Knowing What You're Made Of
Body fat. Those two little words probably made you cringe. I think that's most people's reaction. Your mind probably went to that one area of your body you're particularly unhappy with or the part of you that is always on your mind. As I have progressed as an athlete, I've become increasingly aware of my body and all that I put it through. I now pay much more attention to what I put into my body nutritionally and how I feel during training. If something hurts, I'm more likely to speak up and see if we can change the exercise up a little. I can articulate how I feel and what I think my body is doing, which helps my trainers and coaches know how to help me improve. I spend more time helping my body recover, so I can push myself harder the next day during the workout. I have learned so much about my body, but I had never accurately had my body fat tested.
I really wanted a benchmark, to know where I was starting from this off-season. You can't get where you're going if you don't even know where the start line is. With weight limitations being lowered for women's bobsled the last 2 years, my weight has become an issue for the first time in my athletic life. In my sport, the sled has to weigh a minimum of 165kg (363 lbs) for safety purposes. They don't want people trying to break start records in a paper mache sled. There's also a maximum weight of 325kg (716 lbs) for the sled plus the pilot and breakwoman. The heavier the sled, the faster you'll go, so they try to make it fair by putting a limit on the maximum weight. I have been in an older sled all of my career, which means added weight from all the fiberglass patches, paint jobs and welding. Last season, my breakwoman and I had to cut weight for most races so that we wouldn't be disqualified. This off-season, I'm trying to find a balance of strength to push a heavy, static object on ice and not bulking up so much that I risk being overweight during the season.
In April, I was looking for a place to go that offered hydrostatic testing, which is considered the most accurate and the gold standard. I was looking for options that wouldn't charge me an arm and a leg, but would give me accurate results. In the past, I had gotten the skin fold caliper test done. Generally, this test involves pinching fat in at least three different locations, like the chest, abdomen, thigh, arm and back. In theory, this should give you a measurement of your total body fat. In reality, the accuracy depends on your tester. Some testers squeeze too much skin, some not enough. It's especially invasive if you don't particularly like being prodded by strangers, which most people don't. Myself included.
Hydrostatic body fat testing is the most accurate method of measuring the amount of fat and lean (fat-free) mass a person has on their body aside. Just like a person weighs a different amount on the Moon and on Earth, a person weighs differently underwater than on land. Using measurements of a person's weight underwater and weight on land, precisely how much fat a person carries can be calculated.
Anyhow, my internet searches led me to a mobile hydrostatic body fat testing clinic that roams around different gyms in the DFW area. I signed up online, and away I went. Here's a picture of the truck.
Upon your emergence from your dip, the company provides you with the following:
So now you know how it works. I went in April for the first time and again yesterday to see how things are progressing with my summer training. My percentage was holding strong at 14.5%, and I've put on 7 pounds of muscle since May. That puts me in the athletic category, which is good since I'm an athlete. My resting metabolic rate, or basal metabolic rate (BMR) is 1888 calories, which is what is required to sustain myself if I am laying in bed all day and doing nothing. (Not that this happens often, but there's the occasional Saturday when a good book takes over my life.) That's the number of calories that I shouldn't go under unless I want to put my body into starvation mode. I'm told your body will maintain its metabolic rate as long as you do not dip into starvation mode. Along with my report, I received a list of activities and calories burned in 30 minutes that is personalized to my body. Bobsled wasn't on the list, but it gave me a general idea of how many calories I burn while exercising. Based on my body and activity level, the test estimates I burn 2698 calories a day. No wonder I'm always hungry! All great information to know so I can have a plan to best take care of my body.
Couldn't get through this post without a huge shout-out to Mr. Jonny Wright, my trainer at Performance Vault in Dallas. This is my second summer working with Jonny, and I have seen great progress. I just put on 7 pounds of muscle in 3 months without doing any Olympic lifting (squats or power cleans). That's pretty crazy and a testament to his creativity and dedication to learning what works best for each athlete he trains. I've also gotten pretty serious about my nutrition this summer, which has definitely helped. So huge hi-fives to both of us. I'm so proud of the work we're doing!
Honesty Alert. It's about to get real.
Even though I'm probably in the best shape of my life, I still deal with body issues like everyone else. Our society puts up such unattainable goals of what beauty and femininity look like, and sometimes I forget that those people on the covers of magazines and on billboards don't really look like that. They're airbrushed and spray tanned and have a bunch of professionals who work non-stop to make them look that good. It's not real life. When people ask me to flex or lift heavy objects for them, I'll be honest and say, I don't always feel "feminine". That word conjures up a woman who is swathed in pink, soft, dainty, always looking put together and smelling lovely. Then I think of me. I am never wearing pink, wouldn't be considered soft, dainty definitely doesn't come to mind, usually running around in some form of spandex, and covered in sweat. As you can see, there's a pretty large disparity between the two images. I don't think about it nearly as much when I'm surrounded by athletes during the season, but I'm confronted with it much more when I'm home during the summers. I often feel like the Hulk next to most other women.
