Your Scale is Probably Lying to You :: How to Find Out the Truth with DexaFit

Disclosure :: this post is sponsored by DexaFit New Orleans.

Your Scale is Probably Lying to You :: How to Find Out the Truth With DexaFit

How many of you will raise your hand and admit to fixating on either (A) the number on your bathroom scale (throw it out already!) or (B) how your clothes fit? How often do you measure yourself by the number on a machine in your doctor’s office or the size listed in your clothing? Most of us will agree that we engage in these behaviors, and yet … is this really the best measure of health? Is the number in our jeans really an indication of anything at all? What if we told you that there is a much more accurate way to measure the state of your body and it’s available right here in New Orleans?

Let’s Set the Scene, Shall We?

New Year, New You! Well … until Mardi Gras comes barreling down the tracks, immediately following the crazy calorie consumption otherwise known as the holidays. There is constantly king cake at work and internal rationalizing like, “I’m for sure going to eat the VooDoo chips I just caught from that float, because I’ll dance off the calories anyway, right?” It’s not just about the temptations all around us (though we definitely ate the kids’ leftover pasta one bowl at a time yesterday), but it’s about looking beyond the health hurdles that lie ahead. Temptation and bad decisions are everywhere, but how do we know what changes to make to our daily indulgences?

When It Comes to Health, What Do We Want?

There are several scenarios to consider when engaging in a discussion about health and wellness. Most of us start by saying something extremely vague like, “I want to get healthy.” What does that really mean? Does it mean we want to lose weight? Gain muscle? Fit into those pre-baby jeans? Run after our kid who just chased a duck half a mile in City Park without getting winded? Are we looking for more energy? Better digestion? Hormonal balance? Being healthy means a variety of things, and it’s important to define the word. If we don’t know what health looks like, how can we even achieve it?

Does Weight Loss = Success For All Women?

Let’s start with a simple and measurable goal: “I want to lose 10 pounds.” You immediately change your diet. You cut carbs and sugar, work out a few times a week, and only say “yes” to king cake in moderation. You’re even being diligent and sipping water in between your wine because someone said that helps. A few months down the line, you did it! You lost the 10 pounds, you fit into your jeans … basically, you rock and want to shout it from the rooftops! The only problem is that now your body aches from those daily workouts, your energy level just isn’t where you need it to be and your hormones are simply out-of-hand. So did dropping the weight solve the perceived problem, or simply create a new one?

The Numbers Game :: The Scale Won’t Budge

Another familiar example is a new mom determined to “reclaim her body” (her words, not ours) and get out of those maternity clothes. Again, you are motivated, you carve out time in the never-ending family schedule and you follow through with your promise to yourself. “I have to lose ten pounds before my maternity leave is over.” You push the baby in the jogging stroller as many times as you can manage and trade in the Oreos for lettuce wraps. The toddler is getting lighter, the stairs are easier to climb, but the same three numbers keep taunting you on the scale. Why can’t you lose this weight? You have worked sooooooo hard, after all, so why isn’t it working?

Curvy and Fabulous :: I am Just Fine

What if you don’t want to lose weight at all, and you love each and every curve of your body? Maybe your goal isn’t to drop pounds but to increase muscle mass and stamina. Your proportions are the subject of hip-hop songs across the nation, and you rock that bod. Proudly so, you might add. At the same time, you are also a bit worried about your risk for osteoporosis; perhaps your mom suffers from it (or another diagnosis), and you want to stay ahead of the health game. For you the numbers don’t matter per se, but you still do care deeply about your health. What then?

How DexaFit Helps With Health

Body composition is incredibly unique and complex and, as you can see through the examples above, the numbers on the scale will probably lead you astray and cause you to enter a never-ending mind game of success and failure and success again. So what tools do we have to help us figure out both what we want for our health AND what we need in order to see real success? In really cool news, the same technology that professional athletes and Olympians use is now available for all of us to use to precisely track our own transformation.

A Portrait of Health

Wouldn’t it be cool to see your body, mapped out with exactly how it’s composed, including its percentage of fat and lean muscle? How dense are your bones? What does all of that mean, and how do we use it to become healthy? DEXA Scans allow us to accurately quantify our lean muscle mass and unhealthy fat. With a DEXA Scan, you get feedback that helps you lose stubborn body fat, build more muscle, and optimize your health and fitness. You are provided with visualizations (i.e. – a map of your body and its composition). You’ll be able to track your body’s specific physiological response to your diet or fitness plan. You will discover your bone health and risk for osteoporosis. And best of all, you’ll be able to identify personal, long-term health risks, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances and more. All of this is actually available in New Orleans right now!

Come See What We’re All About

We are conveniently located in uptown New Orleans. We can be reached at (504) 900-1685 or learn more and schedule your appointment here.

Learn more about DexaFit :: Website | Facebook

Mention New Orleans Moms Blog and receive $50 off your own personal Dexa Body Composition Scan!

Dr. Jacob Daigle

Dr. Daigle was born and raised in Baton Rouge. He is a graduate of the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport and completed his general surgery training at the University of Texas-Southwestern Austin Programs. He is a board certified general surgeon in practice in Covington, LA.

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