A Free Wellness Resource from the Army

Some of you might have heard of the Army Wellness Center or seen the initials AWC but did you know that it’s not just for soldiers to use and benefit from? It actually serves soldiers, family members, and retirees with a huge amount of free health and wellness resources! 

With a BS in Exercise Science, a ACSM Personal Training Certification and Women’s Health Certification I was so excited when I heard all the cool things you can receive for FREE from the wellness center that you definitely don’t receive in a normal doctors office! Many of these tests would cost thousands of dollars to have taken in a clinical setting but all you need to do is make an appointment!

Here are just a few!

1. Body Composition Testing with a BOD POD

In the exercise science world there are few ways to test body composition that have varying degrees of accuracy. The BOD POD is actually one of the most accurate measurements and usually reserved for science labs or athletes! But you can simply make an appointment at your wellness center to have it done!

Body composition is a measure of your fat mass to fat free mass (like muscle and tissue). This type of testing is great for measuring progress of fat loss that shows you so much more than a scale can. When you start to gain muscle and lose fat the scale might stay the same. But, measuring body composition can show you if you are gaining or losing muscle and gaining or losing fat tissue!

At the appointment you will be asked to wear minimal sports bra and either spandex shorts or underwear. You then take height and weight measurements which the facilitator will use for calculations. The BOD POD itself looks like a giant egg (thus the pod). You sit inside it for about 90 seconds and will hear some clicks as the machine runs. (The machine measures weight and volume by which body density is calculated, density = mass/volume). This isn’t felt at all, you simply sit in the machine while it calculates. 

After the test is run you can get dressed while the facilitator prints your results. You then return to the office to go over the measurements. The staff member is typically a health educator with a background in kinesiology, health and wellness, exercise science, or health education. 

Health counseling and recommendations are made based on the results and these are also uploaded to your health history in Genesis Portal. This can be used to track progress over time and even after a PCS!

2. Metabolic Testing

Ever heard of macro counting?!  Most likely you have as a way to track caloric intake by measuring how many grams of protein / carbs/ fats you consume. The trick is that not all online calculators are going to give you an accurate reading because they only use formulas to GUESS what your daily calorie needs are. That’s where metabolic testing comes in! Metabolic Testing is another test which can be done for free at the wellness center. This test measures oxygen consumption at rest to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) or how many calories your body needs to function at rest. This test includes fasting pretest, laying down while breathing into an oxygen machine which measures oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide exhaled. The results from this test can be used to get a very accurate reading of calories needed for your specific body.

Knowing this information allows a practitioner or health coach to give very specific caloric and macronutrient (protein, carb, fat) recommendations in order to gain weight, lose weight, or maintain your current weight. This information is incredibly helpful from a nutrition standpoint and is often coupled with nutrition classes and counseling at the wellness center!

3. Fitness Testing

This is a measure of your cardio – respiratory fitness, grip strength, back strength, and flexibility. The Cardio Portion is a Sub VO2 max test which again, is really only done in labs or with athletes and is such a cool way to see what your fitness levels are and see them improve! It is done on a treadmill or cycle machine and measures how efficiently your body processes oxygen. If you enjoy running or swimming this is such a cool opportunity to see data you might not normally get to see!

4. Biofeedback Session

This session includes relaxation in a massage chair followed by practice of 5 different stress management techniques!

Additional Resources:

Some other classes offered through the Army Wellness Center include (but are not limited to):

• Upping your Metabolism – after receiving your results from your metabolic test you’ll be given more weight management resources and tools. 
• Healthy Sleep Hygiene: Strategies for improving overall sleep quality.
• Stress Management: Learn Strategies for improving stress management.
• Meals in Minutes: Learn strategies for getting healthy meals to the table. 

Ready to see what your local Army Wellness Center Offers?  Click here to find one closest to you, check out their Facebook, and call to make an appointment for any of the tests above! 

Have more questions? I love to chat about all things health and wellness! Just leave a comment below!