When I get in a funk about how I look, I have learned to focus on the positives so my thoughts aren't dominated by anyone else's vision of beauty and worth and athleticism. I focus on whatever is true, good, right, lovely, authentic and admirable about myself instead of picking and tearing myself apart. I concentrate on the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly. I find a positive so that I have no room or time to think negatively about my body. It sounds something like this, "I'm so grateful for you legs. We've been through a lot together and you've brought me this far. You can push bobsleds and squat heavy weights and dance and run fast and walk up stairs and jump around when I'm excited. Thank you, legs. You're awesome. I have amazing arms. They work and lift things and hug people and open jars and steer wheels and pick up all kinds of things. Wow. You really are something else." And on it goes.
I make time to look myself in the eyes and say out loud, "I am beautiful, worthy, confident and secure as the woman I was created to be." I challenge you to look yourself in the eyes and say that every day until you believe it. It's a difficult task at first, but stick with it. Love and enjoy everything about yourself right now and embrace the truth that you are amazing and beautiful (or handsome) regardless of your measurements. It's important to take care of your body, and it's equally important to see yourself in a positive light.
I've determined that I only get one body, so I'm going to be grateful for it and use it to the best of my ability. I know several women fighting cancer, and I work out with the Adaptive Training Foundation every week. These amazing people are fighting for life every day. They have lost limbs, lost their sight, been injured so they can't walk, but they're not letting any of those things hold them back. I will not take for granted this amazing body that functions the way it's supposed to function. I am so grateful for this gift of athleticism and all the life experiences it has brought to me. I am determined to see the most beautiful and lovely things about myself and keep working hard towards my goals.
There's only one you, and we need you around. Take care of yourself and find out what you're made of. Don't be afraid to be you, to do whatever it is you're supposed to do in the body that you have. I know you're going to be amazing!
I really wanted a benchmark, to know where I was starting from this off-season. You can't get where you're going if you don't even know where the start line is. With weight limitations being lowered for women's bobsled the last 2 years, my weight has become an issue for the first time in my athletic life. In my sport, the sled has to weigh a minimum of 165kg (363 lbs) for safety purposes. They don't want people trying to break start records in a paper mache sled. There's also a maximum weight of 325kg (716 lbs) for the sled plus the pilot and breakwoman. The heavier the sled, the faster you'll go, so they try to make it fair by putting a limit on the maximum weight. I have been in an older sled all of my career, which means added weight from all the fiberglass patches, paint jobs and welding. Last season, my breakwoman and I had to cut weight for most races so that we wouldn't be disqualified. This off-season, I'm trying to find a balance of strength to push a heavy, static object on ice and not bulking up so much that I risk being overweight during the season.
In April, I was looking for a place to go that offered hydrostatic testing, which is considered the most accurate and the gold standard. I was looking for options that wouldn't charge me an arm and a leg, but would give me accurate results. In the past, I had gotten the skin fold caliper test done. Generally, this test involves pinching fat in at least three different locations, like the chest, abdomen, thigh, arm and back. In theory, this should give you a measurement of your total body fat. In reality, the accuracy depends on your tester. Some testers squeeze too much skin, some not enough. It's especially invasive if you don't particularly like being prodded by strangers, which most people don't. Myself included.
Hydrostatic body fat testing is the most accurate method of measuring the amount of fat and lean (fat-free) mass a person has on their body aside. Just like a person weighs a different amount on the Moon and on Earth, a person weighs differently underwater than on land. Using measurements of a person's weight underwater and weight on land, precisely how much fat a person carries can be calculated.
Anyhow, my internet searches led me to a mobile hydrostatic body fat testing clinic that roams around different gyms in the DFW area. I signed up online, and away I went. Here's a picture of the truck.
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| Check out their website for more info: bodyfattest.com |
There area a few things to do to prepare for the body fat test:
1. You need a swim suit and a towel.
2. You need to not eat for 2 hours before the test. I've gotten tested in the mornings, so I don't have to worry about this. Just pop out of bed on a Saturday morning and head to the test. In my mind, this is a big science experiment, so I'm trying to remove as many variables as possible by testing at the same time of day.
3. You want to be clean and have already gone to the bathroom. Get rid of that extra water weight! They don't like you to have makeup or hair gel in the tank, which is totally understandable.
4. The first test is $49, and it's only $39 for subsequent follow-up tests.
So you've prepped for the test and show up at the truck. Here's how it goes down:
1. You give them your name and age and strip down to your suit.
2. You get weighed on the scale to get your dry weight, and they measure your height.
3. Hop in the tub. Cannonball's aren't encouraged. There's a tank with a few feet of chlorinated water. They keep the water pretty warm, somewhere between bathwater and a hot tub.
4. There's a bar that runs around the bottom of the tank. You hook your feet under it and grab on with one hand.
5. Plug your nose and submerge yourself under water while blowing all the air out of your lungs. Air equals fat in this test, so get that air out of your chest!
