Modern day technology helps reservists stay fit

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lauren Gleason
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  As a member of the Air Force, maintaining a high level of fitness is a necessity. It is one of the few careers where your personal fitness is mandatory. Thankfully, you also have many resources to help you, such as the Health and Wellness Center, free gyms and high tech fitness gadgets.

As reservists, we perform the balancing act between military service, civilian employment, college education and family roles. Not everyone can go to the gym or work out with a personal trainer. There are solutions for overcoming the typical barriers to stay healthy and fit, no matter what your lifestyle.

To keep exercise from becoming a mundane and dreaded task, you can create a new exercise routine, making fitness an event to look forward to. Tailoring a new workout plan can be exciting, yet challenging, due to conflicts with your schedule. The Tinker HAWC can assist you with creating a personalized workout plan to help reach your personal fitness goals. The HAWC also has classes to help you with running, muscle strengthening and personal nutrition.

Another resource the HAWC offers is the Bod Pod. Unlike the Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation, the Bod Pod gives you an accurate reading of your body fat percentage. To get the reading, you sit in the Bod Pod capsule, which measures the air displacement around your body. Knowing your body fat percentage can give you a baseline measurement of where you started so you can set a weight loss goal. Having a plan in place will lay the foundation for a happier, healthier you.

If you prefer to take charge of your own fitness, innovative gadgets and applications are available to track and promote fitness without having to enter a traditional gym. Typically, electronic fitness systems require wearing a device on your body, whether it is on the wrist, in the ear, around the neck or arm, or even in the sole of a shoe.

Some devices send information to a smartphone app, which uses the data to analyze your workout. Technical Sergeant. Andrew Cole of the 507th Medical Squadron is a fan of the GPS watch. Cole is primarily a sprinter, but is currently training for his first half marathon.

"For transitioning to distance running, the most useful gadget for me has been my GPS watch,"he said. "I use it to pace myself now that I am running 6 to 10 miles at a time."

In the past, fitness devices mainly focused on heart rate, distance traveled and calories burned. Now, there are even more features available that could prove useful, depending on what you are looking for in a fitness gadget.

The latest devices can track sleep, monitor calorie intake, track your location, and even monitor mood swings. Traci Fuhrman, one of two exercise physiologists at the Tinker HAWC, is an advocate of these devices. She says for most people, "seeing how many steps you take in a day is a big motivator. The more steps you take, the more calories you burn and the more active you become. The key is to get people moving".

For Airmen who struggle with pushups and situps, there's an app for that. Push up and sit up apps can be found on the IOS and Android platforms. These apps can be tailored in a number of ways to help you reach upper body and core strength.

The online Wingman Toolkit also has a section specifically dedicated to physical health and welfare. It offers workout ideas as well as nutritional articles and videos. The Wingman Toolkit is accessible from the www.507arw.afrc.af.mil website.

Becoming an active participant in your fitness progression is the first step in improving your quality of life, whether you are working out with a personal trainer or being your own coach. Being able to view your personal progress on your smartphone motivates you by making it a visible reminder of how far you have come in reaching your goal.

"Anything that promotes activity is worth using. Fitness gadgets are very beneficial for staying on track and holding yourself accountable for your fitness," Fuhrman said. "Technology this advanced is good news for those who opt to exercise outdoors instead of running on a treadmill." With so many tools at available, choosing the best method for staying in shape is more accessible than ever.

To schedule a Bod Pod appointment with the HAWC or to register for a class, call 734-6575.