(Edit: 171cm is 5.6 feet, but 5 feet 7 inches. So.. I'm 5 feet 7 inches for all you americans out there. I hate your measurements. 
)
I got myself a DEXA-scan today. I wanted to share with this sub not just because I love to read these and see results from others but also maybe because I'm a little different from other women in this sub. And because I'm positively suprised by the results of the scan. Not just me, also the technician.
Since the stats and everything is in german I'm gonna list the most important stuff here in the beginning. I'm talking more about my background, motivations for the scan and the outcome down below. Here are the Scans as links: DEXA
Background: With a rampant Binge Eating Disorder and undiagnosed ADHD I managed to eat myself to a massive 145.5kg (321lb) bodyweight from 2008 to 2011. I always had problems with weight, impulse eating and binge eating but when i moved out and became a student it got worse than ever before. 2011 I began to lose weight with the help of weight watchers. I gained some back, but never up to my highest, lost again. Since late 2016 I'm counting calories. I've been down to 72.5kg(160lb) but my body dysmorphia went rampant and I couldn't find an identity and didn't feel well in my slim but untrained body (loose skin, bumping hip and other bones everywhere, couldnt sleep comfortably anymore). I began weight training in April 2017, starting with machine weights and including free weight OHP and DB Bench Press in August of the same year. In March 2018 I finally had the guts to switch over to free weights completely and began doing DLs and Squats and regular barbell bench.
Why I did the scan: The changes in my body happened rather fast, especially around the shoulders. Some months after starting I already had problems fitting in my M-sized shirts because my shoulders got visibly bigger, also my arms. Since the switch to free weights in all lifts I've noticed even more changes and muscle definition, even in areas that have a lot of fat left (thighs). I also increasingly get people estimating my weight 10-15kg lighter than I actually am. I however don't really trust my perception, especially because of my body dysmorphia that makes my brain think I look fat or slim in a matter of minutes. And I also started Wendlers 531 and want to do it at least for some months to get some structure in my training and see if it's effective. I wanted to know what my baseline is, how much muscle I have, how bad the situation is with my fat, esp. my visceral fat and android/gynoid ratio. I'm also naturally curious. I had a hard time finding someone that is offering this service here in Switzerland but lastly found someone.
My lifts:
DL: 85kg (187lbs) for 3 reps when I last tested
Bench: 45kg (99lbs) 1RM
OHP: 42.5kg (93.5lbs) 1RM when last tested a long time ago
Squat: working on form. Haven't tested max yet. I can go up to 35kg (77lbs) with good form and managed 45kg (99lbs) a while ago but with bad form.
Results:
The results surprised me to say the least. I was expecting a higher body fat especially because there have been one or two scans posted by people with similar stats as me. And it wasn't just me that was impressed - The technician/expert calculated my "lean mass per square meter" and calculated 19kg/m2 for me. He said that the average women has 14.9kg/m2 and that I have the lean mass expected from a leaner, less heavy athlete. It confirmed my suspicions that I was able to build up a lot of muscle mass. He said my legs have a lot of muscle mass as well - which is explainable by the fact that they used to carry around 145kg-Me. And which also explains why I was able to ramp up my Deadlift from "never done before" to "187lbs" in roughly 8 weeks.
I still have quite a lot of fat around my belly and my thighs, but the A/G ratio confirmed that I'm more a pear shaped person than an apple which generally is healthier.
What surprised both of us was the low amount of visceral fat (fat surrounding the organs). I only have 88gs of it. He said everything between 30 to 300g is a really good amount and stated (not asked) that my diet must be very healthy. He said he can absolutely tell from the visceral fat how a person eats (fast sugars, simple carbs, etc.). He also said he expected it to be way higher especially considering my weight, BMI and weight history. And then I also surprised him with my low fat high protein vegan diet.
What's left to say?
I feel like I wrote a novel. I'm very happy I did this. It tells me I'm doing the right thing even when I was doing stuff unstructured on my own. It confirms that I have way more muscle mass than I used to have and that I'm on the way to recomp and maybe lean out more. It confirms that I'm strong. And it does everything to help me fight my body dysmorphia and BED problems. It also confirms that I'm more healthy than I thought and that my way of eating vegan is absolutely fine in regards to building muscle and for training in general.
I'm gonna continue with Wendlers 531 and I'll be getting another scan in 6 - 9 months, and from then on regularly every year.
If you have any questions, feel free to drop them. -- (edit: if you're interested in how I eat (and cats) you can find me on IG with the name rosarot_vegan)
) I got myself a DEXA-scan today. I wanted to share with this sub not just because I love to read these and see results from others but also maybe because I'm a little different from other women in this sub. And because I'm positively suprised by the results of the scan. Not just me, also the technician.
