Why You Need to Track Weight Loss With Body Composition Testing

Many people who set out to lose weight will attempt to make lifestyle changes and maybe even utilize medications in their quest to lower that number on the scale. As they progress on their journey, they will stand on the scale in the morning to track their progress and keep themselves motivated as they see the number drop. But in the end, many individuals won't be happy with the final results, and I'm here to tell you why.

It's not just about weight. It's about body composition.

Let me use an example to explain.

A 45-year-old male who weighs 250 lbs decides he wants to lose weight. He starts on a weight loss injection and over the course of 6 months he drops 50 lbs and now weighs 200 lbs. He is noticeably thinner and all of his work colleagues comment on how much thinner he looks. But deep down he doesn't feel any better about the way he looks when he stares into a mirror.

Unfortunately this is an all too common scenario I've seen in recent years. And the reason for this is because weight loss does not mean improved body composition. How much someone weighs is dependent on their fat mass AND their muscle mass. So if someone is only tracking weight and doesn't get body composition testing performed via a DEXA scan (or other modality), when they lose 5 lbs they won't have any idea if they lost 5 lbs of fat or 5 lbs of muscle. And looking back at our example above, the way one looks in the mirror after a 50 lb weight loss can be dramatically different depending on whether that 50 lbs was mostly fat or mostly muscle.

So anyone looking to "lose weight" should instead think about "improving body composition." Get a DEXA scan (or at least an InBody scan) to evaluate how many lbs of fat you have and how many lbs of muscle you have. Then you can track results over time to make sure you are losing the lbs you actually want to lose (the fat).

At HYBRD Health, we have a DEXA machine and InBody scanner in our clinic and body composition analysis is included with membership. We also offer body composition testing to non-members.

Once we know the results of your body composition, we can use that data to create a custom macronutrient (proteins, carbs, fats) and fitness plan to increase muscle mass and decrease fat mass (if necessary). Then we perform repeat body composition testing every few weeks to track progress and make adjustments to your plan as needed.

All materials contained in this blog post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your physician concerning any and all medical questions and/or problems.