Why Green Berets Eat Gummy BearsWhy Green Berets Eat Gummy Bears
Confessions of a Recovering Pothead
Former Green Beret and police officer Wil Ravelo shares how he trains civilians for heavy ruck events, from weekly structure and strength work to foot care and nutrition. The conversation also touches on confidence, family priorities and what it means to be “operational for life,” not just in uniform.
50:40•19 Jun 2026
Why Green Berets Eat Gummy Bears: Rucking, Resilience and Being "Operational" for Life
Episode Overview
- Increase ruck distance, weight and speed gradually, and never push all three at the same time.
- Limit rucking to about twice a week and support it with running plus strength work for traps, back and legs.
- Protect your feet with proper socks, taping, toenail care and a small blister kit so minor issues don’t end your event.
- Use simple, strategic nutrition: eat less overall, focus on protein, and use light carbs like gummy bears or waffles as fuel and morale boosts during long efforts.
- Define what truly matters to you, set boundaries, and aim to be “operational for life” so your strength and fitness actually serve your family and purpose.
“One hour, two hours, three hours. Hour four to five, you hate your life. Hour nine, you're numb.”
Curious about how others handle extreme physical challenges while keeping their head straight? This conversation between host Charlie Deist and former Force Recon Marine and Army Green Beret Wil Ravelo walks through what it really takes to carry heavy weight over long distances – in the field and in everyday life. Wil breaks down rucking with the kind of detail only someone who has marched “between 24 miles to 28 mile” for Special Forces selection can offer.
He explains the three big variables – distance, weight, and speed – and why you should never ramp all three at once. Instead, you’ll hear a simple weekly structure: a shorter, heavy and fast “flux” day, and a longer, event-focused ruck where you slowly push distance. It’s hard-nosed, practical advice aimed at regular people, not just soldiers. Foot care and injury prevention get serious airtime.
Wil goes into blisters, toenails, socks, taping and even carrying a tiny blister kit so “you don’t have to quit because of a blister or improper foot care.” It’s unglamorous, but exactly the kind of detail that keeps someone in the game. Nutrition and bodyweight come next. Wil’s straight-talking view is that most people “consume way too many calories” and need more discipline, not more diet fads.
He talks about fasting, eating like a “tiger”, prioritising meat, and using simple carbs like gummy bears as morale and fuel: “I’m in the middle of hating my life, so every mile I’ll give myself one or two gummy bear.” Beyond the training plans, the chat shifts into confidence, family, boundaries and what he calls being “operational for life” – strong, capable and useful to the people you love.
If you’re trying to rebuild discipline, get fitter in a sane way, or just want a kick to take yourself more seriously, this one might have you rethinking what you carry on your back and what you carry in your life. So, what would being truly “operational” look like for you right now?
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