Bod Pod soon available to McConnell members

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Abigail Klein
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing public affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, KAN. --  The Health and Wellness Center recently received a new machine that will aid Team McConnell members by accurately measuring their body composition.

The Bod Pod, a computerized, egg-shaped chamber measures a person's body fat and lean muscle mass in less than four minutes and has already been implemented at more than 20 Air Force bases. It will be available to all Active-duty, Guard, Reserve, retirees and dependents by appointment at the HAWC in mid-April.

The Bod Pod measures body fat by using the whole-body measurement principle used in underwater weighing, measuring a person's mass and volume. By doing this, a person's whole-body density is determined and then is used to calculate body fat and lean muscle mass, said Lou Stadler, HAWC Health Promotion Flight chief.

The test begins once the individual is seated inside the egg-shaped chamber. After two 50-second intervals, the pressure inside the chamber increases slightly. Immediately after this change, the individual's body weight results are printed out. The results help the HAWC staff to quickly determine an individual's fitness goals.

"This machine will help member's really get a feel of what their body fat is," he said. "It will also educate them on what their resting metabolic rate is, so they know how many calories they should consume on a daily basis based on their individual activity."

Laura Markuly, HAWC exercise physiologist, has experienced firsthand the results of implementing the use of the Bod Pod when she worked at the Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., HAWC.

"Having an accurate body fat measurement allowed people to see if their workouts were effective or not, and if they weren't, we could help them set up a workout regime that was more effective."

The machine identifies a person's body fat as one of six categories:

· Risky low body fat (Males less than 5 percent, females less than 15 percent) - People in this category should make an appointment with a dietician.
· Ultra lean (Males five to 8t percent, females 15 to 18 percent) - People in this category should continue with their current work-out regime.
· Lean (Males 9 to 12 percent, females 19 to 22 percent) - People in this category can also continue with their current work-out regime.
· Moderately lean (Males 13 to 20 percent, females 23 to 30 percent) - People in this category should continue current regime, but if they desire to decrease body fat, they will to increase intensity in cardio, incorporate lifting and modify their nutrition.
· Excess fat (Males 21 to 30 percent, females 31 to 40 percent) - People in this category should increase aerobic activity in a more targeted heart rate zone, implement strength training and adjust their nutritional program.
· Risky high body fat (Males more than 30 percent, females more than 40 percent) - People in this category should consult with an exercise physiologist and dietician.

Ten people from McConnell have already tested the Bod Pod before it goes operational, one of them, Senior Master Sgt. Vivian Bolden 22nd Air Refueling Wing career advisor, found the process not only comfortable, but realistic as well.

"I would recommend this machine to anyone who needs to jump-start their fitness goals because it provides them with a benchmark on how to achieve personal weight loss goals," she said.

With a lot of interest already being focused on the machine, Mr. Stadler hopes the machine will not only help McConnell members maintain fitness standards, but provide them with realistic goals to maintain those standards.

"From a clinical standpoint it will help people set goals, and give them an initial benchmark of where their body fat is at," he said. "We live in a society that is so bent on being perfect; everyone wants to have zero percent body fat, but you have to be realistic based on your own genetic make-up, which we're all predisposed to."

The emphasis the Bod Pod places on losing body fat, not pounds, is part of setting these realistic fitness goals.

"It's more important for people to focus on losing body fat than pounds because when people get to focused on dropping weight, as opposed to becoming physically fit, they forget that a person can weigh more (in pounds) when at they are physically fit and still have a healthy body fat," Mr. Stadler said.

The Bod Pod will be available in mid-April. Individuals interested in receiving a Bod Pod assessment must make an appointment by calling the HAWC at (316) 759-6024.

Individuals who wish to test must abstain from exercise and food two hours prior to taking the test. Form-fitting clothing, including tasteful swimsuits, spandex, sports bras and biking shorts must be worn for an accurate measurement. The clothing must not have padding or wires.