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How Does InBody Help in Your Bulking and Cutting Phase?

By Blog, Body Composition, Muscle

With the fitness world buzzing with various strategies and approaches to achieve that dream physique, the phases of ‘bulking and cutting’ have become nearly ubiquitous terms.

If you’re a fitness enthusiast, you’ve likely come across these phrases as they relate to building muscle and burning fat. But how can one effectively measure the results of their ‘bulking and cutting’ journey?

Introducing InBody – the revolutionary device that provides you with a detailed analysis of your body composition. This article explores how body composition analyzer can be the key tool in your ‘bulking and cutting’ strategy.

Outline

A man's body physique before cutting phase

Understanding the Basics: Bulking and Cutting

Before we delve into the role of InBody, it’s important to understand the fundamental concepts of ‘bulking and cutting.’

  • Bulking: This is a phase where individuals intentionally eat more calories than they burn, combined with weight training, to gain muscle mass. The idea is to provide the body with enough fuel to grow.
  • Cutting: After the bulking phase, comes the cutting phase. Here, the primary goal is to shed the excess body fat accumulated during bulking, while preserving the hard-earned muscle. It involves a calorie deficit combined with resistance training and often, increased cardio.

Now, let’s examine how InBody can make a significant impact during these stages.

1. Tracking Muscle Gains and Losses

During your ‘bulking and cutting’ journey, it’s pivotal to ensure that your strategies are effective. The InBody device provides detailed metrics on your Skeletal Muscle Mass (SMM).

Muscle Fat Analysis from InBody report

  • Bulking Phase Insights: As you consume those extra calories and push those weights, you’d want to know if it’s leading to muscle growth. By periodically using InBody, you can monitor the increase in your muscle mass, ensuring that your training regimen is on point.
  • Cutting Phase Insights: The challenge during cutting is to lose fat without compromising on muscle. A dip in muscle mass on the InBody can signal the need for dietary or workout adjustments.

2. Overseeing Body Fat Dynamics

Your Percent Body Fat is a crucial metric during both ‘bulking and cutting’ phases.

Obesity Analysis tells how much body fat in bulking and cutting phase

  • Bulking Phase Insights: While aiming for muscle gain, it’s essential to ensure fat gain remains minimal. An unchecked rise in body fat might indicate the need to refine your diet or incorporate more cardio.
  • Cutting Phase Insights: The primary mission during cutting is fat loss. Regular InBody assessments can help you gauge how effectively you’re shedding body fat, allowing timely tweaks in your diet or exercise routines.

Bulking and Cutting: More Than Just Muscles and Fat

While ‘bulking and cutting’ primarily focuses on muscle growth and fat loss, there are intricate factors at play which can significantly impact your results. The InBody isn’t just about assessing muscle and fat; it provides insights that can be the key to fine-tuning your approach.

Segmental Lean Analysis for Bulking and Cutting

3. Segmental Lean Analysis: Targeted Training

Every individual has specific body areas they want to work on. Some might aim for broader shoulders, while others might want more defined legs. With InBody’s segmental lean analysis, you get a detailed breakdown of lean mass in different parts of your body—arms, legs, and trunk.

  • Bulking Phase Insights: If you’re focusing on growing certain muscle groups, the segmental analysis can show if your targeted workouts are effective. For instance, if you’ve been emphasizing leg workouts, you’d expect an increase in leg lean mass over time.
  • Cutting Phase Insights: Ensuring even fat loss and muscle maintenance across the body can be tricky. The segmental analysis can alert you if certain areas are losing muscle mass faster than others, helping you tailor your workouts.

4. ECW Ratio: Understanding How Body Water Works

Water plays an indispensable role in our body’s function, from muscle contractions to temperature regulation. The InBody provides insights into total body water, diving deeper into its distribution between intracellular water (ICW) and extracellular water (ECW). The ECW Ratio, in particular, can offer profound insights into one’s health status, especially in relation to inflammation and potential overtraining.

  • Understanding ECW Ratio: A higher ECW ratio can be an early indicator of inflammation in the body. Whether it’s due to an injury, overtraining, or other health conditions, a skewed ECW ratio can be a red flag for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
  • Bulking Phase Insights: As you push your limits to grow muscles, the risk of overtraining or getting injured might increase. Regularly checking the ECW ratio can help identify if you’re pushing too hard or if there’s underlying inflammation, allowing timely intervention.
  • Cutting Phase Insights: Caloric deficits, increased workouts, or incorporating new exercises in order to burn fat like HIIT might strain the body. Monitoring the ECW ratio can serve as an early warning system, ensuring you don’t push your body into an inflammatory state, which can hamper recovery and muscle maintenance.

By keeping a close eye on hydration and the ECW ratio, individuals can better understand their bodies’ reactions to training regimens and make necessary adjustments before minor issues become significant setbacks.

5. The Role of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

InBody also provides information on your BMR, the number of calories your body needs at rest. This can be instrumental in setting your caloric intake, especially during the cutting phase.

  • Bulking Phase Insights: Knowing your BMR can give you a baseline on the minimum calories needed. You can then add your activity level and surplus for muscle growth to set your daily caloric target.
  • Cutting Phase Insights: BMR can guide your calorie deficit calculations, ensuring you’re not going too low, which can risk muscle loss.

