Pennington Volunteer

About 8 years ago I called Pennington Biomedical Research Center to see if I qualified for a study they were doing at that time.  I don't remember what the study was but I do remember that one of my qualifications to participate was that I could not have anymore children.  Well, I thought that was the end of that and hung up.

Fast forward, 2 children and an extra 60 pounds later, I saw this commercial and said to myself, "Cynthia, you've GOT to do SOMETHING!" So, I called the next morning for more information.

I haven't been keeping a log of my experience before now, so I'll try to type the following from what I remember and from previous Facebook Posts and photos.  From now on I will make updates on my blog.

April 26, 2013:  I signed up to volunteer for Pennington's E-MECHANICS study, the purpose of which is to compare the effects of physical activity and lifestyle changes on energy balance and how these changes may impact an individual's body composition. There are 3 study groups. 

• High Dose Exercise (HDE) - Participants will exercise 3 - 5 days per week at 60 - 90 minutes per session.
• Recommended Dose Exercise (RDE) - Participants will exercise 3 - 4 days per week at 30 - 45 minutes per session.
• Healthy Living Group (HL) - Participants will attended regularly scheduled classes and seminars to learn and discuss healthy lifestyles. No exercise.

I do not yet know which study group I've been assigned to as I am still in the preliminary screening stages. I will keep ya'll updated on this. It is a 6-8 month study on the effects of exercise on the body. Since I DON'T exercise, I figure a study group would be just the thing to get my butt in gear!

 

April 30, 2013:  I arrived at Pennington for an orientation session and was measure for BMI, blood pressure, weight, and height.

May 2, 2013:  I was measured again for blood pressure, weight and height.  My Lab Rat mission this week is to wear this motion monitor sensor thingy for 7 days. It will record every move I make (or don't make) in order to provide my researchers with an accurate data picture of my lack of exercise habits.

May 10, 2013:  Physical - Today's Lab Rat visit resulted in being pinched, poked, weighed, measured (height, bicep, waist, hip).  I also had an EKG done.

May 15, 2013:  Treadmill stress test:  Sorry, I don't have a photo of this one.  :(  I had to wear a helmet with hoses attached as well as several electrodes attached to my chest and torso.  I had to walk on a treadmill while periodically increasing incline and speed.  Every two minutes, the nurse would take my blood pressure while I relaxed an arm off to the side while still walking.  I also had tell her, by looking at a chart, about how hard I thought I was working.  I lasted 10 minutes at 2.8 mph, increased incline every two minutes. Finished with gasping like a guppy for air and had burning calves, but surprised myself by lasting that long!

They also took measurements on this day:

Bicep 37 cm
Waist 123 cm
Hips 127 cm (this measurement was taken with my pants pulled down but measured over the undies)

May 28, 2013:  Lab Rat update:  After a 12 hour fast, I had an appointment at 7 a.m. to lay on a bed with a plastic bubble over my head and upper body, the purpose of which is to measure a metabolic something or 'nother. I wasn't allowed to read, play Candy Crush, update FB status, read email, fidget, sleep, play with my phone, or nothing for an entire hour! I had to lay there and stare at the roof.  They did allow me to watch television but it was hard to hear through the plastic bubble and it was REALLY difficult to keep my eyes open! 

May 29, 2013:  I had to endure ANOTHER 12 hour fast, eat a granola bar at 8 a.m., blood drawn at 11am, Lunch at 12pm, more blood drawn at 1pm, and Dinner at 5:45pm provided by Pennington.  I did NOT have to eat all of it but they did want me to try and eat as I felt I could.

 

I was also given my motion monitor thingy again, this time to wear it for 2 weeks. I was given a scale to record my morning weight weight for 2 weeks also.

June 11, 2013:  I returned to Pennington for my last Dexa scan and Lab work and received my appointed study group.  A DXA, sometimes referred to as a DEXA Scan, is the most accurate test for determining an individual’s body composition, body fat, lean muscle and even bone mineral content and density.  It uses a very low dose X-Ray for clinical testing and measurement of body composition and body fat.  Though this description comes from here, it accurately explains what Pennington is doing. 

 

After my lab work and Dexa scan, I met with my study coordinator to find out which study group I had been randomized into and was excited to learn that I am a member of the High Dose Exercise group.  This means I will be working out an awful lot for the next 6 months.  I'm excited yet terrified at the same time.  I am afraid that even though they will be gradually increasing my workout intensity I will still not be able to keep up.  I already feel those feelings of defeat closing in and I'm not even started yet!

June 12, 2013: I survived workout #1!! I started out with the first 10 minutes wearing the contraption you see in the pic below.  This was to measure my respiration and CO2 output.  I had my nose pinched off and had to breathe through my mouth.  The only bad thing about the mouth piece is that it causes lots of drool.  After that little warm up, I hopped onto another treadmill and began a 45 minute walk.  I have to wear a heart monitor at all times for accurate readings and I have a "supervisor" nearby with a cart mounted computer watching everything I do.  Today, I walked at 2.6 mph on a 2.0 incline and got my heart rate up to 127 for 40 minutes.  Afterwards, my thighs felt like they'd been injected with Mexicanjumping beans!

 

Stay tuned for more updates coming soon!!!