Conditioning for a 27 month, cross-country foot race

Almost two years ago, I got back on the workout wagon again pretty hardcore (for me).  I started running almost five days a week and hitting the gym pretty hard also.  My motivation, you ask?  Probably the best money can buy: my wedding.

Me admiring my wife's guns on our wedding day after months of hard workouts and very few ice cream runs. 

I don't think at that point I was out of shape, but I certainly was not of a shape I wished to be.  It felt like I was on that border land of fitness where, if apathetically left unchecked for another year or two, I would start to take on something in between a solid and liquid state.  That was not the person I felt I was.  I love to be outdoors, hike, swim, and just generally be physically capable.

After about eight months of diligent workouts and after work runs, I felt that I was in the best shape of my life.  I was running several miles a day with ease and even ran a race with a pretty respectable performance.  My general health improved and I was a happier person.

Over the past month or two, I have certainly slipped off the wagon a bit.  Warmer weather, daylight savings time and the fact that I am (good lord) four months away from my Peace Corps deployment date, have given me a renewed desire to hit the gym and my favorite running path.  The good news is that I have been running sporadically and still have maintained a bit of my endurance, but I have some work to do to get back to the wedding version of myself.

My question is this, what kind of conditioning do current PCVs and RPCVs recommend for entering service?  I mean this more from a general health standpoint rather than a workout guru approach.

The drastic change in lifestyle that the Peace Corps often necessitates has the potential to unleash the fury on the soft American's body.  While foreign foods, water, and bugs are really out of my control, there are ways to approach pre-PST conditioning in a way that I think will have a beneficial impact on my body's ability to not only adjust, but to endure.

From what I have read, the majority of people, unsurprisingly, loose weight while in the Peace Corps.  This is probably due to the increase in physical activity, lack of processed foods and constant ability to snack or overindulge and, of course, the diarrhea diet (I know that I sound like I know what I am talking about on this last one, but I know that I really have no concept of its decimating effects).  Malnutrition can certainly be an issue over time as well.

My basic workout philosophy has not really been to bulk up or focus too much on building a ridiculous amount of muscle so I look like this:


Rather, I try to find a balance of strength and cardio workouts that suits my body best, which is usually weighted in cardio over strength so I don't look like this:


With the Peace Corps now in sight, I am wondering if I should look to bulk up a bit more than my usual regimen.  I know some volunteers have expressed concerns over losing muscle mass due to lower protein diets and an inability to workout as much.  Perhaps getting a bit more beefcake beforehand would help curtail this?

Kate and I have also talked about getting into yoga and pilates a bit more in case our living situation in Cambodia would not really allow for daily workouts.

Do PCVs out there find themselves loosing too much weight or feeling like they wish that they had been a bit healthier when they were initially deployed?  Also, do host families and locals seem to find it really weird when you exercise or go for a run to the point that it makes you want to not exercise at site?