See What You’re Made Of

Written By MARCY VANDYKE

If you're over 40 or on GLP-1s, you need to track your body composition. Do you have adequate muscle mass? What is your body fat percentage? Is your fluid level at a healthy range? We offer a body scan using our InBody 570 for $25 per scan or subscription based service, $30 monthly. Here is how the InBody 570 stacks up compared to a medical grade DEXA scan or a home smart scale.

InBody 570

Best for: Fitness professionals, personal trainers, and clients tracking progress.

Strengths

  • Breaks down muscle and fat by each arm, leg, and trunk.

  • Measures intracellular and extracellular water, which can help identify swelling, inflammation, or recovery issues.

  • Tracks skeletal muscle mass very well over time.

  • Provides metabolic estimates, body water, and progress history.

  • Takes only about 50 seconds.

Limitations

  • Hydration status significantly affects results. Eating, exercising, drinking alcohol, or even the time of day can change body fat readings.

  • The absolute body fat percentage may be several percentage points off for some individuals, though it is generally useful for monitoring trends over time.

Ideal use
Measure under the same conditions each time:

  • Morning

  • Before exercise

  • Before eating

  • After using the restroom

DEXA Scan

Best for: The most accurate assessment of body composition.

Strengths

  • Considered one of the clinical reference standards.

  • Measures:

    • Body fat percentage

    • Lean muscle mass

    • Bone mineral density

    • Fat distribution

    • Visceral fat

  • Excellent for people:

    • over 50,

    • losing significant weight,

    • on GLP-1 medications,

    • concerned about osteoporosis.

Limitations

  • More expensive.

  • Not practical for monthly tracking.

  • Uses a very small dose of X-ray radiation (less than a standard chest X-ray).

Ideal frequency
Once or twice per year is sufficient for most people.

Smart Home Scale

Best for: Monitoring weight trends at home.

Strengths

  • Convenient.

  • Inexpensive.

  • Good for daily or weekly weight tracking.

Limitations

  • Measures only through the feet, so it estimates the upper body rather than directly assessing it.

  • Muscle and body fat readings can fluctuate substantially based on hydration and other factors.

  • Cannot accurately detect left-right muscle differences or provide detailed segmental analysis.

For most people, the weight trend is much more reliable than the body fat percentage shown on the display.

Which should you trust?

For absolute accuracy
🥇 DEXA

For tracking fitness progress
🥇 InBody 570

For everyday accountability
🥇 Smart scale

The InBody 570 is an excellent coaching tool because it gives members actionable information beyond weight:

  • Is muscle increasing?

  • Is fat decreasing?

  • Is one leg weaker than the other?

  • Are they retaining water?

  • Has skeletal muscle improved?

The DEXA can be used as an occasional "gold standard" assessment—perhaps once a year for members who want the most accurate body composition and bone health evaluation—while using the InBody 570 every 4–8 weeks to keep informed and focused on progress rather than just the number on the scale.

That combination offers the best balance of accuracy, convenience, and motivation.

MARCY VANDYKE
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