Bulking and Cutting Phase Using InBody


InBody: Your Tool for Success in Bulking and Cutting

The phases of bulking and cutting are more than just alternating periods of eating more or less. They require a nuanced approach that respects the body’s complex interplay of hormones, metabolism, and physiology. While self-research and determination are commendable, the guidance of professionals in nutrition and sports science is invaluable. They offer not just knowledge but also experience, ensuring that your journey is not only effective but also safe.

However, with tools like InBody by your side, the path becomes clearer. It provides insights, motivation, and guidance, ensuring that every drop of sweat, every meal, and every weight lifted takes you closer to your aspirations.

Embark on your ‘bulking and cutting’ journey with confidence, armed with the knowledge that, with the right tools and determination, success is not just a possibility but a guarantee.

How to Boost Muscle Recovery with InBody?

By Blog, Body Composition, Body Composition Analysis, Muscle, Nutrition, Physiotherapy

How to Take Your InBody Test Accurately?

By Blog, Body Composition

If you lead an active lifestyle and invest countless hours in workouts, it can be frustrating not to see the significant changes you’re striving for. Your dedication deserves accurate tracking and feedback.

The InBody test offers precise insights into body composition, but its accuracy can be compromised if not approached correctly. Here’s a comprehensive guide to ensure you’re preparing correctly for the InBody test and maximizing the results from your active routine.

A girl testing InBody and follow the steps correctly

The Science of the InBody Test

The InBody test uses bioelectrical impedance, where a micro-electric current measures the impedance in your body. Various factors, like temperature and metals, can influence this measurement. Here’s what to consider:

1. Dietary and Biological Considerations

Individuals go to the bathroom before taking InBody test

  • Using the Bathroom: Empty your bladder before the test to avoid distortions in the results. The presence of contents in your stomach and bladder, such as undigested food or urine, could potentially increase the body fat mass, leading to inaccurate measurements.
  • Wait 2-3 hours After Eating: It is recommended to wait for 2-3 hours after eating before undergoing the InBody test. This helps to ensure accurate results by allowing enough time for digestion and minimizing any potential interference with the test.

2. What to Wear and Remove for the InBody Test

  • Light Clothing With Bare Feet: Heavy clothing can affect the results. Go for light attire. And importantly, the test should be performed barefoot due to the Contact Resistance—the disruption level between the InBody electrode and skin. Obstacles like socks or pantyhose can affect accuracy.
  • Avoid Metal Items: Metal conducts electricity. Any external metal, like jewellery, coins, or even mobile phones, can lead to inaccurate readings. Always ensure you’ve removed all external metal objects, including:
    • Watches: Even if they seem minor, they can still affect readings.
    • Jewellery: This includes bracelets, rings, and any other metal adornments.
    • Wallets: Especially those containing coins or metal cards.
    • Mobile Phones: Ensure they’re taken out of your pocket.

 

However, if you have internal metal implants, such as screws or joint replacements, they generally don’t significantly impact the results. If the implants are only small bolts or similar, they would have little influence on the impedance readings, and any changes observed around the implant site can be regarded to be within the error range. Nonetheless, it’s essential to always consult the professional administering the test to ensure safety and accuracy.

Special Note for Individuals With Pacemakers

The InBody test involves electrical signals. Individuals with pacemakers should be cautious, as the test might interfere with their pacemaker’s functioning. It’s advisable to avoid the test altogether to sidestep any potential complications.

3. Temperature

Adjusting room temperature for accurate InBody test

  • Room Temperature: For accurate readings, the test should be conducted at room temperature. This is because extreme temperatures, whether too hot or too cold, can cause the dilation or constriction of blood vessels, which in turn can affect the impedance readings and compromise the accuracy of the test.
  • Body Temperature Adjustments: Activities like showering or visiting a sauna alter your body’s internal temperature, affecting blood flow and, in turn, the test’s accuracy. To maintain the integrity of your results, avoid such activities at least an hour before the test.

4. Posture Matters

  • Positioning of Arms and Legs: The way you position yourself during the InBody test is paramount. Bending limbs can alter the current flow, leading to discrepancies in results. Specifically, having a reduced arm length due to a bent arm might result in an underestimation of your Percentage Body Fat (PBF). Therefore, it is important to always keep your arms and legs straight.

5. Best time for InBody test

  • Test Before Exercise: After exercises like cycling or weightlifting, specific muscles can retain more blood than usual, which can skew results. Increased lean mass and reduced PBF can distort readings, especially if there’s excessive sweating involved.
  • Consistency in Testing Time: If you’re taking multiple tests over a period, it is advisable to aim for the same time of day for each test. This approach not only ensures consistency in your testing conditions but also provides a clearer and more accurate representation of your progress over time. By maintaining a consistent testing time, you eliminate potential variations in factors such as bloating that could potentially impact your InBody test results.

Unlock Your True Progress with the InBody Test

Active lifestyles demand accurate feedback. The InBody test can provide crucial insights into your body composition changes. But remember, its effectiveness relies heavily on proper preparation. Make the most of your dedication and hard work by following the guidelines above.

To further enhance your InBody experience and obtain more accurate insights from the InBody test, we invite you to get a downloadable PDF file that serves as a convenient reminder for all InBody users, as shown below.

Precautionary steps for InBody test

This printable guide will help you remember the key steps for accurate test preparation, ensuring that you get the most reliable and precise results from your InBody tests. Download now and unlock the full potential of your InBody journey!

Tips for Managing Muscle Soreness After Workouts

By Blog, Body Composition, Body Composition Analysis, Muscle, Press

Muscle soreness is something we’ve all experienced, whether you’re a fitness newbie or a seasoned athlete. It’s that unmistakable feeling after a vigorous workout or a new physical activity. But what really causes muscle soreness, and how can you benefit from understanding it better?

