Last week I went to a place near Salt Lake called Dexa Body, where I got a DEXA Scan. For those unfamiliar with what that is, I asked Google to help us out:
"Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA, previously DEXA) is a means of measuring bone mineral density (BMD). Two X-ray beams, with different energy levels, are aimed at the patient's bones. When soft tissue absorption is subtracted out, the bone mineral density (BMD) can be determined from the absorption of each beam by bone. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is the most widely used and most thoroughly studied bone density measurement technology."
Since that is pretty medical sounding, here's my take. A DEXA Scan is a tool to measure your total body composition. It specifically breaks down the regional composition of your lean and fat tissue. It gives a fat distribution report, a muscle balance report, and bone report.
I found out that I am a in the "fitness" category based on my total body composition. My goal is to be in the "athlete" range by my next race in April. I liked finding out my resting metabolic rate (aka the number of calories I burn each day just by being alive) so I have a more accurate base for determining my calorie needs. And it was fun to see that the fat and muscle composition in my legs is almost perfectly balanced. However, it was pretty obvious that I'm right handed based on the lean mass comparisons for my arms.
There were several informative and educational things I got out of my DEXA Scan, and I'm excited for it to help me fine-tune my body for my next marathon!
If you are interested in getting a DEXA Scan yourself, you can can got to DEXA SCAN to find locations and prices!
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