It’s time for your next mission, ready to conquer the world. But before we can conquer the world, we must conquer our health and optimize it to the best of our abilities given the many obstacles that may occur while traveling.

Previously serving for 6 years in the U.S. Air Force has taught me a lot about how to stay fit while deployed. I learned many hard lessons from my own poor health management, which led me to create some safe and practical ways to stay in shape while overseas.

Candidates assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School work as a team to build an apparatus during Special Forces Assessment and Selection at Camp Mackall, North Carolina January 19, 2024. Candidates who attended the three-week assessment and selection were evaluated on their ability to work individually and as a team. (U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens)

1. Always Stay Ready

Always pack a set of workout clothes including a comfortable pair of running shoes and headphones for workouts. Regardless of where you’re at, you’ll have the opportunity to workout, even if you have minimal downtime on the ground. No gym? Go on a long walk. Security issues prevent that? Create a challenging workout that can be done at your living quarters. Have a flight of stairs? Start doing sprint drills. Have space in your lodging room or barracks? Do a 30-minute HIIT routine in place with movements such as Jumping Jacks, Burpees, Plyo Push-Ups, Jump Squats, Jump Lunges, Floor Ab Movements and Basic Calisthenics. It’s all about being prepared, so pack your bags accordingly and get ready to sweat.

2. Keep Your Nutrition In Check

Pack healthy snacks with you if you’re able to or find the healthiest options where you land.. It is far too common to ruin your healthy eating habits when traveling places where the food options aren’t always the best — opt for grilled over fried foods, always pack your plate with fresh vegetables and fruit and avoid trans fat from fast food as much as you can. If you’re able to pack food prior to your trip, opt for wholesome snacks that can be stored anywhere without spoilage. Some of my favorites are: roasted almonds, tuna & cracker kits, dry cereal, natural peanut butter, and protein powder. Drinking a tall glass of water before each meal will help with portion control and curb hunger.

3. Keep Your Workouts Simple and Fun

Overly complex workouts won’t be necessary, as your main focus should be on the mission at hand. Focus on simple workouts over complicated ones and keep your exercise duration to 30-60 minutes preferably. Simple, consistent workouts will yield more effective results than unrealistic and complex ones. You want to consider any stress that may be incurred based on the nature of the mission you’re on, and considering such, you want to ease your brain into doing a basic workout without mental stress convincing you to skip your workouts altogether.

Have fun on your journey! There will be days where you don’t want to even do anything ! Reassure yourself that every single time you finish a workout, your emotional health is renewed and your physical health is progressing ! Stay positive

4. Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork

You will rarely travel TDY or deploy by yourself, so invite your co-workers and team to join you during these exercise sessions. Collaborate with others and build a group workout so you can stay fit while deployed together. Hold each other accountable and keep tabs on your progress week-by-week, motivating each other for success. As service members of the world’s greatest military, being prepared both mentally and physically is necessary so utilize that synergy to get the job done.

5. Hold Yourself Accountable

The biggest obstacle that arises when trying to stay fit while deployed is making the commitment to workout. It can be tough get out of a negative mental space and focus on the overall goal.

The process goal is the immediate goal to focus on: “My plan is to workout 5x per week.” Focusing on the success of this process goal will eventually lead you to your outcome goal: “Lose 2% body fat and decrease my run time by 2 minutes.

Don’t worry, it’s okay to acknowledge when you’re tired and need to rest. Just remember to make up for those extra rest days with effective workouts when you have the energy. Self-accountability is a necessary tool to keep you functioning properly, as your brain receives the necessary dopamine and serotonin releases when you do your job well. Stay positive in the process and keep a strong mind to avoid derailing from your health and wellness goals.

Traveling and staying fit while deployed can be challenging for most but when you have a plan of action and are willing to stick to it on good days and bad days, you’ll fortify your mind and build the necessary resilience to keep pushing for many years to come. Lastly, remember to stay mindful in your wellness journey, focus on completing one day at a time keeping balance in mind. Safe travels and stay Mission Fit!

Author: Coach K. Williams