Why You Should Get a Full Body Scan

I've been avoiding the scale for months now, but decided it was time for a health gut check.

Literally.

Ashley from Two Peas in a Prada wrote this amazing post all about her body scan results and I knew I needed to get a scan myself. I was incredibly active in high school and even a bit in college - but it's been a steep drop off since graduation. I haven't been active and I definitely haven't been watching my diet.

What I have been watching is my weight on the scale go up and up. 

The point of this post isn't to shame myself or beat myself up for not being active. The point of this post is to get honest with myself and the world about where I'm at right now. I'll be honest - I'm not where I want to be. 

But that's okay.

As the girl who gave me my body scan said, "nothing's permanent."

Let me break down all the things you can learn about your body in a body scan, what my results were, and why you  should get your own.

bodyspec

Body fat percentage.

I did my full body scan with Bodyspec. Bodyspec spits out a comprehensive PDF report that you can take with you and also sit you down to explain your results.

In the upper left hand corner is your body fat percentage. Mine is a sad 40.5% putting me in the worst percentile possible for my age. Not great.

Regional Assessment.

Not only does Bodyspec give you your overall body fat percentage, but they also break your percentage down by region. Arms, legs, trunk, android, and gyroid are all detailed out at the bottom of the report. It was interesting to see how my fat is spread out across my body. I carry my weight relatively evenly with the exception of my Gynoid area (hips/breasts/thighs) at 46%.

How to lower your body fat percentage.

The magic formula for lowering your body fat percentage?

Hard work!

Nothing beats diet and exercise. Most doctors recommend a mix of high and low intensity workouts coupled with a balanced diet (cut the processed foods and sugar - stock up on those veggies, good fats, and complex carbs!).

Visceral fat and why it's dangerous.

Visceral fat is dangerous fat - it sits around your internal organs. Think of it like a "deep" fat. This fat is the worst kind to have and also unfortunately the hardest to lose. Ultimately when looking at your body scan you want to see your Android number lower than your Gynoid - which I have! I do have visceral fat, but it's at a controlled rate at this point.

To lower your visceral fat you'll want to cut sugar and refined carbs while stocking up on veggies, good fats, and proteins. Exercising regularly is also key.

Resting metabolic rate.

In the upper left hand corner of this page of the report is your resting metabolic rate. This is the amount of calories you will burn at full rest. If I were lying around in bed all day doing nothing, I would burn 1,100 calories. 

Bone density.

Bone density is super important especially as we age! My bone density was okay, but not excellent. To build up my bone strength I need to do more high impact exercise and weight lifting.

KB actually has amazing bone density because he plays a ton of basketball!

Muscle balance.

The final piece of the report shows your muscle balance. Ideally you want your strength to be the same in each limb (not one arm or leg stronger than the other). I was aces in this category!

bodyspec

So that's that, people. I'm not loving the results - but I think this was the slap in the face I needed. I needed to know where I am in order to measure progress as I make changes. I'm watching what I eat (trying to eat balanced!) and have been searching for ways to exercise that I don't loathe (I hate the gym).

I highly recommend everyone check Bodyspec out. This post isn't sponsored - it's just important! 

Have you had a body scan? Tell me your experience in the comments below!

This week I decided to team up with my favorite bloggers and bring you a $700 Nordstrom gift card giveaway. Use the widget below to enter. Money Can Buy Lipstick | Blondes & Bagels | So Heather | Hey There, Chelsie | Tonya Michelle 26 My Blonde Life | Street Style Squad | Style Elixir | From The Family With Love | House of Loren The Sugared Lemon | Posh & Spicy | So Sarah Hunt | Glam and Posh | Laura Jane Atelier Britt + Whit | Lizzie in Lace | Bubbly Moments | Style of Sam | Cedar & Rush RD's Obsessions | Karina Style Diaries | Tall Blonde Bell | Trendy In Indy | Binkies & Baubles | Ressamazing a Rafflecopter giveaway