RUfit to be in the pod?

Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Airman 1st Class Brian Moorehead, 721st Aerial Port Squadron passenger service agent, steps on a scale before he uses a Bod Pod to measure his body composition Jan. 14 on Ramstein. The machine measures an individual’s weight, body fat percent, and change in body fat and muscle mass. The Bod Pod is available to all ID cardholders over the age of 18.
Airman 1st Class Brian Moorehead, 721st Aerial Port Squadron passenger service agent, steps on a scale before he uses a Bod Pod to measure his body composition Jan. 14 on Ramstein. The machine measures an individual’s weight, body fat percent, and change in body fat and muscle mass. The Bod Pod is available to all ID cardholders over the age of 18.

Being fit to fight and maintaining a great physical foundation is an imperative pillar of the RUfit program, an Air Force and U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa  intiative focusing on health and wellness.

Health Promotion, formerly known as the Health and Wellness Center, focuses on educating and assisting those who are interested in improving their fitness and overall health.

The Bod Pod is one of the tools Health Promotion uses to help someone gauge their physical state. It analyzes body fat percentage and is accurate within 1 percent.

Airman 1st Class Brian Moorehead, 721st Aerial Port Squadron passenger service agent, uses a Bod Pod to measure his body composition Jan. 14 at  Health Promotion on Ramstein.
Airman 1st Class Brian Moorehead, 721st Aerial Port Squadron passenger service agent, uses a Bod Pod to measure his body composition Jan. 14 at Health Promotion on Ramstein.

“It measures an individual’s weight, body fat percent, and change in body fat and muscle mass,” said 1st Lt. Lindsey Leitz, 86th Aerospace Medical Squadron nutrition program manager. “It’s a pretty cool indicator, because if you’re just weighing yourself at home on a scale, all that gives you is a number, and a lot can be going on internally that you don’t see every day.”

The Bod Pod testing is available to all service members, retirees and Department of Defense civilians at least 18 years old. To get the test done in the civilian sector is around $200, but at Health Promotion, it’s free and takes about seven minutes to complete.

“I’m glad Health Promotion has this test available, especially for free, because now I can see where I am physically,” said Airman 1st Class Travis Adams, 721st Aerial Port Squadron ramp service specialist. “This test is a lot more informative than stepping on the scale, because it breaks down your weight composition.”

After completing the Bod Pod, Adams said he hopes to use the information to craft his workouts to better reach his goals, ensuring he can focus on the whole Airman concept.
Participants can get measured every two months. Health Promotion tested around 1,000 participants in 2014.

For more information regarding the Bod Pod test, call Health Promotion at 06371-47-4292 or 480-4292.