| With so many diets and fads being offered on the | | | | differentiates between bone mass and soft tissue |
| market today, it is no wonder why people are | | | | mass. This type of scan can be completed in |
| not just confused about weight loss and health, | | | | about 20 minutes and is painless, providing |
| but in many cases, actually doing their body more | | | | accuracy within a 2% error margin. Many |
| harm than good. Unfortunately, one of the | | | | insurance companies will cover the cost of DEXA |
| aspects of dieting that you see most often is the | | | | but if not, you can have the scan performed for |
| reduction or elimination of fat. The problem is that | | | | around $100. |
| the body needs a certain amount of fat to | | | | With Hydrostatic Weighing, the body is weighed |
| function but without going over a healthy level. As | | | | underwater. The test consists of sitting on a scale |
| you will see in this article, knowing what the right | | | | underneath water while blowing out as much air |
| level is and how to monitor it are crucial to overall | | | | from your lungs as possible. Then when dunked |
| health and wellness. | | | | below the water’s surface, you would blow |
| Studies have been able to link certain conditions | | | | out even more air. Because fat does not weigh |
| such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood | | | | as much as water, the more fat a |
| pressure with high levels of body fat. The key is | | | | person’s body has, the more they will |
| to ensure your body has enough fat to function | | | | float. Therefore, Hydrostatic Weighing works by |
| properly but not too much, whereby disease could | | | | measuring underwater weight so that body |
| become a problem. The best way for a person to | | | | density can be determined. |
| determine the level of body fat is by measuring it | | | | On the other hand, if you want to have the |
| on a consistent basis with a simple tool called a | | | | option of determining your fat-to-muscle ratio on |
| caliper. In a matter of minutes, you will know | | | | your own and every day if you like, you can |
| exactly how much body fat you are carrying | | | | simply purchase a caliper from drug stores, health |
| around with you. With this information, you will | | | | equipment stores, and even on the internet. Just |
| then be able to adjust your diet, cardio exercises, | | | | remember that if you are interested in losing |
| and weight training to bring the fat-to-muscle ratio | | | | weight, instead of depending on the bathroom |
| in line. | | | | scale, it is important that you worry more about |
| Keep in mind that there are several options, one | | | | the excess fat being carried. While a standard |
| being a body fat analyzer. Additionally, there is the | | | | scale will tell you if you are losing weight from diet |
| skin fold test whereby waist to hip ratio | | | | and exercise, a scale will not tell if you are losing |
| measurements will be taken, circumference | | | | the body’s muscle or fat. |
| measurements, hydrostatic weight, near infrared | | | | Understanding how to measure and monitor your |
| analysis, bioelectrical impedance, total body | | | | body fat gives you a level of control to your |
| potassium determination, and a test recently | | | | future. The problem is that the majority of people |
| offered called the plethysmographic | | | | know very little about their bodies. To become |
| measurement, which is based on the principle of | | | | and stay healthy, you need to understand your |
| air displacement. All of these tests are good | | | | body - how it works and what your body |
| indicators of your current fat-to-muscle ratio. | | | | composition is so you can make choices that will |
| Now, if you want to go through a professional to | | | | be best for your overall health and wellness. |
| determine your true body fat level, you have two | | | | Again, the best way to achieve this is to |
| excellent options, both being accurate. The first is | | | | incorporate good diet, cardio exercise, and |
| the Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) | | | | moderate weight training into your daily routine, |
| and the second, Hydrostatic Weighing. With DEXA, | | | | along with measuring your fat-to-muscle ratio with |
| a full body scanner is used that reads and | | | | a caliper. |