90 Seconds of Undeniable Truth

Earlier this evening, I embarked on what can truly be considered intense self-evaluation encapsulated in two 45-second intervals of hell. I voluntarily made an appointment to find out my body composition (% of lean muscle versus fat). Since my go-to hang out jeans were snug, let's just say I was not expecting the numbers to be in my favor.

The program used at my gym to measure body composition is called BodPod. It is similar to hydrostatic weighing but uses air displacement instead of water. The accuracy of the system is +/- 1-2%, whereas traditional methods like Skin-fold calipers ( the “pinch test”) can vary by 6-8%. You sit still inside a pod (thus the name) for 45-seconds as the computer takes in all the information from the pod. The test is done twice to account for small variables like sudden movements, etc. It's a serious thing to do; you cannot eat, drink, or work out 2 hours before the test. I also had to wear minimal clothing and as form-fitting as possible to ensure the best and most accurate test. I had a swim cap on because airpockets in the hair can change the results. After about 2 minutes of eternity, my test scores came shooting out of the printer in the room.

I am 29% fat.

The trainer administering the test was talking, but I don't think I heard much of it. I was having an out-of-apparently-flabby-body-experience seeing that number on the paper. (I feel it necessary to pause here and remind readers that the percentage of muscle to fat is not the same as the Body Mass Index (BMI) that so many people like to use, but does not account for a variety of factors, such as genetics, ethnicity, and body type.) The truth is, I should have known this was the case. I gained 6 pounds since right before my wedding, when I slowly but surely began to slack off on the exercise. There was too much to do. Then I spent about a month basking in the wedding celebration and subsequent honeymoon. Shortly after that, I took on a series of desk-bound assignments and spent less time at the gym. My life as a student/wedding planner worked well for the body. My life since wrapping up finals...not so much.

Here is the chart that was provided to me:
Body Fat Rating for Men & Women
Risky: >30% / >40%
Excess Fat: 21-30% / 31-40%
Moderately Lean: 13-20% / 23-30%
Lean: 9-12% / 19-22%
Ultra Lean: 5-8% / 15-18%
Risky (low body fat): <5% / <15%
*Applies to adults ages 18 and older. Based on information from the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council on Exercise, Exercise Physiology [4th Ed] by McArdle, Katch, and Katch, and various scientific and epidemiological studies.

Sure, I'm in the "Moderately Lean" bracket, but on the higher end. I am certain that the 6 lbs. I put on was all fat, thus making my previous percentage 24-25%. In my post-wedding haze, I just set myself back a whole year of workouts.

Even before having a sophisticated piece of equipment telling me I needed to get off my duff, I already started my road back to recovery, if you will. One of my 2007 resolutions is to get on my workouts again, and what a great way to push myself back into the pain & the grind, eh? I've begun my 3-4 workouts per week again, and will start watching even more carefully what I eat.

This experience really demonstrates that to be healthy, the right diet and exercise is not something you can do intermittently, but a lifestyle.