Bad follow up dexa scan, where to go from here

[paulhyams1]

@hvkadk12 Hydration levels can affect your scan results. You would need to follow exact same “hydration routine” for the first scan and follow up for it to compare. Anyway, it’s crazy wrong you look super fit.

I used to do body scans and it would measure me at 28 % body fat which made me so frustrated and then I realized they were a waste of time. So I just use a tape measure and pictures now!!

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32307198/

 

[forwhatitsworth]

@hvkadk12 There is simply no way you are even close to 31% body fat.

There are things that can influence your DEXA results and I’ve read that they aren’t to be relied on for body fat but I don’t know much about them as I’ve never looked into getting one.

Did they give you an explanation?

 

[anonymousftw]

@hvkadk12 Do not trust DEXA scans! My partner and I got one done recently and it had all kinds of errors. Example: saying I was 5ft when I was 5’3, saying I was two pounds heavier when I wasn’t (weighed myself before the scan), it was 6 pounds lighter for my partner, etc. etc.

I recommend In-Body scans! They’re much more accurate

 

[relling]

@hvkadk12 That does not look like 31% screw the scan, you look great. Keep doing what you're doing.

 

[jamsie]

@hvkadk12 DEXA scans are not approved for body fat percentage measurement. They are not approved for anything apart from measuring bone mineral density. You're wasting your money if you are getting a DEXA scan for body composition and you're exposing yourself to more radiation than is necessary. It might not be that much radiation but why expose yourself to any more than is necessary?

Stop giving your money to these charlatans offering a measurement that may or may not be accurate.

 

[seawolf1957]

@hvkadk12 OP I actually do have 31% body fat (as of a few days ago) and I’m around your same height (5’3 closer to 5’4), our bodies are significantly different. I have much more fat on my body. Im about 180 lbs, there’s literally no way you have 31% body fat looking at your photo.

 

[csh97]

@hvkadk12 I would be shocked if you’re 31% body fat. I’m not an expert, but you look more like you’re somewhere in the lower half of the 20’s to me.

 

[timauthor]

@hvkadk12 Mostly agree with what others have said - you look great. However, I wouldn't disregard the scan as necessarily inaccurate. Looking at some other posts w DEXAs, 20-25% bf means clearly visible muscle definition/separation which isn't very apparent in your case. Also, you're not a beginner to weight training so your overall lean body mass might've been higher to begin with. Progress is slow after newbie gains. Anyhow, 5 months interval might be too short for followup dexa scans. As far as alleged fat gain goes - I don't think it's impossible either since you were eating at a caloric surplus and had a break from running. Don't let the scan results discourage you in any way because as you are aware, there are other ways (both objective and subjective) to measure progress!

 

[hvkadk12]

@timauthor Eh for my own sanity at this point I think I need to disregard the scan results. As I said in comments and the post I totally believe I’ve gained fat during this time (and that’s not even a bad thing imo) but it’s the DECREASE in muscle that shocked me. If 5 months of lifting heavy 3x a wk, and eating 100g of protein, and honestly feeling in the best shape of my life actually resulted in muscle loss I think I’d give up. I can feel the muscle in my arms and legs that definitely didn’t use to be there.

Most people here have said their experience with scans are inaccurate so I think I’m going to trust that.

 

[dawn16]

@hvkadk12 I honestly would just maintain at this point. Women are meant to have higher body fat and it is dangerous to dip below 20% ever. We have sensitive hormones. You look like you have great proportions.

 

[escapewoman]

@hvkadk12 So. If you are lifting heavy and enjoy it keep doing it. The thing is that your appetite has increased possibly due to needing more protein or maybe you need to have it in that post workout window to settle the appetite. And your increased food intake mentioned is probably more than you THINK it is and lifting doesnt burn that many calories in workout. And being little means it takes little to tip into excess. Refine the intake.

 

[theeddyswimmer]

@hvkadk12 You look great! We’re always our harshest critics.

 

[foxhound0123]

@hvkadk12 Okay, I have to say that you do NOT look 31% so if you are, damn you carry it really well.

Secondly, the exact same thing just happened to me recently. I did a scan after the holidays feeling like I had been eating a ton and not working out at all. I then proceeded to up my workouts gradually from working out 2-3 days a week to start and doing 7 days/week (a couple just yoga in there so some rest) and lifting heavier than I had been before.

Like you I was tracking protein but not much else and despite the fact that I didn’t gain more than a single lb which could easily be water weight, I decreased my muscle mass and gained excess fat to make up for it!

What the heck! I asked more because I was literally in shock after having worked so hard and expecting more muscle gain. Turns out that I doing too much conditioning work can have this effect. The works out I do tend to be a little bit on the aerobic and explosive side so I’m understanding that this is what happened.

He did tell me that my V02 max was much higher so at least I could see where my results went but he encouraged me to start lifting heavier and doing less cardio…. sounds like you are doing that already so I’m not sure if that would pertain to you but I figured I would share.