Body Composition - Your body is made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrate and various vitamins and minerals. If you have too much fat - especially if a lot of it is at your waist - you're at higher risk for health problems such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes, which can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Obesity is now recognized as a major, independent risk factor for heart disease. If you're overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk for heart disease by successfully losing weight and keeping it off. Heart disease and stroke are major health risks for everyone. Especially for African Americans it claims the lives of over 104,000 every year, and is the leading cause of death.

Waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) are indirect ways to assess your body composition. Waist circumference is the distance around your natural waist (just above the navel). Your goal for waist circumference is less than 40 inches if you're a man and less than 35 inches if you're a woman. Body mass index assesses your body weight relative to height. It's a useful, indirect measure of body composition because it correlates highly with body fat in most people.

• BMI values less than 18.5 are considered underweight.
  
• BMI values from 18.5 to 24.9 are healthy.
  
• Overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25.0 to less than 30.0
  
• Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater (based on NIH guidelines) — about 30 pounds or more overweight.
  
• Extreme obesity is defined as a BMI of 40 or greater.

Some well-trained people with dense muscle mass may have a high BMI score but very little body fat. For them, the waist circumference, the skin fold thickness or more direct methods of measuring body fat may be more useful measures.
We use a 9-site caliper method to assess your body composition. Knowing your body fat percentage is critical when trying to improve your body composition. For example, if you have 20 pounds in fat and 130 pounds in lean body weight, then your total body weight is 150 pounds. If you lose 2 pounds in fat and gain 3 pounds in muscle, now you weigh 151 pounds. By using a regular scale, you might think you gained fat. But you actually gained lean body weight, which improves your body composition.

Call today to schedule your body composition!
253-582-2244

Personal trainers aren't for everyone, but a trainer provides great benefits and motivation you can't find when working out on your own. Here are ten reasons to hire a personal fitness trainer.

1. Motivation
   One of the main reasons people benefit from a personal trainer is that they loose motivation to stick with a consistent exercise program. Certified personal trainers can provide structure and accountability, and help you develop a lifestyle that encourages health.
   
   
2. Individualized program
   If you have any chronic health conditions, injuries or training goals (running a marathon, for example) a trainer will work with you and your health care provider to plan a safe, efficient program that considers these needs and enable you to reach your health goals.
   
   
3. Efficiency
   Personal Trainers help you focus on results and stop wasting your time doing inefficient workouts. A personal trainer has a plan and will help you get maximum results in minimum time.
   
   
4. Improve technical skills
   If you play a particular sport, the right personal trainer will help you improve your skill by showing you new training techniques specific to your sport. The Trainer will incorporate skills training into your program so you improve not only your strength and endurance, but your agility and mental focus as well.
   
   
5. You are new to exercise
   If you are an absolute beginner, a personal trainer is the ultimate fitness coach. A good trainer will introduce you to a very simple, effective routine and build efficiently so before you know it, you have the confidence and knowledge to decide what is right for you.
   
6. Break through plateaus
   Ok, you are already in pretty decent shape, but you've been there for years. If you are stuck in the same routine and want to break out of a rut, a personal trainer is the perfect solution. A trainer will jump start, not only your motivation, but your routine as well.
   
   
7. Learn how to go it alone
   If you ultimately want to learn all the facets of designing your own routines so you don't need to use a personal trainer, going for a few months may be all you need. All good personal trainers will teach you the basics of building and modifying a fitness program to achieve maximum results.
   
8. Workout Safely
   A personal trainer watches your form, monitors your vitals and can provide objective feedback about your limits and strengths. Most of us tend to ignore some of the subtle signals our body provides. We either push through pain or give up too soon. Because a personal trainer can watch what you are doing while you are doing it, they can help push you or slow you down as necessary.
   
   
9. Workout at home
   Many personal trainers make house calls. If you don't have the type or interest in going to a gym, but have a hard time knowing what to do on your own at home, a personal trainer can bring fitness into your living room.
   
   
10. Lose Weight
    There is a good reason that the number one reason people hire personal trainers is to lose weight and get into shape -- it works. If you made a resolution to lose the fat and build the muscle, a trainer can keep you on track and help you realize that goal .
    

Before you hire a personal trainer you should ask the following questions:

What are your qualifications and certification?
A qualified personal trainer has an education in physiology, health promotion, athletic training, kinesiology or a similar field. They should have first aide and CPR certification as well as certification from a reputable organization such as NASM, ACSM, ACE, IDEA, YMCA, NSCA or similar.

Do you have liability insurance?
They should answer yes.

What are your policies and procedures?
A personal trainer should have a documented policy explaining their services, costs, cancellations, length of contract, and emergency procedures. They should also require a medical clearance form to be completed before they work with you (if you have health problems).

Finally, you should feel comfortable with the trainer, his/her style of communication and the expectations of your time together.