This article explains what muscle soreness is, what causes it, and how you can track your muscle health using body composition analyzers like those made by InBody.

Muscle soreness after workout

What is Muscle Soreness?

Muscle soreness, often known as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), is the pain and stiffness you feel in your muscles a few hours to days after doing a new or challenging exercise. It’s common to experience muscle aches within **[6 to 12 hours after a workout](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/17669-muscle-pain#:~:text=When you try a new,muscles heal and get stronger.)**, and the discomfort can last up to 48 hours.

DOMS is caused by tiny muscle fibre damage during exercise, particularly when eccentric contractions are involved, such as downhill running or lengthening under load. This is a natural part of the healing and strengthening process happening within the muscles, which may cause some pain.

Prolonged muscle soreness could be injury

Muscle Soreness is Normal, But It Should Not Last Too Long

While some might wear their muscle soreness as a badge of honour, thinking it’s a sign of an effective workout, it’s essential to understand the difference between productive pain and potentially harmful pain.

Overtraining and not giving your muscles adequate time to heal can lead to injuries. Hence, understanding muscle soreness and tracking muscle health becomes vital.

Body Composition Analysis and Muscle Soreness

This is where tools like the body composition analyzer from InBody come into play. Using bioelectrical impedance analysis, InBody devices can provide detailed insights into your muscle mass, body fat percentage, and overall muscle condition.

If you experience prolonged muscle soreness, it may be helpful to check your muscle mass and related parameters in the InBody Result Sheet. A consistent or unexpected decline in muscle mass in a particular segment in the Segmental Lean Analysis, despite regular workouts, could indicate that your muscles are not recovering effectively, putting you at risk for injuries.

Segmental Lean Analysis in InBody

Additionally, if you have a higher ECW Ratio in a certain segment of your muscle, it could indicate a risk of acute inflammation due to injuries, and you may need medical help. However, it’s crucial to have your InBody results interpreted by healthcare professionals.

How Does Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Work?

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) sends a low-level electric current through the body. Since muscles contain a large amount of water, they conduct electricity better than fat does. Thus, by measuring the resistance to this electric flow, BIA devices, like the InBody analyzer, can estimate muscle mass and body fat percentage, among other parameters.

Benefits of Tracking Muscle Health with InBody:

  1. Better Understanding of Recovery: If your muscle mass remains consistent or increases after exercising and experiencing muscle soreness, it indicates that your muscles are recovering well.
  2. Injury Prevention: If you notice a consistent decrease in muscle mass or an imbalance between muscle groups, it might be time to reconsider your workout regimen and recovery practices.
  3. Inflammation Indicators: Having a higher Extracellular Water (ECW) Ratio in a specific muscle group could indicate an increased risk of inflammation due to injury. Any abnormal increase in ECW Ratio levels could serve as a warning to undergo a health check before continuing with workouts.
  4. Tailored Workouts: By understanding your muscle health and body composition, you can design workouts that target specific muscle groups or address imbalances.

Tips to Reduce Muscle Soreness

Tips to Reduce Muscle Soreness:

Here are some general tips to manage and reduce muscle soreness:

  1. Warm-Up and Cool-Down: Begin your workout with a proper warm-up and end it with a cool-down routine to prepare and recover your muscles.
  2. Stretching: Incorporate dynamic stretching before your workout and static stretching afterwards to improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension.
  3. Hydration: Stay well-hydrated before, during, and after exercise to prevent cramping and muscle tightness.
  4. Proper Nutrition: Consume a balanced diet rich in protein and antioxidants to support muscle repair and reduce inflammation.
  5. Gradual Progression: Avoid overexertion and gradually increase workout intensity and duration to allow your muscles to adapt.
  6. Rest and Recovery: Ensure adequate rest between intense workouts to give your muscles time to heal and grow.
  7. Active Recovery: Engage in low-intensity activities like swimming or cycling on rest days to promote blood flow and alleviate soreness.
  8. Massage and Foam Rolling: Use foam rollers or consider getting a massage to relieve muscle tension after your workout and improve circulation.
  9. Pain Management: Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen can help manage soreness, but use them sparingly and as directed.
  10. Listen to Your Body: If you’re in significant pain, skipping a workout or modifying your routine is okay. Pushing through severe soreness may lead to injury.

Conclusion

Muscle soreness is a common experience for many people who engage in fitness activities. It can be a sign that your muscles are working hard and growing stronger. However, it is essential to be mindful of this soreness and take steps to promote proper recovery and growth. By understanding the intricacies of muscle soreness and recovery, you can ensure that your muscles are not only growing but also thriving.

Advanced tools like InBody’s body composition analyzers can provide valuable insights into your body composition, helping you better understand the changes taking place in your muscles. Additionally, listening to your body and recognizing the signals it sends you is crucial to any fitness journey. Remember, every ache tells a story and can provide valuable information about your body’s needs. So, don’t overlook muscle soreness – use it as an opportunity to learn and grow stronger!

Most People Do It Wrong! Here’s the Right Way on How to Measure Body Fat.

By BIA, Blog, Body Composition Analysis

Are you trying to lose weight but not seeing the results you want on the scale? It’s time to take a closer look at your body composition and learn how to measure body fat.

This comprehensive guide provides an overview of various methods for measuring body fat percentage. One of the most precise and convenient options is using InBody devices. By understanding your body fat percentage and tracking changes over time, you can get a clearer picture of your progress and make more informed decisions about your health and fitness goals.

