Body Composition Testing: What We Really Need To Know

Lets focus a little more on MUSCLE  and a little less on FAT.

At Therapydia Kona, we have a unique body composition machine called the InBody570. The In-Body machine analyzes what your body is composed of (lean skeletal muscle, fat, water content) and also tells you the amount of calories you burn at rest. When you go to the doctor, they will measure your height and weight and then give you a number called your body mass index (BMI). The In-Body machine will be able to tell you what your BMI actually means.

If you are hesitant on getting a body composition test done because you’re afraid of what it might reveal, it’s understandable. But if you shift your concern off of lowering your body fat percentage, and gear it towards increasing your muscle percentage, not only will you become stronger and attain muscle definition and tone, you will create a healthier way of thinking about your body and setting personal goals.

This shift in thinking will take you away from the traditional “high BMI/low BMI” or “one number on a scale” which can be a very misleading representation of being overweight, underweight, or normal body weight. Since people have varying body types with differing compositions, a simple BMI or number on a scale just doesn’t tell the whole story.

Jumping on the scale and watching the number fluctuate up and down is useless if you don’t know what that number actually means, such as what percentage of that number is your lean body mass, what percentage is water content, and what is fat.

Body composition testing can be empowering in that it will show you where the changes in your lean muscle mass content have increased after adding strength training to your exercise regimen.

Increasing your lean muscle mass does not necessarily mean “bulking up” either, as this is a common misconception why women often avoid weight/strength training. Simply increasing lean muscle mass will actually assist in improving metabolic rate, aka, your body being more efficient at burning calories at rest. This will also naturally help your body reduce fat content.

Other benefits of increasing lean muscle mass include:

– Improves functional strength and independence

– Increase in bone density

– Elevates mood, confidence and social wellbeing

– Decreases risk of injury

– Reduces resting blood pressure

So hopefully after reading this, you will have a fresh outlook on getting your own body composition test and using the results as a motivator for adding strength training exercises to your routine to increase your lean muscle mass! Getting an initial assessment is a great way to start tracking your changes prior to initiating your new exercise routine.

Call and schedule an appointment today at Therapydia Kona for an In-Body test. The test takes less than 5 minutes and you will have the opportunity to sit down with a licensed physical therapist who will thoroughly explain the results of your test in an easy to understand way!