STUTTGART, Germany -- Move more, eat less - it's a basic tenet of weight loss.
Yet for many people who exercise and diet, the scales just won't budge.
If you find yourself in this category, the Army Wellness Center Stuttgart offers two tools that will take the guess work out of weight management: metabolic and VO2 max testing.
"Metabolic testing will tell you how many calories your body burns at rest. We can then tell you exactly how many calories you need to take in to lose weight," said Richard Hoke, the Wellness Center director.
VO2 max testing determines the heart rate zone where a person burns the most fat. It is also considered to be the ultimate indicator of cardiovascular fitness, according to Hoke.
"It's the maximum amount of oxygen a body transports and uses during exercise," he explained.
Even physically fit people can benefit from the test. "I can teach them how to maximize or improve their fitness levels by using their heart rate training zones," Hoke said.
Typically, these two tests can cost approximately $800 combined, Hoke said. At the Army Wellness Center Stuttgart, they're free.
"It's one of the best services offered here," said Leslie Bennett, a Defense Intelligence Agency employee at Patch Barracks. "It's expensive back in the States."
Bennett said after she'd gotten out of the military, she gained 30 pounds.
Using data from the tests to tailor her twice-a-week strength training workouts, she lost the extra weight.
"It's all about the effectiveness of what you're doing. You don't have a lot of time - it's important to maximize your results," Bennett said.
Corey Burden, a Defense Information Systems Agency employee, has had equally impressive results.
On the advice of a personal trainer, Burden made an appointment at the Wellness Center for the metabolic and VO2 testing.
"I'd never heard of the tests before," he said.
Burden bought a heart rate monitor and followed the recommendations that came with the test results.
Over the course of eight months, Burden lost 11 pounds and reduced his percentage of body fat from about 32 percent to about 12 percent.
"I lost three to four inches off my hips and waist. I gained two and one-half inches on my chest," he said.
The Wellness Center's weight management program is not just for those wanting to lose weight.
"Believe it or not, trying to gain weight is a lot harder than trying to lose it. We can also help those who want to put on weight," Hoke said.
Every month, free classes on the principles of effective weight management are offered.
The classes are held from 11 a.m. to noon in the Wellness Center classroom.
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