Although InBody’s advanced technology offers one of the most precise measurements available today, it’s worth examining the pros and cons of other methods as well.

1. Body Mass Index (BMI):

Many people believe that measuring body fat can be achieved by measuring their body weight alone. However, they may not realize that fluctuations in body weight may not directly reflect changes in body fat.

While BMI is a commonly used tool that provides an estimate of body fatness based on height and weight, it may not be the most accurate gauge for everyone as it can’t differentiate between weight from fat and weight from muscle.

  • What it is: BMI provides an estimate of body fatness for most people using body weight and height.
  • The formula for BMI is: BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)^2
  • Limitation: It doesn’t differentiate between fat weight and muscle weight.

Body weight measurement

2. Skinfold Calipers:

This manual method measures the thickness of skinfolds at specific body sites. The results can estimate body fat percentage. However, the accuracy varies based on the skill of the person administering the test. While it’s cost-effective, it’s essential to get measurements from a trained professional.

Skinfold caliper for body fat measurement

  • What it is: This method measures the thickness of skinfolds at specific body locations and uses a specific formula to calculate the body fat of the subject.
  • Limitation: Accuracy can be highly impacted by the administrator’s skill.

3. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA):

This method, used by InBody devices, sends a small electrical current through the body. By measuring resistance due to fat and lean tissues’ differing conductive properties, the device provides your body fat percentage.

Modern tools like those from InBody have fine-tuned this technology, offering detailed and accurate results. Remember, hydration level and meal timing can impact results, so consistency in test conditions is crucial.

  • What it is: Devices like InBody send a mild electrical current through the body. By assessing resistance, the InBody device estimates body fat percentage.
  • Advantage: InBody offers more consistent and precise results due to its advanced BIA technology.

InBody as one of the method on how to measure body fat

4. Hydrostatic Weighing:

Also known as underwater weighing, this method submerges you in water to compare weights. Due to the difference in density between fat and other tissues, this method can provide a precise estimate of body fat percentage. However, it requires specialized equipment and is not as easily accessible.

Hydrostatic Weighing

Image source: www.verywellfit.com

  • What it is: This method submerges you in water to compare your underwater weight to your weight outside of water.
  • Limitation: This method can be expensive and is not suitable for all patients, as it requires submersion in water and specialized equipment.

5. Air Displacement Plethysmography (Bod Pod):

This innovative method measures body volume by assessing the amount of air displaced in a chamber. While offering a detailed picture of body composition, it can be on the pricier side and necessitate specialized equipment.

  • What it is: Measures body volume by determining how much air is displaced when you’re in a chamber.
  • Limitation: Can be expensive and requires specialized equipment.

Bod Pod as one of the body fat measurement methods

6. Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA Scan):

A DEXA scan is considered one of the gold standards for providing information on fat distribution, lean tissue, and bone mineral density. It is mostly found in hospitals to test for bone mass and bone health, and to assess the risk of osteoporosis. However, due to the high cost and specialized equipment required, its widespread use is limited.

  • What it is: One of the gold standards in body fat measurement uses X-rays to measure lean tissue, fat mass, and bone mineral density.
  • Limitation: It is more expensive and requires specific equipment, with the risk of exposure to radiation.

DEXA scan

Image source: https://www.cdc.gov/

7. Others:

While the methods mentioned above are among the most popular, there are other techniques available, such as near-infrared interaction, ultrasonography, MRI, and CT scans. However, these resources vary in accuracy and application, and are not easily accessible to every individual.

Why Choose InBody for Measuring Body Fat:

Among all the methods discussed, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) stands out, especially when considering the advancements InBody has made in the technology. Not only does it provide an accurate measurement of body fat, but it also delivers other valuable metrics like skeletal muscle mass and total body water.

InBody devices offer a non-invasive, quick, and reliable answer to the question of how to measure body fat. With consistency in measurement conditions, you can track changes over time, aiding in monitoring your health and progress.

How to use InBody to measure body fat?

The InBody line of devices utilizes Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) to assess body composition, which includes measurements such as percent body fat, skeletal muscle mass, and more. Percent Body Fat (PBF) is one of the key measurements provided by these devices.

Percent Body Fat (PBF), in the context of InBody and other body composition analyses, refers to the proportion of your total weight that is fat. Specifically, it can be calculated using the following formulas:

PBF = (Total Fat Mass / Total Body Weight) x 100

For instance, if your weight is 68 kilograms and 14 kilograms of that weight is fat, then your PBF would be:

PBF = (14 kg / 68 kg) x 100 = 20.6%

Percent Body Fat Normal Range in InBody

In InBody, it is considered normal for males to have a body fat percentage of 10-20% and for females to have a body fat percentage of 18-28%. However, we do not recommend that you compare your body fat measurements from other devices or methods to our normal range, as their normal range may differ due to different formulas and methods used.

When using devices like InBody, it’s important to ensure that the test is administered under consistent conditions to get the most accurate and comparable results over time. For instance, hydration status, meal timing, and recent exercise can all influence BIA readings, so it’s beneficial to measure under similar circumstances each time.

Conclusion:

Understanding how to measure body fat is vital for anyone serious about health and fitness. It provides a clearer picture than weight alone. While there are multiple methods available, devices like InBody offer the perfect balance of precision, convenience, and comprehensive data. By investing in understanding your body composition, you’re taking a significant step towards a healthier you.

