A Scale Only Tells Half Of The Story

By: Alissa Penner

You know the scale only tells half of the story... just monitoring your weight isn't enough. Hopefully you are still going strong with the goals you set for yourself a few months ago. If not, perhaps you are left questioning your approach. If you've been consistent with exercise and improved nutrition and you are still questioning why you aren't seeing any change, it's possible you need to give it more time. Or you may just need more information about your body in order to reach those specific goals of losing weight and inches.  Knowing your body's composition is key to improving your health. Your body is a complex structure made up of different components such as water, fat and muscle. In keeping up with today's state of the art technology, one of our own branches in our Greater Dayton YMCA has a new tool to give you an Advanced Body Composition Analysis or an in-depth reading of what your body is made of.

Now offered at the Coffman YMCA, you can take the InBody test to learn more about your body's composition. It's a non-invasive, pain-free analysis that sends safe, low-level currents through the body via hand and foot electrodes. Using an 8-point tactile electrode system and multiple frequencies, the InBody measures currents in less than 60 seconds and will give you a snapshot of your body composition in that moment in time, to include the percentage of body fat, muscle distribution, body weight balance. These components are key in understanding more about your body. Your initial test will reveal all you need to know to set a good diet and exercise plan to actually see results. Consistent InBody testing will give you a timeline to track your progress and watch for improvements so you don’t let your hard work go to waste.

Preparing for your InBody test there are a few do’s and don'ts prior to testing:

Do:
• Do hydrate well the day before
• Do stand upright for at least 5 minutes
• Do use the bathroom
• Do remove all metal objects (jewelry, watches, belts)
• Do remove socks, pantyhose, shoes, and heavy articles of clothing
• Do warm yourself up for 20 minutes if you are testing in cold weather

Don't:
• Don't eat/exercise at least 3 hours before
• Don't consume alcohol or caffeine at least 24 hours prior
• Don't use a shower or sauna
• Don’t use lotion/ointment on your hands and feet

According to InBodyusa.com, body composition analysis is as essential to understanding health and weight as traditional methods, such as BMI, which can be misleading. You need to go beyond your bathroom scale. I took the InBody test myself and the results were very fascinating and eye opening. Having an interest in knowing more about your body is the first step. If you think that an assessment would be beneficial to you, we invite you to take the InBody test. Offered at Coffman YMCA only, both Members and Nonmembers, can make an appointment with Clay Giuffre, the Healthy Living Specialist. Testing packages are available for purchase with and without a personal training option. Don’t let the scale fool you any longer. Get the whole truth with our advanced body composition testing. To learn more to go: www.daytonymca.org/in_body for more information.