Why we should ditch the scales

So many people use the scales as a means of assessing improvements to their body composition and overall health. By just relying on the scales you only see weight loss/gain, there are so many other things like; muscle mass, body fat and visceral fat that we should be concentrating on.

Does muscle weigh more than fat?

People often say, muscle weighs more than fat. This is a myth! A kilogram is a kilogram, so a kilogram of fat weighs the same as a kilogram of muscle. The truth is, fat takes up more space than muscle. Muscle mass is much denser than body fat and fat is much more space orientated. It is like comparing aluminium to lead, a kilogram of each would weigh the same. For example, if I got on the scale and lost 3kg of body fat and put on 3kg of muscle mass, I would weigh exactly the same, yet my body composition would have changed considerably. Therefore, the scales are nothing more than a gravitational pull to earth.

Precisely measure your body composition improvements.

I’ve seen many people (particularly ladies) who are concerned that their weight is not changing. On normal scales that would be somewhat disappointing, especially if they have spent a lot of time training to change their body composition. However, if they had an InBody scan we can precisely see what is happening in their body.  Maybe they have reduced their visceral fat – brilliant! Visceral fat is the potentially dangerous fat located around the organs. It can be a health risk, so seeing this decrease would be excellent. This person may have put on muscle, they may have even put on a little more fluid. They may weigh a similar amount or even more which gives the impression that they are going backwards. When in reality they are not – they are going forward.  So, we must always measure total body composition, as weight alone is very limiting.

When to use scales.

The only reason to use an overall weight measurement, would be in certain sporting events where weight is a determining factor. For example; weightlifting, boxing or a jockey. In that case, using the scales would be acceptable. Keep in mind, it would be very useful for these athletes to monitor their overall body composition by utilising an InBody device. This would give them a great insight into ways to reach their end weight goal.

How is the best way to measure body composition?

InBody is the premier provider of body composition. It is not what you weigh, it is what you are made up of. Using the InBody 570 in less than 60 seconds you can find out over 40 parameters, including muscle mass, body fat, visceral fat and bone mineral content. Knowing the amount of body fat and muscle within your body is a much better way of assessing whether your nutritional choices and exercise is working for your body.