Since the stats and everything is in german I'm gonna list the most important stuff here in the beginning. I'm talking more about my background, motivations for the scan and the outcome down below. Here are the Scans as links: DEXA
- Female, 30 Years old, 171cm (5'7'') and 83.6kg (182lbs)
- Body fat: 30.9% (25kg - 55lbs)
- Lean mass: 56kg (123.5lbs)
- Bone: 2.4kg (5.3lbs)
- Android Fat: 30.2% - Gynoid fat: 39.3% --> A/G ratio 0.77
- Arms: 3.2kg of lean mass each (7lbs)
- Legs: almost 11kg of lean mass each (24lbs)
- Visceral fat around the organs: 88g
Background: With a rampant Binge Eating Disorder and undiagnosed ADHD I managed to eat myself to a massive 145.5kg (321lb) bodyweight from 2008 to 2011. I always had problems with weight, impulse eating and binge eating but when i moved out and became a student it got worse than ever before. 2011 I began to lose weight with the help of weight watchers. I gained some back, but never up to my highest, lost again. Since late 2016 I'm counting calories. I've been down to 72.5kg(160lb) but my body dysmorphia went rampant and I couldn't find an identity and didn't feel well in my slim but untrained body (loose skin, bumping hip and other bones everywhere, couldnt sleep comfortably anymore). I began weight training in April 2017, starting with machine weights and including free weight OHP and DB Bench Press in August of the same year. In March 2018 I finally had the guts to switch over to free weights completely and began doing DLs and Squats and regular barbell bench.
Why I did the scan: The changes in my body happened rather fast, especially around the shoulders. Some months after starting I already had problems fitting in my M-sized shirts because my shoulders got visibly bigger, also my arms. Since the switch to free weights in all lifts I've noticed even more changes and muscle definition, even in areas that have a lot of fat left (thighs). I also increasingly get people estimating my weight 10-15kg lighter than I actually am. I however don't really trust my perception, especially because of my body dysmorphia that makes my brain think I look fat or slim in a matter of minutes. And I also started Wendlers 531 and want to do it at least for some months to get some structure in my training and see if it's effective. I wanted to know what my baseline is, how much muscle I have, how bad the situation is with my fat, esp. my visceral fat and android/gynoid ratio. I'm also naturally curious. I had a hard time finding someone that is offering this service here in Switzerland but lastly found someone.
My lifts:
DL: 85kg (187lbs) for 3 reps when I last tested
Bench: 45kg (99lbs) 1RM
OHP: 42.5kg (93.5lbs) 1RM when last tested a long time ago
Squat: working on form. Haven't tested max yet. I can go up to 35kg (77lbs) with good form and managed 45kg (99lbs) a while ago but with bad form.
Results:
The results surprised me to say the least. I was expecting a higher body fat especially because there have been one or two scans posted by people with similar stats as me. And it wasn't just me that was impressed - The technician/expert calculated my "lean mass per square meter" and calculated 19kg/m2 for me. He said that the average women has 14.9kg/m2 and that I have the lean mass expected from a leaner, less heavy athlete. It confirmed my suspicions that I was able to build up a lot of muscle mass. He said my legs have a lot of muscle mass as well - which is explainable by the fact that they used to carry around 145kg-Me. And which also explains why I was able to ramp up my Deadlift from "never done before" to "187lbs" in roughly 8 weeks.
I still have quite a lot of fat around my belly and my thighs, but the A/G ratio confirmed that I'm more a pear shaped person than an apple which generally is healthier.
What surprised both of us was the low amount of visceral fat (fat surrounding the organs). I only have 88gs of it. He said everything between 30 to 300g is a really good amount and stated (not asked) that my diet must be very healthy. He said he can absolutely tell from the visceral fat how a person eats (fast sugars, simple carbs, etc.). He also said he expected it to be way higher especially considering my weight, BMI and weight history. And then I also surprised him with my low fat high protein vegan diet.
What's left to say?
I feel like I wrote a novel. I'm very happy I did this. It tells me I'm doing the right thing even when I was doing stuff unstructured on my own. It confirms that I have way more muscle mass than I used to have and that I'm on the way to recomp and maybe lean out more. It confirms that I'm strong. And it does everything to help me fight my body dysmorphia and BED problems. It also confirms that I'm more healthy than I thought and that my way of eating vegan is absolutely fine in regards to building muscle and for training in general.
I'm gonna continue with Wendlers 531 and I'll be getting another scan in 6 - 9 months, and from then on regularly every year.
If you have any questions, feel free to drop them.
-- (edit: if you're interested in how I eat (and cats) you can find me on IG with the name rosarot_vegan)