At SourceMD: Integrated Wellness Solutions in Encinitas, California, Dr. Dave Larson and our team know that losing weight and building muscle can be confusing and frustrating.
Fad diets, extreme diets, and one-size-fits-all approaches that don’t take into account your unique metabolism, body type, current health condition, and age can set you up for failure.
That’s why we offer personalized fitness testing that provides critical information about your physical makeup to help you achieve your health goals safely and successfully.
If you’ve been trying to lose weight, gain weight, build muscle, or just get healthier, but have hit plateaus and roadblocks, you need a fitness test.
If you’re planning to start a new workout routine or weight-loss program, you need a fitness test.
If you want to track your progress as you work toward your health goals, you need a fitness test.
Our highly detailed fitness test reveals information about your metabolism and the unique way your body works so we can map out the best path for you to achieve your goals.
If you begin a weight-loss program or workout routine without the benefit of fitness testing, you are likely to become frustrated when the methods you’re trying don’t work for you.
You also won’t have any measurements or milestones that help you monitor your progress. Anyone who is serious about improving their physical health can benefit from a fitness test.
Our goal during your fitness test is to establish where you stand in terms of overall health and wellness. We determine key information that lets us know how your body will respond to various diets and exercises.
Here’s what happens in a fitness test:
We start by having a comprehensive conversation to learn how you feel, what health concerns you have, and what past health issues you’ve experienced. Your answers impact the plan we develop for you.
Next, we measure some important numbers, such as your heart rate, blood pressure, weight, and height.
After taking vital signs, we measure your body fat percentage. This is more than a number on a scale; it’s an indicator of your overall health and helps you set healthy and realistic fitness goals.
You’ve probably heard of the body mass index (BMI), which is one way to determine your percentage of body fat. But it doesn’t take into account your age or gender. Dr. Larson considers all these aspects and uses sophisticated equipment to arrive at more relevant results.
We also take a look at your posture and flexibility. In order to engage in weight loss and muscle-building activities, it’s important to make sure your spine is ready for the challenge. If your spine is unstable or your torso is inflexible, you may have a hard time doing the necessary exercises.
Dr. Larson has you perform the sit and reach test to measure the flexibility of your lower back and hamstrings, a trunk-rotation test to measure your shoulder and torso flexibility, and a groin test to measure the flexibility of your adductors (inner thigh muscles).
To get an idea of your starting point, Dr. Larson tests your muscle strength and endurance. This gives him a clearer picture of what you’re capable of and what you need to strive for.
No simple math formula can reveal all the details about your body, so Dr. Larson uses advanced technology to better understand how much body fat you have and what type.
There are different kinds of body fat: some is squishy and hangs out just under the skin, but some is hard fat that surrounds your organs, which can put you at risk for serious health problems, so it’s important to get a clear picture.
And that’s exactly what the Styku™ 3D body scanner does. While fully clothed, you stand on a rotating platform as a camera captures multiple images.
In less than a minute, the software generates measurements and data so we can:
If needed, Dr. Larson may recommend additional testing, such as an electrocardiogram to monitor your heart activity, or other diagnostic tests that shed light on your genetic makeup, biochemical pathways, hormones, and metabolism.
If you’re ready to turn over a new leaf and get healthier, start by knowing where you stand and how to navigate the journey ahead. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Larson by calling SourceMD: Integrated Wellness Solutions at 760-230-1317 today.