How to Interpret Your Phase Angle Results: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Blog, Body Composition, Body Composition Analysis, Medical, Nutrition

Phase Angle is a potent and sometimes misunderstood metric when it comes to body composition analysis. It’s not as straightforward as measurements like body fat percentage or muscle mass, but understanding your Phase Angle results can offer profound insights into your overall health and fitness.

This blog post aims to shed light on the mystery of Phase Angle and guide you through the process of interpreting your Phase Angle results.

Understanding Phase Angle: A Crucial Metric of Health

Whole Body Phase Angle in InBody

Before we start, it’s important to understand what Phase Angle is and why it’s important. Phase Angle is a measure of your body’s resistance and reactance, as analyzed by a device like the InBody machine. InBody’s Phase Angle can give you an overview of your cellular health and help you better understand your overall physical wellness.

Steps to Determine What is a Good Phase Angle

Step 1: Understand Your Reading

The first step in interpreting your Phase Angle results is understanding your reading. Phase Angle is expressed in degrees. These degrees reflect the balance between resistance (how the electric current from the BIA device travels through fluids) and reactance (how the electric current is stored in the body’s cell membranes).

Higher Phase Angle scores indicate greater cell integrity and function, reflecting healthier and more robust cells. Conversely, lower Phase Angle scores could imply compromised cellular health or potential malnutrition.

High and Low Phase Angle meaning

In the context of fitness, a healthy Phase Angle can be associated with more effective workouts, quicker recovery times, and improved overall athletic performance. When it comes to a patient’s health status, it can indicate better nutritional status and even help predict the risk of morbidity and mortality.

Step 2: Consider Factors that Influence Phase Angle

Age, gender, and overall health status can influence Phase Angle values. Therefore, it’s essential to take these factors into account when interpreting your results. For instance, as we age, our Phase Angle tends to decrease due to the natural degeneration of cellular health.

Step 3: Compare with Reference Values

Phase Angle in PopulationPhase Angle results aren’t standalone figures. They are best interpreted by comparing them with reference values. A higher Phase Angle compared to the average population (>50th percentile) usually means you have healthier cell status and body composition.

The latest model, InBody970, provides a comparative feature that can be viewed in the InBody Evaluation Result Sheet. By comparing your current Phase Angle with the age-evaluation graph, you can determine whether it is adequate compared to the population data.

Additionally, you can compare your data to the young age group (T-score) and the same age group (Z-score), which provides a more detailed understanding of your cellular health status.

Step 4: Monitor Changes Over Time

By monitoring your Phase Angle over time, you can track the effectiveness of your health and fitness interventions. An increasing Phase Angle could signify improved health and fitness, while a decreasing Phase Angle may warrant adjustments to your nutrition or exercise routine.

Step 5: Consult with a Health Professional

Finally, it’s always best to consult with a health professional to fully understand your Phase Angle results. They can help you relate these results with other health indicators and devise a plan tailored to your specific needs and goals.

Doctor explaining about Phase Angle

Learn to use phase angle for patient health monitoring

Conclusion

Your Phase Angle results are a valuable tool in assessing your overall cellular health, which is an often overlooked aspect in typical health assessments. By providing a more in-depth look at your cellular health, these results can help you make more informed decisions about your health, fitness, and nutrition.

Armed with this knowledge, you can take steps towards a more optimized wellness journey, tailoring your lifestyle choices to best support your cellular health and overall well-being. For example, you may choose to incorporate more nutrient-dense foods into your diet or adjust your exercise routine to better support your cellular health. Ultimately, a greater focus on your cellular health can lead to improved long-term health outcomes and a better quality of life.

Hormones for weight loss

Outsmart Your Hormones for Effective Fat Loss

By Blog, Body Composition, Body Composition Analysis, Fat mass

Hormones play a significant role in regulating body composition, including fat storage, muscle growth, and bone density. Insulin regulates blood sugar levels, while leptin signals the brain when full and ghrelin stimulates appetite. Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, and cortisol responds to stress. A holistic approach, including healthy habits, is necessary for weight management, as hormones interact with each other and are influenced by lifestyle factors.

Ever wondered what’s pulling the strings behind your body’s response to food, stress, and other factors that influence weight? The answer lies largely in your hormones.

Hormones play a significant role in regulating body composition, which refers to the proportion of fat, muscle, and bone mass in the body. They influence various aspects, such as fat storage, muscle growth, and bone density.

Let’s dive into the fascinating world of endocrine function and see how various hormones play a crucial role in maintaining body weight.

Insulin: The Sugar Regulator

Insulin, produced by the pancreas, plays a crucial role in controlling blood sugar levels by facilitating the absorption of glucose into cells for use as energy.

Our body breaks down food into glucose, which enters the bloodstream. High blood glucose levels trigger the pancreas to release insulin, directing cells to use glucose for energy.

Overconsumption of sugars and carbohydrates can cause insulin levels to rise, which in turn promotes fat storage and can lead to increased body fat (especially abdominal fat) if the energy isn’t used.

insulin and blood sugar

Discover how visceral fat may be causing your health problems

Insulin resistance is a common condition that occurs when your cells become less responsive to insulin, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels as glucose cannot enter your cells.

To compensate for this, your pancreas produces additional insulin to enhance glucose absorption. Research has established a correlation between insulin resistance and obesity, which can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.

To avoid insulin resistance

To avoid high sugar spikes that can lead to insulin resistance in the long run, it’s important to increase fiber intake in the diet.

