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The DEXA scan is a great tool for anyone interested in monitoring their health and fitness markers. It’s becoming more accessible to the general population vs. clinical settings and school settings.
DEXA stands for Dual X-ray Absorptiometry. It utilizes high and low-energy X-rays, comparable to what you may experience outdoors. This type of scan is considered the gold standard of body composition and provides a good evaluation of your bone density. Though all this information is beneficial, a couple particularly cool aspects are:
- The ability to monitor visceral fat.
Visceral fat develops deep inside the body around your internal organs, including your heart, liver and intestines. The stress of excess fat tissue growing in and around these organs will affect their function. For this reason, visceral fat is more directly associated to health issues than subcutaneous fat (the fat under your skin, and the most commonly measured for body fat percentage). The DEXA scan measures all fat, providing a more accurate picture of health or early detection of issues.
- Accessibility of bone density measurements over time, outside the clinical arena.
Bone density is important to monitor, but not typically offered outside the clinical arena. DEXA scanning give your direct and frequent access to this measurement.
The DEXA Scan is relatively simple. An individual lays on the DEXA scan table for up to 15 minutes, being as still possible, while the machine takes the scan. After those few minutes, a report is generated displaying the data mentioned above. The first test results are a baseline to start from. The magic happens when you use that information to make appropriate changes, i.e. follow a good training and nutrition plan. Subsequent scans allow you to compare your results and adjust your program accordingly.
Fitness Beyond Training is working with BodySpec to give convenient access to DEXA Scans at our Georgetown location. They also have a brick-and-mortar store in Austin where they are also available for testing.
All in all, the DEXA scan is currently a gold standard in body fat percentage, impowering you with knowledge to succeed in your health and fitness goals. Whether that means maintaining current health or changing body composition through nutrition and exercise. Tracking the progression and regression of these markers will only increase awareness of your strengths and deficiencies. The scan gives you access to important measurements and Fitness Beyond Training empowers you to attain results to keep progressing!
Check out our Services page and Contact Us to take action on body composition changes!