Joseph Edgecomb / The Collegian

One of the most reliable weight tests in the last ten years is available on campus – the Bod Pod.

A 40-second session in the Bod Pod tells a person everything from their daily caloric intake to the amount of body fat they have.

“The Bod Pod, is very reliable and the best in technology to keep track of body fat and progress in becoming more fit,â€Â said Michael Coles, Ph.D., an associate professor in exercise physiology for the department of kinesiology.

Coles and the Bod Pod are a part of the College of Health and Human Services̢۪ Expert of the Month series beginning in April, which highlights campus faculty and staff in their specific area of expertise.

In fact, many Fresno doctors are referring their patients to Coles and the Bod Pod at Fresno State.

Cory Mikuni, a senior in the kinesiology graduate program, is Cole̢۪s lab assistant. Mikuni believes that anyone can benefit from getting a body composition test, especially those beginning a personal exercise regime.

“It is good to know at the beginning how fit you are before you begin to exercise regularly, because then you can come back at the end of the year or the season and track your progress,â€Â Mikuni said.

After sitting upright in the Bod Pod machine for 40 seconds, the computer attached to it will be able to analyze the person̢۪s data. The lab assistant will input the person̢۪s weight and height, which is recorded before the test, and the statistics will show how healthy the person is in comparison to how healthy the person should be.

For example, based on the American College of Sports Medicine, women over 18 years old should not have more than 40 percent of excess body fat and men should not have more than 30 percent without risking harmful health issues later in life.

Mikuni performs three to four body composition tests for Fresno State students per week. Many students at Fresno State are not required to take the Bod Pod test for classes, however most kinesiology majors are.

The body composition test is only $15 for students and $30 for the general public. Testing is available in the Human Performance Lab on Mondays from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Coles, this new system of testing body fat and caloric intake thanks to the Bod Pod is the most reliable test in the last ten years.

“I have more confidence in the accuracy of the Bod Pod than in the Underwater Weight Weighing test that we used before,â€Â Coles said.

Tips from the Expert of the Month
Coles will be offering tips on eating better throughout the month of April. Some of his tips include:

̢ۢ If there are students that are still trying to lose that dreaded freshmen 15 weight, he said that the best thing to do is to stay away from crazy diets, because most of them don̢۪t work.

̢ۢ Avoid too many simple sugars, and just eat more nutritious foods rather than eating less overall.

̢ۢ Restrict yourself to a more mild caloric intake, and eliminate more fat.

̢ۢ When looking to begin an exercise routine, the best thing to do is exercise three to five days a week at a moderately intense workout for 30 minutes. This much activity and healthier eating will keep students more fit overall.