in Boot Camp. I didn't even recognize him at PIR graduation.

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