Consuming foods that are high in fiber can help you regulate blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of developing insulin resistance. Additionally, increasing your muscle mass can help improve your insulin resistance. This is because your muscle cells are able to use glucose for energy, which can help lower your blood sugar levels.

It’s important to maintain other healthy lifestyle habits, such as consuming a balanced diet, avoiding excessive sugar and carbohydrate intake, and engaging in regular physical activity.

Leptin: The Satiety Hormone

Leptin is a hormone produced by the fat cells in your body. One of its main functions is to signal your brain when you’ve had enough to eat so that you stop feeling hungry.

Leptin is important for maintaining a healthy weight, but overweight individuals may develop leptin resistance. This reduces the brain’s response to leptin signals, causing hunger even after eating enough.

This can lead to overeating, weight gain, and other health problems. Researchers are still working to understand the causes of leptin resistance and how it can be prevented or treated.

Overeating and Leptin

Some potential factors that may contribute to leptin resistance include a diet high in processed foods and sleep deprivation. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet and enough sleep, to prevent the onset of leptin resistance and maintain a healthy weight.

Ghrelin: The Hunger Hormone

Ghrelin is a hormone that is often referred to as the ‘hunger hormone, as it is responsible for stimulating appetite. It is produced in the stomach, and levels rise before meals, which signals to the brain that it’s time to eat. After eating, ghrelin levels decrease, which helps reduce hunger.

However, if someone has a constant, high level of ghrelin, it could lead to overeating, which in turn may lead to weight gain. In fact, research has shown that individuals with high levels of ghrelin tend to consume more calories and have a higher body mass index than those with lower levels of the hormone.

Ghrelin: The Hunger Hormone stimulating your appetite

Therefore, it is important to regulate ghrelin levels in the body in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid overeating. This can be achieved through various means, such as consuming a balanced diet, ensuring adequate sleep, and managing stress levels. By doing so, individuals can help keep their ghrelin levels in check and maintain a healthy body weight.

How do I manage ghrelin levels?

Losing weight can be challenging due to the fact that reducing calorie intake can often result in higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger. Moreover, metabolism tends to slow down, and levels of leptin decrease.

According to the research, incorporating protein into your diet may help regulate ghrelin levels, which can reduce hunger and support weight management. Additionally, it’s important to eat regular meals instead of skipping them in order to regulate ghrelin and prevent overeating. If you’re struggling to control your appetite, it’s recommended that you seek medical help.

Thyroid Hormones: The Metabolism Masters

The role of thyroid hormone in metabolism

The thyroid gland is a vital component of our endocrine system and plays a crucial role in regulating our metabolism.

The thyroid hormones T3 and T4, produced by the thyroid gland, are responsible for this regulation.

A decrease in the production of these hormones can slow down our metabolism and result in weight gain.

Regular exercise and consuming a diet like the Mediterranean diet rich in iodine, selenium, and zinc can support healthy thyroid function, which in turn supports a healthy metabolism and body weight.

Cortisol: The Stress Hormone

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. It provides energy and resources to deal with stress. However, chronic stress can lead to persistently high cortisol levels, which can harm the body.

A women stress about her work and the cortisol increasing

One of the most significant effects of chronically elevated cortisol levels is weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. This is because cortisol can stimulate the appetite, leading to overeating, and can also promote the storage of fat in the abdominal region.

Therefore, it is important to find ways to manage and reduce stress in order to maintain a healthy weight and overall well-being.

Engaging in stress-relieving activities, such as yoga, meditation, or simply taking a walk in nature, can help manage cortisol levels. This, in turn, can help to control body weight and reduce the risk of visceral fat accumulation.

What Is Visceral Fat, and How Can You Detect It?

Visceral fat, also known as “deep fat,” is body fat that’s stored within the abdominal cavity. It’s located around a number of important internal organs, such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines. This differentiates it from subcutaneous fat, which is stored under the skin and can be easily seen and measured.

Visceral fat is considered dangerous because of its association with a higher risk of several health problems, such as an increased risk of heart attack, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer.

The medical BIA test is one of the great option in calculating your body fat percentage, including visceral fat, by measuring the resistance of an electric current as it moves through your body.

This method allows you to understand your visceral fat in a noninvasive, low-cost, and radiation-free way. By taking an InBody test, one of the professional BIA tests available at InBody locations, you can gain insight into your visceral fat and take the first step toward making positive lifestyle changes.

Final Thoughts on Hormones and Body Composition

It is important to understand that the impact of hormones on our body weight is not a simple, straightforward process. There are a multitude of hormones at play, and they all interact with each other in complex ways that are still not fully understood by scientists. Although insulin and cortisol play a significant role in body weight, they do not act alone. They interact with other hormones and bodily processes and are influenced by lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and sleep.

Therefore, it is not enough to simply focus on a single hormone when it comes to weight management. Rather, a holistic approach with healthcare professionals is necessary, one that takes into account all of the different hormones and factors that can influence body weight. By adopting healthy habits, such as eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep, we can promote a hormonal balance that supports our weight management efforts.

How Farmasi Chong can provide personalized health assessments to their customers with InBody?

By Blog, Body Composition Analysis, Case Studies, Corporate Wellness, Pharmacy, Press

Farmasi Chong Alma’s Soft Launch: A New Standard in Community Health

During the exciting soft launch opening of Farmasi Chong Alma, from June 1 to June 22, 2023, Farmasi Chong Alma went above and beyond to provide exceptional care to their community.

 

As a special treat, they offered the first 20 customers of the day an exclusive opportunity: a complimentary and comprehensive health assessment like no other!

