At Blue Tree Health, our mission is to help you succeed with any health goals you have in mind. Whether you want to lose weight for an upcoming vacation or keep it off for long-term health, we're here to help. That’s why we offer personalized weight loss plans tailored to your specific goals and a team of weight loss specialists who can help work with you to make it happen.
When people say they’re trying to lose weight, what they’re really saying is that they want to change their body composition. Most people want to get leaner, fitter, more muscular, or better toned, rather than just seeing a number on the scale. And, while scales can be a good way to track your progress, they're generally not the best. How much water you've had to drink or when you last ate can easily tip the scales, leading to inaccurate results. That’s why we’re proud to offer DEXA scans for those who want a more accurate picture of their weight loss progression, or for those who want to track other things like their muscle mass or body fat percentage over time. These DEXA scans should not be confused with Inbody, which are mostly found in gym settings. These scans are cutting edge technology only found in medical settings.
In this informative blog, find out what DEXA scans are and how they work, as well as how you can use a DEXA scan alongside one of our personalized weight loss programs to reach your weight loss goals faster.
What Are DEXA Scans?
DEXA scans, short for Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, are a cutting-edge tool in the fitness and health industry, renowned for their precision in assessing body composition. Unlike traditional scales that only show total body weight (a number that can be easily influenced by hydration, muscle mass, and other factors), DEXA scans provide a comprehensive view of your body's makeup, including fat mass, lean muscle mass, and bone density. This level of detail can offer clearer insights into your overall health, as well as give you a better understanding of your body's response to fitness and weight loss programs.
How DEXA Scans Work
The technology behind DEXA scans is both sophisticated and straightforward. By using low-dose X-rays at two different energy levels, DEXA scans can differentiate between bone tissue and soft tissue, giving you a detailed breakdown of your body fat percentage and bone density. It can also tell you your resting BMR, how many calories you’re burning daily, and the distribution of fat in your body.
The DEXA scan process is quick, taking only about 5 minutes, and is also non-invasive–you simply lie on a scanning bed while the machine passes over your body. This makes for a much more comfortable and safer experience than other body composition methods, like hydrostatic weighing, which requires being submerged underwater. It's also much more accurate, with a margin of error of less than 1%. This makes it a reliable and attractive tool for anyone interested in tracking their body composition over time.
The Benefits of DEXA Scans for Weight Loss
When it comes to weight loss, DEXA scans offer several advantages over traditional methods. First and foremost, they allow you to see beyond the number on the scale. By providing detailed information on fat distribution and muscle mass, DEXA scans can help you understand the quality of the weight you're losing or gaining. This is crucial because the goal of weight loss isn’t just to lose weight, but to improve overall health and appearance by reducing fat and increasing muscle mass.
Furthermore, DEXA scans can track changes in body composition over time, offering a clearer picture of your progress. This can be incredibly motivating, as seeing increases in muscle mass and decreases in fat mass can validate the hard work you're putting into your diet and exercise regimen.
In addition, DEXA scans provide the opportunity for personalized adjustments to your weight loss plan. By analyzing the feedback provided by a DEXA scan, your weight loss coach can fine-tune your diet, exercise routine, and other aspects of your weight loss plan to maximize your results.
Integrate DEXA Scans in Your Weight Loss Plan Today!
At Blue Tree Health, we’ve seen how DEXA scans have helped our patients not only lose weight, but gain a better understanding of where their body has been, where it’s at, and where it’s going. That’s why we’re proud to offer DEXA scans at our weight-loss clinic so that you can gain valuable insights into your health and weight-loss journey.
By starting with a baseline scan, we can work with you to set specific, measurable goals that go beyond the scale. And, as you progress through your weight loss plan, we can also schedule follow-up scans to provide additional feedback. That way, you’ll know if you’re on the right track, and we’ll know how we adjust your plan to help you meet your weight loss goals.
Contact us to learn more about medical weight loss programs and how we can help you reach your weight and health goals with our comprehensive DEXA scans in Austin.
