We’ll be upfront. Having a DEXA scan can sometimes be a bit confronting. Knowing EXACTLY how much fat is on your body, how much of your weight is fat or muscle, and where you are storing fat can sometimes feel like a bit too much information.
But, here’s the thing to remember – it’s just data.
It’s what you do with the data that matters. There’s very little point in getting upset because you’ve discovered that you’re not as healthy as you thought, or that you’re thin-inside-fat-outside (TOFI).
Instead, see that information as a gift. The old saying that knowledge is power can serve you well. You have the knowledge about your body, its composition and your overall health, and you have the power to use that knowledge to make behaviour changes that WILL have an impact. And once you’ve made those changes, you can come in for a follow up DEXA scan and be presented with the visual evidence that your choices are making a difference.
What if it’s the lack of progress on the second scan that is the problem
Ah, yes, this is a common scenario. And we usually find there are three usual reasons behind the lack of results:
Focusing too much on exercise but still eating whatever you want
Exercise is great for building muscle, cardiovascular health and mental wellbeing. It’s not, however, great for fat loss. Fat loss really needs to be driven from the kitchen. You can’t outrun a bad diet!
Over exercising
Yes, exercise is good and we should aim to be active every day. But being active every day doesn’t mean punishing yourself in the gym for 90 minutes six days a week. Overexercising is a major cause of cortisol spikes which encourage your body to store fat. A DEXA scan can help us to devise the optimum training regime for you, but typically a great week of activity would look something like this: two to three strength workouts, one to two sprinting sessions of less than 10 minutes each, and generally being active in a gentle way every day. This means walking the dog, doing the gardening and housework, maybe going for a surf – basically activities that you enjoy and add to your quality of life.
Fear of fat:
Yes, not eating enough fat is a big problem for many of our clients.Firstly, low fat foods are often supplemented with sugar to make them taste better, and are less satiating so you end up eating more than you would have otherwise. Secondly, eating high quality fats – like avocados, eggs, grass fed meats and sustainable oily fish – helps become more lean and reduce body fat by improving the liver’s ability to burn fat.
Have you come in for a DEXA scan yet? Are you anxious about what the results might reveal? Don’t be scared, our experienced team is here to help you understand the data and develop a realistic and achievable action plan for you to get the results you want. Call us today on 9460 8502 to book an appointment at our Crows Nest clinic.