Not only did Farmasi Chong Alma offer traditional health tests such as blood pressure tests, blood glucose tests, cholesterol tests, muscle strength assessments, and foot arch examinations, but they also introduced an exciting new addition to their services: body composition analysis!

Beyond Traditional Health Tests: Introducing Body Composition Analysis

For the body composition analysis, Farmasi Chong Alma understands the importance of providing their community with more accurate and insightful health assessments, and delightfully, they have chosen InBody, a body composition analyzer that can precisely measure their customers’ body composition and help their nutritionists and dietitians to identify any underlying health risk of their customers.

Turning Data Into Action: Personalized Health Advice at Farmasi Chong Alma

Using the InBody370S, Mr Chong, a pharmacist and the owner of Farmasi Chong Alma highlighted the usefulness of the parameters from the InBody result sheet, which includes Percent Body Fat, Visceral Fat Level, Segmental Lean Analysis, and Body Composition History.

Since Mr Chong is aware that excessive body fat is a risk factor for various health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic disorders, he emphasized the usefulness of InBody in assessing Percent Body Fat and evaluating Visceral Fat Level which allow him to offer personalized health advice and interventions to the customers.

Furthermore, Mr Chong is also able to assess muscle mass and identify potential muscle imbalances of the customers by looking at the segmental lean analysis.

Low muscle mass, particularly in older adults, may indicate a risk of frailty and mobility issues, and by recognizing such imbalances early on, Mr Chong can offer supplements or vitamins to improve muscle mass and overall functional capacity.

Tracking Health Progress: The Role of InBody’s Body Composition History

Last but not least, with the body composition history on the InBody result sheet, Farmasi Chong customers are able to assess their fat and muscle changes.

This can encourage their customers to visit the pharmacy more willingly to perform more frequent health assessments and return to the pharmacy for consultations from pharmacists/nutritionists/dietitians at Farmasi Chong Alma.

In specific, the combination of regular assessments and professional guidance can empower customers to take control of their health, creating a strong and lasting bond between the customers and the pharmacy.

Farmasi Chong is deeply committed to creating a healthier and happier community, and InBody takes pride in being recognized as one of the essential tools employed by Farmasi Chong to advance their goal of creating a community that is both healthier and happier!

 

An elderly man wonders how to measure muscle mass.

How to Measure Muscle Mass Accurately: A Gym Beginner’s Guide

By BIA, Blog, Body Composition Analysis, Health, Muscle

Congratulations on taking the first step towards your fitness journey by subscribing to a gym membership! Building muscle and seeing progress can be exciting, but it’s also important to track your progress accurately. This beginner’s guide will cover how to measure muscle mass over time, including a particular focus on using an InBody device.

Download the guide to get an accurate InBody test.

Gym beginner works out with coach

How to measure muscle mass?

There are several ways to keep tabs on your progress, each with its advantages and drawbacks. Some of the most popular approaches are listed below:

1. Visual Inspection

The simplest way to track muscle growth is through visual inspection. This usually involves looking in the mirror or taking photos of your body to see if there is any noticeable change in muscle size. This is why so many gymgoers enjoy posting their accomplishments on social media.

This method is quick and straightforward, but it is also somewhat arbitrary. If you’ve just started working out, it might be difficult to see changes in your muscles within a few weeks.

Even though you are making gains in muscle, it may let you down if the changes aren’t immediately visible in the mirror.

Gym builder inspecting his progress in the mirror

2. Tape Measurements

Taking body circumference measurements using tapes, such as bicep and thigh circumference, is another way to track muscle growth. This method is more accurate than visual inspection.

However, the tape measurement result may be inaccurate, especially if you are overweight. According to research, even medical professionals may struggle to prevent tape measurement errors for their obese patients.

3. Weightlifting Progress Tracking

Monitoring the progression of your weightlifting can help you observe your muscle mass growth. This can be done by recording the weight lifted, repetition count, and set quantity for each workout.

You may download progress-tracking apps like InBody and Strong to assist you. If you see an increase in the weight you can lift or the number of reps you can perform, it is likely that your muscles have grown.

4. Body Composition Analysis

Body composition analysis is a more advanced method of tracking muscle growth.

There are numerous methods for body composition analysis, ranging from a DXA scan, which is one of the gold standard measurements, to a body weighing scale that claims to be able to check your body’s muscle mass.

💡 As one of the high-accuracy alternatives to DXA scanning, InBody devices would be appropriate and cost-effective tools for you to track muscle mass over time.

The InBody devices are currently being used in a growing number of gym settings. Consider finding a convenient location to take an InBody test and track your muscle growth.

Where can I get the InBody test?

An elderly man wonders how to measure muscle mass.

Tips to help you effectively track your muscle mass:

1. Be consistent with your tracking methods.

Always remember that it’s crucial to track your progress using the same method and device. This is due to the fact that different devices may use a different technological and algorithmic approaches to measuring muscle mass. In progress tracking, comparing your results with different devices every month would be misleading.

2. Be mindful of the precautions and steps of measurement.

Many gym goers are not concerned about when to measure and what to look for during the measurement. However, improper posture and measuring right after workouts and meals, for example, definitely lead to inaccuracies in measurement. Your efforts in the workout may be disguised by inaccurate measurement results.

Download the guide to get an accurate InBody test.

