Bad follow up dexa scan, where to go from here

[hvkadk12]

So I got a dexa scan today after 5 months, expecting to see at least a bit of muscle gain along with some fat. The results were almost 5lb of fat gain and slight muscle loss and going from 27.7% BF to 31% at 5’3

Here’s the report and a photo of me yesterday after a workout:

https://imgur.com/a/ZiXscOU

I’m at a bit of a loss here on what to do. Prior to the first scan I was running 3-5 miles ~3 times a week and doing light full body dumbbell workouts 1-2 times a week.

I started lifting heavy (focusing on squat, deadlift, and hip thrusts) around April. I had a running injury so took about a month off from running, while prioritizing lifting in June but now I’m running 2x a week ~3 miles. I do legs 2x a week and upper body 1x a week.

Lifting has increased my appetite quite a bit so I’ve definitely been eating more and not tracking anything other than aiming for 100g protein a day which is my bad but I assumed since I was progressing in my lifts I was building muscle when I saw the weight on the scale increase. I expected to see an increase in fat but not the decrease in muscle.

Do I trust the dexa scan? Do you guys think I look 31% BF? I’m bummed out because I enjoy lifting heavy but am thinking about switching back to running 3x a week and dropping a leg day. Also going to need to start calorie counting

edit: thanks all for the comments I appreciate y’all so much! I’ve had some body image issues before and am finally in a place where I’m happier with how I look and feel good about my body thru running/lifting. In the the direct aftermath of the scan I was definitely freaking out but your comments have reassured me. I think this will be the last dexa scan I get and I’ll track progress thru photos/measurements, lifting PRs, and running goals.

 

[mellerd]

@hvkadk12 From looking at your picture I’m shocked that your body fat % is 31%. I even googled what that % looks like on other women and you look much leaner than what came up in my search results.

 

[ecumeni]

@mellerd OP’s body fat is objectively not 31%. I would bet anything on it. I’ve said it under other posts, these scans are not reliable and they’re not even being done by anyone I would consider sufficiently credentialed to be giving out this kind of information.

 

[jamsie]

@ecumeni It's a computer program. You don't need any credentials to perform a DEXA, you might need a training certificate at most. Kind of like you don't need credentials to take an x-ray or even perform a CT. The output is based on complex formulas run by software. Anyone can just read the numbers. That's why these aren't indicated for measuring body fat percentage. DEXAs are bone mineral density scanners. The problem is that they also produce data that is not just bone mineral density so people who are profit motivated are happy to monetize

 

[ecumeni]

@jamsie ?? Is there no one running the machine? Doing maintenance/calibration?

Edit since you edited your comment which was previously just “It’s a computer program” idk where you live but you absolutely have to have certification in my state to use both x-ray and CT scan machinery.

 

[jamsie]

@ecumeni So running the machine is probably not much more complicated than orienting the clients body according to markings on a board or on the machine itself and pressing some buttons. Yeah calibration is ideal but if the machine isn't being used for the intended purpose then I'm not sure what the rules would be surrounding maintenance and calibration. Techs don't have to know how to maintain or calibrate a medical device, usually the manufacturer has a team of people who take care of that but it's up to the operator/owner to coordinate that:

 

[ecumeni]

@jamsie Right so my comment was that this information isn’t coming from people I feel have the credentials to be giving it out with any reliable measure of accuracy, and I stand by that. Outside of hydrostatic weighing and MRIs (which are available in very few places for the purpose of elective body composition analysis) everything is just an estimate with wildly varying margins of error.

 

[jamsie]

@ecumeni It's not the person, it's the imaging modality

 

[ecumeni]

@jamsie And my point isn’t about the equipment at all, it’s that the people using it don’t have the knowledge base to even know whether or not what they’re using is accurate or if it’s being used appropriately.

 

[jamsie]

@ecumeni I'm sure they are fully aware of the off label use. It's most likely hidden in any forms you sign. The customer must also do research before making a choice to spend money on this kind of stuff.

 

[jamsie]

@ecumeni some states don't even require certification to run a scan and some techs didn't even know they were non compliant with the state requirements

This generally means nobody is checking for DEXA certification.

 

[dawn16]

@mellerd deserve sparkle capable enter handle onerous selective air liquid expansion

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

 

[seawolf1957]

@mellerd Yeah no way. I’m actually 31% body fat around the same height 5’3 close to 5’4…. I’m much larger than OP, like hovering around 180lbs. There must have been a mistake.

 

[yasyapu1234]

@hvkadk12 First of all you look amazing
Secondly no way you have 31% body fat.

 

[sweetkf]

@hvkadk12 This has convinced me that these scans are complete bullshit and I no longer want one. You look LEAN and STRONG.

I don’t trust it’s accuracy at all. It says you have like 30 pounds of fat? WHERE? There is no way!

 

[sweetkf]

Also, I do think the bone density is accurate so great job on that! The lifting is working! Great to see that go up!

 

[hvkadk12]

@sweetkf Appreciate your comment! I had heard these weren’t the most accurate but figured I could at least use it to track progress for muscle gain :/
Won’t be getting another for sure lol

 

[godisatulpa]

@hvkadk12 I've read (on reddit, never confirmed) that dexa scan is only approved to measure bone density, therefore no guarantee of accuracy in fat vs muscle

I'd ask how do you look compared to before? Before the scan did you think you looked like you had gained muscle?

Do you sit or stand for the dexa? I do a bodpod machine occasionally where you sit. I suspect there is a difference in readings when I sit up straight (which kind of naturally engages your core) versus when I've slumped. My most recent reading showed a drop in muscle and gain in fat and I too questioned it. It was a smaller amount, like half a pound both ways over 2 months but still. I wouldn't have been surprised had I gained fat and muscle since I had started protein shakes but I also had increased weights some so it didn't make much sense.

All that to say I'd take it with a grain of salt and look at the whole picture. All of these scans and bod pods have margins of error. Maybe take some measurements and you can also use those in the future to compare.

 

[hvkadk12]

@godisatulpa Yea for the first scan I was definitely thinner/bonier looking. The only measurement I take is waist/hip and I’ve gone from maybe 24 to 24.5” for waist and like 34 to 35” for hips so nothing crazy. I definitely was aware I gained some fat in the time but was hoping to see how much was muscle. I honestly feel it’s impossible I’ve lost muscle during this time of lifting heavier than ever and being at a caloric surplus so I’m going to do my best to ignore the scan results as everyone is saying they aren’t accurate.

 

[keeperofthefaith]

@hvkadk12 I’m convinced these don’t work for petite women. When I was 5’3 and 120 lbs, literally working out every single day, I got a BF% of 39. It seriously bummed me out, but also just made no sense.