Fort Moore, Ga. – “Investing” has become a buzzword that individuals may associate with the stock market, a Thrift Savings Plan, or even Wall Street hedge fund managers, but how often do we look at the word investing as a term for personal health and fitness? While investing in personal finance can be an important choice towards financial security and freedom, investing in your health and wellness can pay dividends in our daily lives and future. No one is immune from aging. The process of our bodies and minds growing older is inevitable, but we can all invest time, energy, and resources into making sure that both remain in tip-top shape.

As a new civilian employee at Fort Moore, I decided to check out the opportunities available for me to invest in something just as important as finances, my own health and wellbeing. I found Fort Moore offers a multitude of opportunities and programs for Service members, their families, civilian employees, and retirees to advance their personal health and fitness through the Armed Forces Wellness Center.

 Getting Started 

Getting started was easy. I simply went to the Fort Moore AFWC, located at 7919 Marne Road, building 9257, and spoke with the helpful staff at the front desk. They explained to me the programs available to help advance my personal fitness, health, and overall well-being goals. I was especially impressed with the holistic approach that emphasized the relationship between diet, physical fitness, and mental state. Signing up for the many different programs was as simple as providing my Department of Defense identification number.

Body Composition Analysis

Then it was time for an audit in the form of a full body composition analysis, using the “Bod Pod”, a futuristic chamber which uses air displacement to measure fat and fat free mass. I was told prior to my appointment to fast for two hours and bring spandex shorts to ensure the test was accurate. Upon arriving, I filled out basic medical paperwork, indicating previous health conditions, current physical and mental state, and the goals I was trying to achieve with the help of the AFWC.

After a brief introduction to the Bod Pod and its capabilities by one of the friendly and knowledgeable staff, I entered the chamber, and before I knew it, I was done, and my results were available. The staff provided and in-depth explanation, with recommendations on how I can improve my body composition, along with information on other programs that I can use within the AFWC to accomplish a total solution to enhance my overall health.

VO2 max Testing 

VO2 max testing is more intense than the Bod Pod, but a great way to measure total oxygen consumption. This test requires an individual to use a treadmill or a stationary bike, while being hooked up to a heart rate monitor and wearing a mask that analyzes breathing. The intensity of the test increases, until exhaustion.

By gradually increasing the effort of the individual taking the test, the state-of-the-art equipment determines total oxygen consumption and fitness level. The VO2 max takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires a high intensity of physical exertion. With the information and data collected, further recommendations on personal health and fitness can be made to enhance an individual’s overall wellbeing.

Stress Management

One of the programs that most interested me, was the stress management course. The full course takes around an hour and involves education and training on biofeedback, stress relief techniques, and positive coping skills. Deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation are used with the programing to help guide participants towards better stress management.

Nutritional Counseling 

Nutritional counseling is another option offered and adds yet another arrow to your total health and wellness quiver. Individuals who participate in nutritional counseling first take a metabolic test to see their metabolic rate. Once that number is determined, health specialists at the AFWC create a personalized nutrition plan tailored towards the individual and their health goals.

Exercise Programing 

With dieting needs taken care of, a full scope exercise programing can be created, based on an individual’s overall goals. First, one must take a general fitness test that measures strength, endurance, and flexibility is administered, followed by recommendations and the creation of a comprehensive workout plan by a fitness specialist.

Classes 

The AFWC also offers a wide variety of classes, including:

• Upping your Metabolism: learn how to increase your metabolism using the metabolic test results.
• Healthy Meals in Minutes: examine tools and strategies to make healthy meals quickly.
• Individual Stress Management Education: define stress and explore the impact of stress on health and wellness.
• Healthy Sleep Habits: explore methods and resources for achieving better quality of sleep.
• Fueling for Health: learn the fundamental components of nutrition.
• Staying for Home and Away: develop an action plan for a home workout while incorporating all aspects of fitness.
• Retire Strong: learn benefits of remaining active and healthy for retirees

When you walk into the AFWC, there are multiple advertisements for courses and classes that are being held during the month, including how to register and details about what each course entails. I was impressed with the total amount of different offerings available throughout the month and the ease at which these resources are available.

Invest in Yourself

After taking advantage of the programs at the AFWC, I discovered I needed to invest more of my time and efforts into my own wellbeing. The great thing about making that investment is I have all the help I need, directly from the knowledgeable staff at the AFWC.

Service members, their families, civilian employees, and retirees looking to invest in themselves and #BeMoore, may find more information about the Fort Moore Armed Forces Wellness Center by visiting https://www.moore.army.mil/MCOE/Community-Health-Promotion/AWCP.html or by calling 706-544-9142.