3. Track progress regularly, such as every two to four weeks.

Tracking your progress consistently will help you see how far you’ve progressed since the baseline. Knowing whether your current workout and diet plan are appropriate for your specific situation is important. If the results do not match your expectations, you may know it’s time to review your fitness approach.

How frequently should you track your fitness progress?

4. Discuss your progress with an expert.

Discuss your workout plan with a professional regularly. If you receive an InBody result, as shown below, it will be easy for both you and the expert to understand your current progress.

The image above from InBody results clearly illustrates the muscle mass in different body parts.

This can make it easier for you to communicate with an expert, like a physiotherapist or personal trainer. They can give you a lot of personalized advice and point out areas where you can improve.

5. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small.
You might think your progress is insignificant after scrolling through the attractive physique photos posted by gym enthusiasts. This could be demotivating somehow.

However, they put in a lot of work and it takes them years to succeed. And yet, it’s not surprising to hear that they’ve already been through what you’re going through. It’s worth a blast of celebration even if you discover that you broke your Personal Record (PR) or that you gained 0.1 kg of muscle.

A women is happy with her gains

Conclusion

Measuring muscle growth is an important step in tracking your progress toward your fitness goals. With the right tools and mindset, you can have an idea of how to measure muscle mass accurately and reach your muscle growth goals sooner.

By using these methods and tips, you’ll be able to effectively measure your muscle growth and track your progress toward a stronger, healthier you.

 

 

 

An obese child is having french fries

Childhood Obesity: Impacts on your child’s growth

By BIA, Blog, Body Composition, Body Composition Analysis, Fat mass, Nutrition

Overview

Body fat monitoring is critical for your child’s health, particularly in preventing childhood obesity. Excess body fat can lead to negative health impacts such as weakened immunity, chronic disease, and poor learning capacity. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is one of the methods suggested to measure children’s body fat and evaluate their overall health effectively.

Understand the role of body fat in your child’s growth

You may already be aware that excessive body fat has a number of harmful effects that are being discovered by researchers. Not to mention the flood of awareness about childhood obesity posts in your social media newsfeed.

To most people, body fat may sound incredibly terrifying. But, in reality, body fat is a necessary part of your child’s body that provides energy, supports brain development, and aids in the absorption of vital nutrients such as fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K).

Children height and growth

Nevertheless, higher body fat may have an adverse impact on child growth. According to a study, obesity and excess weight have different effects on boys and girls when it comes to the onset of puberty. It can speed up puberty in girls while delaying it in boys.

What does it mean if puberty happens sooner?

Researchers discovered that once puberty is over, growth stops. These children stop growing sooner because early-onset puberty ends earlier than usual puberty. The final findings show that children who reach puberty earlier have a shorter overall adult height.

An obese child is having french fries

Causes of childhood obesity

Despite the fact that parents’ genetic and hormonal factors can play a role in childhood obesity, study show that the diet provided to your child has a significant impact on their healthy growth.

Your child requires a certain number of calories for growth and development. When they eat more calories than they burn, their bodies store the excess calories as fat.

A poor diet high in fat or sugar and low in nutrients can cause children to gain body fat quickly. Fast food, candy, and soft drinks are all common foods that contribute to the problems.

Lack of exercise is another factor in childhood obesity. When people of all ages are less active, they tend to gain weight. Abnormally long screen time is a major potential barrier to your child being active.

Drawing of childhood obesity

Long-term effects of childhood obesity

You may already be aware that excessive body fat has a number of harmful effects that are being discovered by researchers.

A higher body weight gained during childhood usually indicates a higher accumulation of body fat over time. According to WHO and research, childhood obesity may have various negative impact to your child:

  • breathing difficulties
  • increased risk of fractures
  • hypertension
  • heart disease
  • insulin resistance
  • poor learning capacity
  • lower emotional well-being

Furthermore, if childhood obesity is not addressed at an early stage. This may lead to long-term consequences in their adulthood, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Examine the best ways to protect your child from childhood obesity.

Measuring body fat in your child

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is the most common tool to check whether your child is overweight. Healthcare professionals frequently use BMI-for-age growth charts from the CDC or WHO to monitor children ‘s growth. A BMI above the recommended range could indicate excessive body fat.

However, BMI does not directly measure body fat. It is a calculation based on weight and height. In other words, it does not take into account factors such as muscle mass, water weight, and bone density changes in your child.

For example, a child who has a normal BMI may still have a high body fat percentage. This is why it is important to use other methods to measure body fat. This could give you a more accurate picture of your child’s health.

There are many ways to test your child’s body fat to determine if it is within the normal range.

InBody devices are one of the methods for measuring your child’s body fat effectively. The technique named Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is implemented in InBody devices.

As BIA technology measures body fat in a quick, painless, and non-invasive manner, it is a safe and comfortable option for children. All your kids have to do is stand on the machine and hold the handles for less than a minute.

It can give you more insight into your child’s weight by providing their body composition information, including their body water, muscle mass, and body fat percentage. This information is useful to assess your child’s growth and health over time.

Following a comprehensive test with InBody, a complete result sheet will be printed out on which you can observe your kid’s health condition.

Child's Muscle-Fat AnalysisAccording to the image above, which is part of the sample printed result sheet, this normal weight child has a higher Body Fat Mass than the normal range according to the child’s gender and height.

It would be helpful if your family doctors or other healthcare professionals could assist you in interpreting the results. This information could help you learn more about your child’s health.

More importantly, you’ll be able to have a more productive discussion and make an informed decision about what you can do to prevent childhood obesity.

Start to monitor your child’s body composition at the selected InBody locations!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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