For years now nutritionists and health care providers have relied heavily on using a technique that determined a person’s body fat based on height and weight. This system applied to both men and women. Unfortunately for many this system is not entirely accurate. It is equally important to know what kind of weight people carry as well. Are they a lean 225 lb or a flabby 180 lb or someone who is very thin and weighs 100 lb.
Body density testing really identifies how much a person is made up of actual fat and how much is lean mass, which includes muscle and bone. Many pro football players, if tested using the standard method for BMI, would show up as being obese or extremely overweight. We know of course this is not the case. So how do you accurately measure a person’s body composition? Some have used skin calipers to measure subcutaneous fat on specific spot of the body. Others have used hydrostatic weighing which is very hard to do.
One new method seems to offer the most accurate measurement of body composition which uses air displacement plethysmograph. This system developed by Life Measurement, Inc. is proving to be extremely accurate and easy to do. They call it the Bod Pod.
Some of the things this new device can measure are:
Accurate whole-body density measurement
Accurate measure for Thoracic Gas Volume (TGV)
Accurate measurement on fat and fat-free mass, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), and Total Energy Expenditures (TEE).
This test can be safely tested repeatably.
Is safe and non invasive.
Simple to use for the subject and operator, requires no special licenses.
It can be used with any subject type, including children, elderly, the obese and those with physical disabilities.
CNN reports on a former soldier who’s sheer will was not enough to help him lose over 260 pounds. After undergoing gastric bypass surgery this patient was able to gain control over his life again and stay on track with his goals for a better life.
I’ve been wanting to stop by and introduce myself. My name is Cindy Tobiason, and I am the Bariatric Nurse Coordinator for PSSC in the Bellingham office.—But I’m also in the Edmonds office at least once a week. So I’ve been fortunate to meet and get to know many of you.
As most of you know, I also am a banded sister and travel this journey with you. My greatest wish for all of you is for you to find what I’ve found at PSSC—-a group of professionals who are genuinely and sincerely interested in your success. A few of us have had smooth sailing, but for most of us this journey holds many speedbumps, a few mountains, —and oooh, those dark lonely rutts. Please know you’re never alone. E-mail or call anytime for questions, support,—or just to chat.
Hey y’all! I am one week post surgical and have my good days and bad days - mostly good. I never thought that finally being able to have pureed potatoes would excite me more than a new pair of shoes but here I am!
So let’s have some fun! What are some habits that make you a “Gold Star” earner as a Lap Band-ite? What are some that might put you in detention? With school starting soon it makes for a fun game. I’d love to hear from y’all - I would hate to think I am alone on this board!
I have lapband surgery almost a year ago. While I lost 35 lbs during the first 6 months, I did not lose more weight from months 7-10 As I’m sure many of us know, the nutritionists are very conservative in their approach to fills, and we understand why. However, at 10 months I was only at a fill of “2″. A friend of mine who had the same procedure done in Olympia talked to me about the bariatric xray that she’d had and how you could see what was getting through and when a fill was enough. One of our nutritionists suggested that I go to a 2.2 fill. I went ahead and scheduled the X-ray prior to the fill and Dr. Billing found that it wasn’t until 2.9 that I personally (and I know this is a personal situation for each of us) was getting any type of true restriction. Now I can actually feel fuller yet still get enough protein through to be healthy! Thank heavens for modern science and equipment that helps us “know” where the restriction works rather than have it based on guess work. I’m now starting to lose weight again. Good luck to you all in your journeys- Jan Schiffner
Hi! I just found the new weblog site. This is so great! We now have our own surgical center blog! I was at a seminar at the clinic this evening and Dr. Billing told me about this. The seminar was really fun and informative. It brought back memories of a year ago January when I was one of those people sitting and gathering info, trying to make one of the biggest decisions of my life. So glad I did! I think at least 5 people asked me if it hurts to get a fill and I, who am deathly afraid of needles, said no, it doesn’t hurt a bit…and it wasn’t a lie! There was one woman there who said that two of her friends had lapbands inserted last year and neither one is doing very well with the band. She said they have no support system, no nutritionist, nothing… It’s sad that there are places out there doing this surgery and then just kind of “throwing” the patient out there with no support to help them along. We’re so blessed… Anyway, glad I found the new site. Have a great rest of the week! :0) Allison
