UPDATE:
Wow, now I'm intrigued--this is pretty close to where I am, and for that price, I may just take advantage! It costs me that much with my HMO to get a body fat percentage test done, and that wasn't isn't super accurate...
Jen
I had my appointment yesterday. The location is right off 1-80, southwest of Whipple and El Camino Real. If you go, and are coming from 280 - I'd exit at Edgewood or Farm Hill Rd. (I went to Woodside
and had to double back. 280 is so much less congested than 1-80, prettier drive too.)
The scan, itself, took very little time. I was instructed to not wear any wire or metal of any kind, so I wore a sports bra - no clasps, eye-hooks, adjustment bars, under wires etc.. and I wore a pair of yoga pants. No jewelry.
It is the same sort of DEXA scan you would receive for a bone density test, but since I did not have a doctors order for the scan, the technician only gave me the printed report for body composition, however I do have a "BMC" (bone mineral content) figure in grams that tells me what my bones weigh.
The report breaks down each limb, trunk, android (stomach, abdomen), gynoid (pelvic, glute), then gives a total, which is an average of all parts and pieces.
The report also gave me lean body mass. Finally - there is a separate percentage given for fat that is more than essential fat - it is inaccessible fat that is paramount for life, i.e. the fat found in bone marrow.
I am glad I had the scan done, despite the long drive, this information gives me a road map, guidance, really, of where I should go and what I should put my attention on.
And that is: eating clean, making food choices that will fuel my workouts and that will feed my muscles for repair and recovery. Plus an occasional treat to keep life interesting and make meals fun. My goals are shifting away from a figure to achieve on the scale and towards keeping my muscle and strength gains, and living a long, strong, flexible, agile and athletic life.
One other thing - the calipers - the pinch tests were pretty darn accurate. I was surprised at how accurate they are. But the calipers alone didn't tell me what I needed to hear - which was IGNORE the scale and go by measurements, how clothes fit, how I feel, and keeping an eye on over all health. The scale is an excellent feedback tool - but I was becoming a slave to it and needed more comprehensive information.
The DEXA scan was only $49. Pretty cheap for focus, direction, feedback, and affirmation.
