The Military Training Diet Gets a Face Lift

The military is taking on an obesity epidemic that has spread to new recruits. As more and more civilians report to duty over weight, the Army has begun to revamp their menu and update their workout regimens at training camps and military bases, according to a story in Business Week.

The soda machines in mess halls have been removed and replaced with milk and juice. Drill sergeants are encouraging new soldiers to choose a serving of fruits instead of coffee and a candy bar for energy. White bread and pasta is being replaced with whole grains, sunflower seeds, yogurt, and salsa.

"This is not (just) an Army problem," said Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command. "This is a civilian problem that we're receiving and fixing."

Core strengthening workouts and nutrition courses are replacing outdated bayonet drills, according to the story. I wrote last year about how an unhealthy American diet is making 1/3 of recruits too fat to serve in the U.S. Military. The military has to turn away 15,000 potential recruits a year because weight makes them unfit for battle.

Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon's director of accessions, told the Army Times that "[k]ids are just not able to do push-ups, [a]nd they can't do pull-ups. And they can't run."

Thumbs up to the military for beginning to replace high fructose corn syrup, processed foods, and white flour with whole foods and plant-based protein sources.

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