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Understanding
Your BodySpex
You've
taken a BodySpex test. Now, what do the numbers mean? Explanations for
each of the values appear below. But first, consider this: One test
provides a snapshot of information. What you do with that information
is far more important than the numbers themselves. Over time, through
your program of diet and exercise, you’ll see those numbers
change. Progress, that’s the real value. That’s your
pathway to health and fitness.
Weight
This
is your total body weight. The BodySpex scale accurately measures your
total body weight to within one-tenth of a pound. Keep in mind that
prior to each test the BodySpex scale asks what you are wearing, then
subtracts an appropriate amount from the reading.
Although weight is the main metric people have historically
used, it only tells part of the story. Body fat percentage tells
a story that's much closer to the truth.
Body Fat
Percentage
This is the percentage
of your total body weight that is fat. Some fat is essential; however,
as your body fat increases beyond a certain point, so does your
risk of health problems. To find out where you are in relation to
guidelines by the National Institute of Health, see
our body fat chart.
Lean Mass
and Fat Mass
The BodySpex scale calculates your body composition by differentiating
lean mass from fat mass. Your lean mass includes muscle, organs,
skin and bones. Fat Mass is how much fat your body is carrying.
Lean Mass + Fat Mass = Total Body Weight... By increasing your lean
mass or by reducing your fat mass you will lower your body fat percentage.
Metabolism
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
The
metabolism value is an estimate of your Basal Metabolic Rate
(BMR)—the number of calories your body would burn on a day that
you don’t exercise. Your metabolism is a key to losing fat and
losing weight. If your BMR were 1600, and you were to eat 1600 calories
a day, without exercising, you would neither gain nor lose weight. If
your calorie intake is constant, but you burn more calories through
exercise, you begin to lose weight. Increasing your muscle mass
(throught weight lifting, for example), increases your BMR so that you
burn more calories even without exercising. Consult with a health professional to establish an exercise plan and/or diet to safely lose weight.
BMI - Body
Mass Index
Body Mass Index (BMI) uses a simple formula of weight divided by
height to screen people for being overweight (weight in kilograms
divided by height in meters squared.) BMI provides a rough estimate
of your health but fails to account for variables like body-type
and lean mass to fat mass ratios. For more information about BMI,
you can visit CDC.org.
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