The Bod Pod

Well, that was shocking and disappointing.  All of my body fat tests during the years have been, I don't know why I thought a highly accurate test would somehow feed my delusions? 

The experience itself wasn't so bad.  They have a tent set up in the lobby of the gym.  A closed party-size tent not a sleep-out-in-your-backyard size tent.  Therein sits the elusive Bod Pod.  I didn't realize you are totally enclosed in said pod.  I had it envisioned that my head would stick out of it or something. 

I was way too anxious about the whole swimsuit thing, so I wore a fitted exercise top with no sports bra (no underwires in the pod) and fitted exercise pants.  They have you put your hair in a nursing cap and then a swim cap over that.  As if I could look any hotter at this moment.  I had to remove all jewelry and take off my socks and shoes. 

For prep they ask that you do not eat, drink or exercise for two hours prior to your test.  I took that one step further and didn't do it at all today until after my test at 9am.  I wanted my weight to not be clouded by food in my system for an accurate read. 

The gal was super nice and showed me how I will just sit in the pod, breathe normally and not move a lot and oh, by the way here's this big panic button on the bottom if you need it....  I'm assuming this is for the extremely chlostrophobic, because the test itself is a series of 3 - 40 SECOND scans.  She kept opening the door between each scan asking if I was ok.  Yes, I'm fine.  Scan on!  During the test the machine makes a single pop noise and then it sounds like a little man in the machine is sawing back and forth for the remainder of the time.  It doesn't feel like anything, just maybe a small vibration in the chair. 

After the test I asked how it works.  The gal started to attempt to answer and then said "well, they tell us to tell people it's magic."  Seriously?  I wasn't expecting the Harvard version, but I wasn't expecting that! 

Here's the Harvard version for inquiring minds like myself:
Bod Pod How It Works

It's supposed to be as close in accuracy as you can get to the water-submersion way which is considered the most accurate way.

Anywho, so I hopped out of the pod.  We stepped out of the tent and walked over to a printer where my fate was printing out.  Yes, I really am that dramatic.

I was shocked that my body fat was 33.5%.  Yikes!  10 pounds ago at my skinniest, I was stuck at 21%.  The trainer would always tsk,tsk that really a person of my age should be able to get into the teens.  Which is what started my foray into my dietary downward spiral.  And although I have not been really watching my diet and we have been going out to eat excessively for awhile, seeing the number printed on paper made my stomach sink.  Because now I'm faced with have to lose fat pounds I already lost before and just ugh.  UGH.  Not only am I up 10 pounds, but I am quickly trading muscle for fat in a big way.  Must.  Stop.  Now.

The nice thing about the report though is it's informative.  She said it's good that I have over 100 pounds of lean body mass.  I'm in the Excess Fat category, but I'm 2.5% away from being in the Moderately Lean category which made me feel as if all hope is not lost.  Here's their breakdowns:

                                          Women       Men
Risky (high body fat)             >40%     >30%  (good thing I'm not a dude!)
Excess Fat (could we have a nicer name please?)
                                            31-40%   21-30%
Moderately Lean                 23-30%    13-20%
Lean                                    19-22%    9-12%   (sniff.  I used to be here)
Ultra Lean                           15-18%    5-8%
Risky (low body fat)             <15%      <5%


Then the report goes on to tell me my current RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) is 1,358 calories a day.  So if I do NOTHING in a day, that's how many calories I should be consuming.

Then, depending on your activity level, you times that number by a "factor".
Sedentary     1.24       (so for me, 1684 cals)
Low Active  1.52        2064 cals
Active          1.74        2363 cals
Very Active  2.07       2811 cals

Okay, well this tells me that last year, even through all my guidance and diet trials I was not eating enough by a long shot.  When I was lean and miserable last year, I never ate 2800 calories.  Ever.  No wonder I felt like I was void.  I was starving myself. 

So, I am considering myself active at this point.  I WILL be making it to the gym every day and vigorously exercising on a regular basis.  I am NOT eating out all the time like we have been and any time I do, I need to eat as clean a meal as possible.

I'm rescheduled to pod again in 5 weeks.  I have no idea what a realistic body fat percentage goal would be, so I'll go with scale weight.  I'd like to lose 2 pounds a week in five weeks.  Be down 10 pounds of ALL FAT.  That would put me at 29% body fat.  So, there it is.  5 weeks.  -10 pounds fat.  -4.5% body fat. 

The best antidote, by the way, to the reeling depression a body fat test can bring is to immediately have scheduled yourself for a workout class.  I do that every time and I work off my despair with an extra-invogorated workout and feeling empowered that I'm taking steps immediately to change things for myself.  I've felt much better ever since.