SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Many people exercise and still find it hard to lose weight. One man turned to some high tech tools to find a weight loss solution.
Brett Sheets was in Missouri State University's Body Composition Lab on a recent day. He was hooked up to a machine that checks out how many calories he burns when he rests."We are measuring his basal metabolic rate, which is the rate at which the average person burns 60 percent of their daily calories," said Noah Alldredge, owner of Big Time Results.
Sheets did this because he wants to figure out why he can't lose what he considers some stubborn extra pounds."As a runner, I'd like to be 10 to 15 pounds lighter. It's easier on my knees; I'm getting old," he said.
It's not the only machine in the lab. Another is called a Dexa Scan. It measures your bone density. Another machine, called a Bod-Pod, measures your body fat, basically through checking changes in air pressure.
Sheets' results show his metabolism wi lower than original estimates.
"So, your total energy output is with your lifestyle and exercise is 2,200 calories," Alldredge told him. "So, to lose weight, it puts you at about 1,700 calories to lose one pound of body fat per week."
Sheets plans to cut those 500 calories a day.
"Sweets are a bad habit," he said.
He'll also add some weight lifting to his routine.
"You lose weight by eating less and exercising more. We want to do a combination of both those things," said Alldredge.
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Here are some details on the equipment in the MSU lab;
BOD POD
This method is based on the same principle as underwater weighing. The Bod Pod uses air displacement technology to provide highly accurate results more quickly and easily. A Bod Pod test is quick and easy. The person is weighed and the person enters the Bod Pod and sits comfortably during three brief forty-second measurement periods. The Bod Pod uses computerized pressure sensors to determine the amount of air displaced by the person's body (larger people displace more air than smaller people). This is repeated to ensure accurate results. A complete test, with printed results, can be done in less than five minutes. This method of calculating body composition is accurate within 1 to 2%. The Bod Pod is designed for a wide variety of individuals ranging from NFL players to Sumo wrestlers. It can also fit people weighing up to 500 pounds.
VO2 max treadmill test
The VO2 max treadmill test is an incremental test to voluntary exhaustion. By measuring the amount of oxygen you breathe in and out you can calculate the maximal amount of oxygen that your body can use during exercise. This is an indication of your aerobic fitness as the more oxygen your muscles can take up and use to produce energy, the higher power output you can attain. When the test begins it will seem very easy. The intensity will increase by small increments every 1-2 minutes and will continue until you cannot keep pace and fatigue, which will forces you to stop. You will wear a heart rate monitor throughout the test and also be fitted with a face mask to measure the air you breathe in and out for VO2 calculation. Your calculation can be measured on a chart to show where you fit between the sedentary and elite stage. It also is a great indicator of your fitness level. This test is suitable for endurance athletes and players who participate in endurance sports.
Metabolic cart
A metabolic cart is an electronic medical tool to measure the body’s metabolism through the amount of heat produced when the body is at rest. The metabolic cart uses a process called calorimetry to get this measurement. The result can help tell more about a person’s overall health condition. It uses two factors to calculate the final heat production. One is the intake of oxygen for the body and the other is the output of carbon dioxide. These two figures will provide the result for the metabolic cart, which is generally measured as REE, or Resting Energy Expenditure. All contents such as the computer, monitor, and breathing tubes are all contained on the cart so they can be moved from one area to another. The Metabolic cart is normally used in intensive care units, the emergency room, and frequently used for sports medicine.
DEXA scan
This is a technique used to measure bone mineral density. A DEXA scanner is a machine that produces two X-ray beams, each with different energy levels. One beam is high energy while the other is low energy. The amount of X-rays that pass through the bone is measured for each beam. This will vary depending on the thickness of the bone. Based on the difference between the two beams, the bone density can be measured. *Recommended for women who are post-menopausal, taking medications that can cause bone loss, have a past history of bone fractures, men and women who have clinical conditions associated with bone loss, and women who are post-menopausal who are tall and/or thin.
Paul was told the cost is about 50 dollars for one of the tests. You can find out more by calling the Bio-Medical Sciences Department on the MSU campus at 417-836-5603. They will be back at work-- after the holiday.
