I got my fitness assessment

[BevP]

I improved in every category except biceps strength, which stayed the same. Here's the shocker though - 23% body fat with no weight loss necessary. I've been wanting to lose 20 pounds! Who knew that 5'5" 147 pounds was good. So much for trying for 130. And I guess a size 12 is ok, too. Wow. I am so glad I did this assessment. I'm going to stick with what I'm doing until after Tibet in June then change to aerobics class MWF and yoga TU TH with some upper body weight training.

[funnybone]

BevP, where did you get the assessment? I don't visit this board all that often, nor all posts, so I may have missed it if you mentioned it before.

[clairea]

BevP,

Congratulations! Is the 23% body fat a change even though you haven't lost weight? If so, have you noticed a change in your size/measurments? I have almost reached my initial goal of 145 lbs (I am 5'6") and am trying to decide whether I want to lose more weight or just concentrate on toning up.

Thanks,
Claire

[Mbart]

Oooo, I'm interested in the details of this, too. I've lost about 10 pounds since late Feb., but don't see much movement on the scale lately, and I'm just wondering if I shouldn't expect to lose anymore or what. (Or is it perhaps the fact that I go to weddings and eat three pieces of cake! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif) So what is this assessment? What all do they check?

[BevP]

The assessment is done through the gym. In my case, it's a military base and military gym. But it's a computer program that measures first your blood pressure and resting heart rate. Then they do a pinch body fat. Then an aerobic fitness test on a stationary bike with a heart monitor hooked up to the computer. Then flexability (touch your toes or past them) and finally a bicep curl type test. Each test is put in a category of needs work, fair, fit or excellent depending on gender and age. Then there's a total fitness score. I was in the fit range for body fat, biceps strength, resting heart rate and total fitness. I was excellent for blood pressure and aerobic fitness. Only got fair for back flexability but it was still an improvement.

I've heard of these tests done at other gyms and it's just my good luck that this military base has this computer program and it's equipment which I understand costs a few thousand dollars (paid for by MWR not taxes http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif)

If you don't have access to something like that, I'd suggest getting a body fat done somewhere. Even the Body Mass Index is a good way to help. But don't go by those height/weight charts. I should be 125! Yeah! Right!

And, Mbart, I'm with you about that cake. In my case it's Girl Scout Cookies. We must support a good cause right http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif.

Clarea, let me clarify. I have lost a bit of weight since the last assessment, last August. What I meant, and didn't say well, is that this assessment says "no weight loss is recommended unless desired for aesthetics or athletic performance." My last assessment said I needed to lose 4 pounds of fat, not just weight, but fat. I've lost maybe 6-8 pounds on the scale since then.

I have not done any measurements, like hips or thighs or such. Maybe I should have but knew it would depress me so didn't. I do know the measurements from the body fat skinfolds were smaller.