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Careers / Joining Process / Food Drink and Lifestyle

Manage your weight

In the military, overweight personnel have an increased risk of injury and being medically downgraded as unfit for duty.

You should be a suitable body weight for your height. Check your Body Mass Index using an online calculator, the NHS have a good one here. Be aware that if you are very muscular then your BMI might be high but you may not be overweight.

  • Being overweight increases your risk of serious health problems (e.g. heart disease and high blood pressure) and can cause sleeping difficulties, back pain, mobility and joint problems, reduced fertility and reduced quality of life.
  • If you are overweight research shows that losing 5–10% of your body weight can have significant benefits to your health.
  • It is important to set realistic weight loss targets. At the start of your programme aim for a 5–10% weight loss over 3–6 months. Take small steps towards achieving a healthy weight. Aim to lose between 1 and 2 pounds (0.5–1 kg) a week.
  • To lose body weight you need to use more energy than you eat and drink.
  • For best results you should combine reducing energy intake from food and drink, with using more energy by being more active.
  • Aim to be active every day. You should undertake 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day, at least five times a week and physical activity to improve muscle strength, twice a week.

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Food, drink & lifestyle

Alcohol

The recommended weekly limit is 14 units.Try to have two alcohol free days a week. Regularly exceeding this can seriously damage your health. It will also increase your body weight, with a single pint containing 233 calories.

Hydration

Keeping hydrated can help maintain physical and mental performance. Make sure you drink enough fluid to replace your daily losses. Be aware that if you are exercising hard then you may lose more water from sweating. Choose low sugar fluids such as water and milk.

Dietary supplements

If you have well balanced diet that provides the energy you need to train, you shouldn’t need any supplements.

Dieting myths

You might need to reduce your calorie intake to control your weight. If you do, make sure you avoid the most common dieting mistakes. These include; fasting, skipping meals and using slimming pills.

Eating a balanced diet

Good nutrition is important during exercise training to provide your body with adequate energy to support physical changes and to optimise recovery.

Eating out

You can still eat out and enjoy the odd takeaway, but it’s important to choose healthy options that don’t contain lots of salt and saturated fats.

Energy density

Energy density is the amount of calories per gram of food. Choosing foods with a lower energy density means you can eat more, without gaining weight.

Energy requirements

The amount of energy you need depends on your age, size and gender, and the amount of exercise you do. You can vary your calorie intake to fuel your body when required.

Food labels

Checking the label on the back of pre-packed food will help you manage your diet, stay healthy and get the nutrients you need.

Snacking

You can still snack, but it’s important to know what you can eat without undoing all your hard work.

Stronger bones

Daily physical activity helps you stay healthy, control your weight, and get fit to join the Royal Navy.

Manage your weight

In the military, overweight personnel have an increased risk of injury and being medically downgraded as unfit for duty.

Smoking

Stopping smoking has huge benefits to your health and fitness, and it’s never too late to stop.

Vaccinations

Receiving vaccinations can slow down the joining process.

Vegetarian

There are lots of options available to you if you want to eat food that will fuel your training.