If you’re trying to lose weight, improve your hormones, or increase energy, the scale alone is one of the WORST tools you can rely on.
At WELLVANA STL, we use the InBody to measure what actually matters: body composition, muscle quality, hydration status, and metabolic health markers.
Because health is more than a number.
Let’s break down what those metrics actually mean — and why they matter.
1. Skeletal Muscle Mass: Your Metabolic Engine
Muscle is not just aesthetic. It’s metabolic currency…and incredibly important. It is one of the most important measurements to assess your aging.
Your InBody measures how much skeletal muscle you have and where it’s distributed.
Why this matters:
- Muscle drives metabolic rate
- Muscle improves insulin sensitivity
- Muscle supports hormone balance
- Muscle protects bone density
- Muscle prevents midlife metabolic slowdown
For women in perimenopause and menopause, muscle loss accelerates. If you’re not measuring it, you’re likely losing it without realizing it. For men- this easily assesses the changes to your body composition as you start on hormone replacement.
If your weight stays the same but muscle increases and fat decreases?
That’s progress...even if the scale doesn’t move. You wouldn’t know this was the case if you used your scale at home and likely get discouraged. We keep you on track!
2. Body Fat Percentage: The Health Risk Marker
Body fat percentage is far more meaningful than total body weight.
Excess fat — especially visceral fat — is associated with:
- Insulin resistance
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hormonal imbalance
- Chronic inflammation
- Increased risk of metabolic syndrome
Two people can weigh the same but have completely different body compositions and completely different health risk profiles.
The InBody allows us to measure fat mass directly instead of guessing.
3. Visceral Fat: The Silent Risk Factor
Visceral fat surrounds your internal organs.
This is the type of BAD fat strongly associated with:
- Elevated blood pressure High triglycerides Fatty liver Type 2 diabetes Increased cardiovascular risk
Many midlife clients feel frustrated because they eat clean but still carry abdominal weight. Measuring visceral fat gives us objective insight into metabolic health...not just appearance. We can target this abdominal fat with targeted therapies; .not just improving body composition, but also decreasing your cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women.
4. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): Your Daily Burn
Your InBody calculates your estimated Basal Metabolic Rate.
This tells us how many calories your body burns at rest.
Why this matters:
If you are under-eating for your metabolic rate, your body adapts by slowing down.
If you are overestimating your burn, fat loss stalls.
We use this number to guide:
- Nutrition targets
- Protein intake
- Muscle-building strategies
- Hormone optimization plans
5. Segmental Lean Analysis: Where Strength Lives
The InBody shows how and where muscle is distributed in your upper and lower extremities.
This helps identify:
- Muscle imbalances
- Injury recovery needs
- Weak core development
- Asymmetry patterns
For clients using peptides, hormone therapy, or structured strength training, this becomes a powerful tracking tool. Ex. A 60 year old female with low muscle in her legs = increased fall risk and difficulty getting up from a chair or walking upstairs.
6. Total Body Water: Hydration & Cellular Health
Hydration is not just about drinking more water.
Total body water measurement gives insight into:
- Inflammation
- Cellular integrity
- Recovery capacity
- Fluid shifts
Changes in hydration can influence weight fluctuations dramatically which is why scale-only tracking often creates confusion. We can tell if the cells inside the vascular structures are hydrated or not indicating dehydration. This may mean you need more electrolytes or minerals with your hydration.
Why This Matters for Midlife Health
For clients navigating:
- Hormone shifts
- Slower metabolism
- Weight resistance
- Muscle loss
- Energy decline
We need objective data. Not guesses.
An InBody scan helps us:
- Personalize nutrition
- Adjust training plans
- Monitor hormone therapy progress
- Track fat loss vs muscle gain
- Identify metabolic dysfunction early
This sets our weight loss plans apart from online companies and even those our colleagues run.
This is proactive medicine.
What We Tell Our Clients
Don’t chase a lower number on the scale.
Chase:
- Higher muscle mass
- Lower visceral fat
- Better metabolic function
- Stronger body composition
That’s what sustainable health looks like.
If you’re working toward weight loss, hormone balance, or longevity, an InBody scan gives you clarity on where you truly stand and where you need to go. We regularly measure our clients to help them achieve their goals and the feedback has been great.
We are having a special on Friday April 10th - get your Inbody completed with interpretation from our health coach for just $25!