Dexa Body Composition -- who am I? What am I made of?

First, congratulations Shel on some wonderful numbers!!!  I found what you wrote fascinating.  I understand how seeing what your body truly is made of, vs. your long standing body image is a challenge!  I may check into this myself.  I know that at the WLS program's office, they do have a scale that measures fat to muscle ratio and % of fluids, along with weight - not as indepth, but a bit more info than a regular scale.  They haven't used that scale for me in awhile, and now my follow ups will be at the surgeon's office, not at the program itself, which is located in a different area.  When I had that analysis done quite awhile ago, my fat to muscle ratio was in the normal range for a woman my age.  This kind of testing will hopefully replace BMI at some point.  I know that my goal weight was still considered in the obese range of BMI.  We did discuss that losing another 20-30 pounds would be safe, though the surgeon said that I was healthy at the goal weight and it was up to me.  Even losing 20-30 lbs. more would only put me into the overweight range of BMI.  If I lost enough to be in the normal range, I would be too thin.  I have a very skeletal large frame.  When I was a teen, I got down to a weight that was still in the overwieght range of BMI and I had bones sticking out everywhere -with little or no loose skin, as I was young and my skin hadn't lost its elasticity yet - those days are long gone! :).  Anyway, what I've read up on, and agree with is that one's fat to muscle ratio is much more important in determining health than BMI.  A 300 lb, very toned athlete is actually healthier than a 120 lb. person with low muscle tone, according to this theory. 

I am learning so much here!

Mary

It is pretty amazing to have any access to these additional numbers! 

You are clearly someone BMI never applied to.  I'm a closer to being BMI-typical (I just made that term up) but even then this report suggests that for me a BMI of 21-22 is pretty close to bottom of where I should be. 

This is good for my disordered brain to know because I truly think I should go for "more" whether it is more weight loss or more sweet potato.  This report stopped me in my tracks.

And, as the person I talked to yesterday stressed over and over again, how you feel has to be a major data point when figuring out ideal weight.   

I too am guilty of the "more syndrome".  For me, I think it comes from thinking, for most of my life, that I'm not good enough.  So, instead of being satisfied with just right, I want more.  I am slowly turning my thinking around, as well as finally, at 60, realizing that I am good enough and not less than, and therefore deserve to meet my needs and be happy. 

Be proud Shel!  Very proud!  As I mentioned prior, I had a Dexa scan about 18 months ago as part of my participation in a Canadian longitudinal study on aging. I don't remember the results containing as much info as yours but maybe they did and I just don't remember because they did so many tests. 

Like you, I fell into to 90th percentile for body fat and my BMI is between 21 and 22. I was a bit schocked at first but now I realize that's a good place to be.  I'm trying very hard to protect that advantage!

I didn't realize (or had forgotten) that you had a Dexa scan, too.  Very interesting that our similar BMI's yielded similar results. 

Yes I thought that too. Almost the same results with the same BMI.  I'm going to have to think on that.   And like you, I love being able to come here and go on and on about things that are of no interest to the rest of the world ;-). Isn't it grand???

These are abo****ely fantastic numbers!  You should feel very, very proud of yourself for all the hard work you've done to get your body in such great shape 

Shel congrats on these great test results and thanks for sharing the information. I had no idea you could learn all this stuff. There is bod pod at the local university but I don't know about the dexa in our remote area.   Interesting stuff.   Years ago I had a dunk tank test and I was about 30% fat which my surgeon says is pretty normal for my age. seemed like a lot to me but then I am a low carb couch potato.   diane