6. They knock on the side of the tub, and you sit up and catch your breath.
The dunk test was a strange experience on a couple levels. I don't normally converse about my weight and body fat content with fully clothed people while in my swim suit. Also strange because it is not natural for me to exhale my air supply completely while under water. The goal while you are submerged is to have all of the air exhaled out, so you actually exhale before you submerge yourself and then blow out even more air when you are underwater. I was weighed 3 times during the session and each submerge and weigh I got better at blowing out my air supply more completely. Weird, but you get used to it. The third strange thing to be was the clientele. This service is for anyone who is looking to find out about their body content, from people who are overweight and starting their fitness journey to athletes like myself. I don't know why that surprised me, but it did. Like I said before, you have to know where you're starting to reach your goals. So I applaud the people who are taking control of their health and knowing where you stand, even though it can be hard.
Here's a video of what the test looks like:
Upon your emergence from your dip, the company provides you with the following:
- Your body fat and lean mass percentages and weights
- How your percentage of body fat compares to others
- How much fat, if any, needs to be lost in order to reach your composition goals
- Basal metabolic rate—how many calories/day you burn without exercising
- Personal caloric intake and expenditure chart—how many calories/day you burn when doing various exercises and activities
- Historical readings and progress, if more than one test has been taken
So now you know how it works. I went in April for the first time and again yesterday to see how things are progressing with my summer training. My percentage was holding strong at 14.5%, and I've put on 7 pounds of muscle since May. That puts me in the athletic category, which is good since I'm an athlete. My resting metabolic rate, or basal metabolic rate (BMR) is 1888 calories, which is what is required to sustain myself if I am laying in bed all day and doing nothing. (Not that this happens often, but there's the occasional Saturday when a good book takes over my life.) That's the number of calories that I shouldn't go under unless I want to put my body into starvation mode. I'm told your body will maintain its metabolic rate as long as you do not dip into starvation mode. Along with my report, I received a list of activities and calories burned in 30 minutes that is personalized to my body. Bobsled wasn't on the list, but it gave me a general idea of how many calories I burn while exercising. Based on my body and activity level, the test estimates I burn 2698 calories a day. No wonder I'm always hungry! All great information to know so I can have a plan to best take care of my body.
Couldn't get through this post without a huge shout-out to Mr. Jonny Wright, my trainer at Performance Vault in Dallas. This is my second summer working with Jonny, and I have seen great progress. I just put on 7 pounds of muscle in 3 months without doing any Olympic lifting (squats or power cleans). That's pretty crazy and a testament to his creativity and dedication to learning what works best for each athlete he trains. I've also gotten pretty serious about my nutrition this summer, which has definitely helped. So huge hi-fives to both of us. I'm so proud of the work we're doing!
Honesty Alert. It's about to get real.
Even though I'm probably in the best shape of my life, I still deal with body issues like everyone else. Our society puts up such unattainable goals of what beauty and femininity look like, and sometimes I forget that those people on the covers of magazines and on billboards don't really look like that. They're airbrushed and spray tanned and have a bunch of professionals who work non-stop to make them look that good. It's not real life. When people ask me to flex or lift heavy objects for them, I'll be honest and say, I don't always feel "feminine". That word conjures up a woman who is swathed in pink, soft, dainty, always looking put together and smelling lovely. Then I think of me. I am never wearing pink, wouldn't be considered soft, dainty definitely doesn't come to mind, usually running around in some form of spandex, and covered in sweat. As you can see, there's a pretty large disparity between the two images. I don't think about it nearly as much when I'm surrounded by athletes during the season, but I'm confronted with it much more when I'm home during the summers. I often feel like the Hulk next to most other women.
When I get in a funk about how I look, I have learned to focus on the positives so my thoughts aren't dominated by anyone else's vision of beauty and worth and athleticism. I focus on whatever is true, good, right, lovely, authentic and admirable about myself instead of picking and tearing myself apart. I concentrate on the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly. I find a positive so that I have no room or time to think negatively about my body. It sounds something like this, "I'm so grateful for you legs. We've been through a lot together and you've brought me this far. You can push bobsleds and squat heavy weights and dance and run fast and walk up stairs and jump around when I'm excited. Thank you, legs. You're awesome. I have amazing arms. They work and lift things and hug people and open jars and steer wheels and pick up all kinds of things. Wow. You really are something else." And on it goes.
I make time to look myself in the eyes and say out loud, "I am beautiful, worthy, confident and secure as the woman I was created to be." I challenge you to look yourself in the eyes and say that every day until you believe it. It's a difficult task at first, but stick with it. Love and enjoy everything about yourself right now and embrace the truth that you are amazing and beautiful (or handsome) regardless of your measurements. It's important to take care of your body, and it's equally important to see yourself in a positive light.
I've determined that I only get one body, so I'm going to be grateful for it and use it to the best of my ability. I know several women fighting cancer, and I work out with the Adaptive Training Foundation every week. These amazing people are fighting for life every day. They have lost limbs, lost their sight, been injured so they can't walk, but they're not letting any of those things hold them back. I will not take for granted this amazing body that functions the way it's supposed to function. I am so grateful for this gift of athleticism and all the life experiences it has brought to me. I am determined to see the most beautiful and lovely things about myself and keep working hard towards my goals.
There's only one you, and we need you around. Take care of yourself and find out what you're made of. Don't be afraid to be you, to do whatever it is you're supposed to do in the body that you have. I know you're going to be amazing!